Method, apparatus, and document structure used to translate a document having one structure into a document having another structure. A document having the first structure is translated into an equivalent document having an intermediate structure, and the document having the intermediate structure is translated into an equivalent document having the second structure. The intermediate document structure is sequential, and translation from the document having the intermediate structure to the document having the second structure may begin before the translation from the document having the first structure to the document having the second structure is complete. The sequential document structure consists of segments representing components of the document. If a given component is dependent from another component, the dependent component is nested within the component it is dependent from. The entire document is represented by a segment in which all segments representing components are nested. Other structures in the intermediate document structure represent attributes applying to sections of the document text and items such as line ends, tabs, and indentations.

A method is disclosed for retaining access to deleted documents in a data processing system. In a data processing system multiple documents may be stored and accessed by a plurality of users. Each user may be authorized a particular access authority to a document which limits the activities that user may undertake with regard to that document. In accordance with the method of the present invention any user having access authority to a document may designate that document as a retained document. Thereafter, any attempted deletion of that document by the owner thereof will result in the retention of the document for those users who have designated it as a retained document. Further, any attempted alteration of the user's access authority for that document which results in a denial of future access will result in the automatic creation of a copy of that document with the user's original access authority. In this manner a user, having once been granted access authority to a document, may elect to designate that document as a retained document and thereby assure continued access to that document despite an attempted deletion of the document or an alteration of the user's access authority.

The invention relates to an arrangement and to a method for revising selected data in a distributed data communication system, eg such data as a data program or document intended for a number of a plurality of destination devices (AEI, AEII, LSE2, LSE3) in the data communication system individually selected by an administrator, in which each destination device includes at least one memory unit (ME, LSM2, LSM3) for individual storage of data. The revision involves, for instance, installing and/or changing the selected data, a) a list of the selected destination devices is established; b) a procedure for the revision of the data on the selected destination devices is established and the procedures (L2; C2) are stored as a revision recipe; c) there is created a data package which at least contains the data to be revised and its revision recipe; d) the data package is distributed internally in the data communication system to the selected destination devices; e) the selected destination devices interpret the information in the data package with the aid of a special interpretation program installed in each destination device and initiating procedures on the basis thereof.

A mail circulation device enables serial delivery of a unique, non-interchangeable route package containing mail items and a route list of desired recipients, to each listed recipient. The mail items of the route package are originals, as sent by the sender, throughout the circulation. The route list also specifies the type of action each recipient is allowed to take with respect to the route package. Votes of approval and comments of the mail items of the route package by each recipient are recorded in a data file which associates the mail items and route list. The identity of recipients may be validated by requiring each recipient to enter a unique password for voting at the time of voting. The route list may be altered by specified listed recipients such that the mail items and altered route list are circulated, as the route package, to additional recipients or not circulated to initially listed recipients. The delivery and voting status of the package may be recorded in a separate data record such that the originator is able to read the status of the route package at any time during the circulation.

This invention relates to marking a document with action markers and specifying an action to be performed by a responding end user. Notification criteria, notify ID and a status, which are associated with the action to be performed, are also specified. Upon the completion of the action specified, the responding end user updates the status and a message is automatically generated and transmitted to an end user associated with the notify ID if the updated status meets the notification criteria.