10. The method of claim 1 further comprises: receiving a composite data definition comprised of two or more data items and at least one dependency between the two or more data items, where each data item has a common meaning for applications that use the data item; assigning a discoverer to each data item associated with the composite data definition, where a discoverer for a given data item is comprised of a group of steps for identifying the given data item in the loosely-structured data; identifying a dependency between the two or more data items associated with the composite data definition; assigning a discoverer to the identified dependency, where a discoverer for a given dependency is comprised of a group of steps for identifying the dependency of data items in the loosely-structured data; iteratively performing the steps of identifying a dependency and assigning a discoverer to the identified dependency for all of the dependencies associated with the composite data definition; receiving input data; and parsing the input data to identify data items by executing discoverers associated with the composite data definition, where the parsing is implemented by computer-executable instructions executed by a computer processor.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprises: receiving a composite data definition comprised of two or more data items and at least one dependency between the two or more data items, where each data item has a common meaning for applications that use the data item; assigning a discoverer to each data item associated with the composite data definition, where a discoverer for a given data item is comprised of a group of steps for identifying the given data item in the loosely-structured data; identifying a dependency between the two or more data items associated with the composite data definition; assigning a discoverer to the identified dependency, where a discoverer for a given dependency is comprised of a group of steps for identifying the dependency of data items in the loosely-structured data; iteratively performing the steps of identifying a dependency and assigning a discoverer to the identified dependency for all of the dependencies associated with the composite data definition; receiving input data; and parsing the input data to identify data items by executing discoverers associated with the composite data definition, where the parsing is implemented by computer-executable instructions executed by a computer processor. 15. The method of claim 10 further comprises constructing a given location method which functions to locate a given data item; associating the given location method with the discoverer for the given data item, where the given location method is associated based on an attribute assigned to the given data item.