Components of Noi

Noi backend

User request processing

This is the backbone of a Noi system. It handles database connections, user authentication, content retrieval and other global tasks. When a user connects to a Noi CMF the users request is evaluated.

What piece of content does the user want?
How does the user want this information?
Can this user receive this information?

The result of this evaluation is an XML document. This document isn't necessary the content the user requested. It can be some of the following things:

The content the user requested
An error message saying the content is not available in the form the user wants it
An error message saying the content is not available
An error message saying the user doesn't have the rights for the content
A login form
...

Content retrieval

The XML-data will be extracted from a database or the filesystem. The URL the user requested will be parsed and mapped to the database or the filesystem. The format the user wants the information will also be stored in the URL and will be mapped to a XSL stylesheet.

The XML-data will undergo two different parsings. The data parsing and the format parsing.

Data can be stored in differend ways on the Noi CMF. It could be normal XHTML, Noi XML, DocBook ... The XML-data will be parsed and dynamic content can be included by executing processing instructions. These processing instructions can vary from normal PHP code to self-written PHP functions or even an external program.

Content transformation

When the XML-data contains all the data it is parsed with an XSL stylesheet to transform it into the content-type the user requested. These format-targets can be everything from PDF, plain text, WML, RDF, XHTML to DocBook. The Noi CMF will look at the input data and try to select the right XSL stylesheet to comply to the users wishes.

In the end the user gets his/her content.

Supporting system

In order to do all of the above the Noi Backend will set up an Environment. This will take care of: