Patent attributes
A virtual path provider allows a Web application to access content source that is maintained by a file system, and/or content source that is maintained separately from a file system. When the Web application receives a request for processed content from a requesting computer system, the Web application access the processed content in cache if there is a valid cache entry, or accesses the corresponding content source through a virtual path provider. If appropriate for the content source, the virtual path provider streams the content source to the Web application through a virtual path. In one implementation, the virtual path provider provides a hash value of the content source, which can be compared to a cache entry. Implementations of the present invention, therefore, allow content source from any virtual store at any location to be processed or compiled by a Web application.
