International Business Machines Corporation

Floyd W Shackelford

William L Rich

Richard E Moore

Robert L Abraham

Richard S Briggs, Jr

John R Tiller, Jr

Cynthia A Ross

April D Stiles

Herman Mitchell

Michael P Priven

Stephen P Krosner

Thomas P Moorman

Judith A Smith

Jane E Schrock

Mary K Nix

Richard C Bale

Kenneth D Yates

A method and system in an object oriented programming environment within a data processing system are provided for enhancement of the efficiency of entry of operator inputs utilizing a complex object. The complex object is associated with a plurality of objects within the object oriented programming environment. Each of the plurality of objects is associated with a different one of a plurality of operator input fields. Each of the plurality of operator input fields is associated with a plurality of selectable operator inputs. In response to a selection of an attribute by an operator, permitted combinations of the selectable operator inputs are automatically determined utilizing the complex object. The permitted combinations of the selectable operator inputs which have been automatically determined are then presented to an operator for selection. Each of the selectable operator inputs included within the permitted combination selected by an operator is then automatically entered into a different one of the operator input fields for each of the plurality of objects.

Method and system within an object oriented programming environment for

A method and system in a data processing system for the establishment of relationships between reference objects in an object oriented environment and an associated data object residing outside an object oriented environment. A data object within an application outside an object oriented environment is identified. Multiple reference objects within an oriented environment are then established. Each reference object has a unique identifier and is associated with one of multiple users. Each reference object is associated with the identified data object so that multiple users may concurrently access the data object utilizing an associated reference object. The associated data object may then be modified in response to a modification of any reference object. Similarly, the reference objects may be modified in response to a modification of the associated data object.

Method and system in a data processing system for the enhancement of

A system and method for importing and exporting data between an object oriented computing environment and an external computing environment encapsulates the validation, conversion, and update control mechanisms for objects in metadata about the objects. Metadata logic operates identically on a variety of internal objects, freeing the object oriented computing environment from the need to duplicate the same control logic for each user interface. During program generation, metadata objects are generated to link an external computing environment data field name, a corresponding object oriented computing environment attribute name and a corresponding external data format for each external data field which is imported and exported. An external class object is defined, including conversion parameters for converting the corresponding object oriented computing environment attribute into the corresponding external data format. External object class metadata objects contain the object oriented computing environment attributes which are used for import and export.

System and method for importing and exporting data between an object

Boundary control of units of work in an object oriented computing environment is provided by a visitor locking system and method and a persistent object locking system and method. The object management table includes a visitor lock flag and a persistent lock flag for each unit of work. The object manager prevents copying of an object from a first unit of work to a second unit of work in response to the visitor lock flag associated with the first unit of work being in a first state, and allows copying of the object from the first unit of work to the second unit of work in response to the visitor lock flag being in a second state. The object manager also locks an object from a first unit of work in response to the persistent lock flag associated therewith being in a first state, and unlocks the object from the first unit of work in response to the persistent lock flag being in a second state. Copying and locking may apply to persistent objects only. Locking may prevent addition of objects to, and deletion of objects from, the unit of work.

System and method for applying visitor lock and persistent lock flags to

A system and method for run time configuration of objects within an object oriented computing environment permits class substitution, instance redirection and class redirection at run time. Class redirection permits class message calls to be redirected from a first class to a second class at run time. In class redirection, the second class uses all new instances of the first class. Instance redirection enables both class messages and instance messages to be redirected from the first class to the second class of run time. In instance redirection, the second class uses all new and existing instances of the first class. Class substitution enables both class messages and instance messages to be redirected and also enables insertion of a new class into the class hierarchy at run time. In class substitution, the second class uses all new instances and existing instances of the first class and all new instances and existing instances of the descendants of the first class. Class substitution, instance redirection, and class redirection can be used individually or in combination. In addition, multiple classes can be linked together into a single run time module to enhance performance.

System and method for run time configuration of objects in an object

Data may be manipulated directly in an object oriented programming system by providing a slot object which contains data within its frame. In contrast with conventional objects, the frames of which only contain attributes of the associated instances, the slot object contains actual data therein. Since this data is not contained in a separate object, a unique object identified need not be provided, thus simplifying object management. Unique messages also need not be provided so that message overhead is simplified. Memory fragmentation is also reduced because simple and tightly bound data may be encapsulated within a larger slot object. The data area in the slot object may be of fixed or variable size.

Slot objects for an object oriented programming system

In an Object Oriented Programming System, a Communications Interface Packet (CIP) enables processing in either a remote system or in a batch environment. A CIP is an object in an Object Oriented Programming System, and like any other object, the CIP object contains data or attributes surrounded by or encapsulated by methods or actions for those data or attributes. Unique to a CIP, however, are attributes which contain an action, an object and parameters. An Application Programming Interface (API) method enables remote processing. An IPA method, which is the reverse of the API method, creates the CIP object which is to be executed in a remote or batch system through the application programming interface. After a CIP object has been created, it must be flattened or formatted prior to submission to the batch system or prior to sending the CIP object to a remote system. Flattening or formatting puts the CIP object into a flat sequential file known as a product data interface (PDIF) file for use by either the remote or batch system. The PDIF file includes three major sections known as the administrative header section, the data dictionary section, and the object data section.

Remote and batch processing in an object oriented programming system

A system and method for dynamic processing of unbounded data streams. The system is adapted to operate on a data processing system including a display panel and a database stored on a non-volatile storage device. An input stream of data elements is received by the system from the database. The input stream of data elements is designated as a source data stream. An insert list of data elements is provided to maintain a first set of data elements arranged in sequence according to a corresponding sequence value; the first set of data elements is not contained in the source data stream. A delete list of data elements is provided to maintain a second set of data elements presently in the source data stream, and arranged in sequence according to a corresponding sequence value. A flagged list of data elements selected for further processing by a user, contains a third list of data elements arranged in sequence according to a corresponding sequence. In order to identify a data element to be returned to the display panel in response to a request for a current element in an apparent list of data elements, the system filters the source data stream through the insert list of data elements to obtain a candidate data element for the next element in the apparent list. The system then filters candidate data element through the delete list of data elements to verify that the candidate element has not been deleted. The system may optionally check the candidate data element through the flagged list of data elements to determine if the candidate element has been flagged. Finally, the system sets the candidate data element as the current data element in the apparent list and returns the current data element to the display panel.

System for modifying persistent database based upon set of data elements

A Unit of Work object class for an object oriented database management system provides concurrent processing through Unit of Work levels and instances while maintaining the integrity of the data in the database. Each new Unit of Work assigned to a task is an instance of the Unit of Work object class. A Unit of Work manager controls each step such that manipulation of the data occurs to the copies at that particular level for that particular instance. Only after all levels have been completed satisfactorily will a 'Commit' occur to the data in the database. If completion is not satisfactory, Rollback of the levels occur, thus preserving data integrity. The Unit of Work manager can also switch control between Unit of Work instances, thus permitting simultaneous performance of tasks.

Unit of work for preserving data integrity of a data-base by creating in

A data structure and method for uniquely identifying, and optimizing access to, object instances in an object oriented programming environment on a data processor containing a memory. Objects are categorized into one or more classes which define the method of the categorized objects, and messages are sent by the data processor to objects to perform actions. The data structure consists of a persistent portion containing a unique object identifier and a non-persistent portion containing the access address of an instance data frame in memory. The access address is set to the address of the instance data frame control block when the message is sent in order to optimize subsequent messages to the same object instance. The instance data frame control blocks are not allocated in memory until a first message is sent to an instance.

System for persistent and delayed allocation object reference in an

A system for implementing a messenger and object manager in an object oriented programming environment on a data processor containing a memory, in which objects are categorized into one or more classes which define methods of the objects categorized therein, and in which messages are sent by the data processor to objects to perform actions thereon. The system includes a message call processing procedure operating on the data processor for processing message calls to instances, including a method resolution segment for calling a loaded classes table to determine whether the class corresponding to a method of the instance is loaded, where the method corresponds to the action requested by the message. If the corresponding class is not loaded in main memory, then the system dynamically loads the class. A data resolution segment calls an object management table to resolve an indirection pointer which points to the address of a data frame corresponding to the instance.

System and method for implementing a messenger and object manager in an

A persistent data interface for an object oriented programming system provides a persistent class object. Any object which must survive a run time session is arranged to inherit from the persistent class object. Any object which inherits from the persistent class automatically becomes a persistent object. The persistent class includes a 'materialize' method for automatically retrieving a persistent object from nonvolatile memory and placing it in volatile memory if the persistent object cannot be located in volatile memory. A 'dematerialize' method is also included for removing an object from volatile memory and storing it in nonvolatile memory. Data integrity of the system is thereby preserved.

Persistent data interface for an object oriented programming system

An inter-panel process flow control method and system for enabling an uninhibited change of scope from the active panel to another panel visible on a display screen. The process relies on object-oriented programming constructs, particularly the inheritance property, and the control methods associated with the panel class. A hierarchical internal program logic is implemented where each child panel inherits the control method of its parent panel. An Action Router control method determines if a change of scope request can be handled locally by the currently active panel. The child panels of the currently active panel are queried in a controlled sequence using this inherited control method until a child panel is found that can handle the change of scope request.

Hierarchical inter-panel process flow control

A process and apparatus for manipulating boundless data streams in an object oriented programming system provides a stream class of objects which includes as attributes an ordered list of object references to selected ones of the data objects stored in the data storage device. Methods for manipulating the object include move to first, move to last, move to next and move to previous which provide a bi-directional data stream. The data appears to the user as though it resides entirely in memory, even though it does not. The stream class implements a 'sliding window' in an object oriented programming system which permits manipulation of any number of lists of virtually unlimited size when remaining within the physical limitations of finite storage.

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Buford, GA, United States of America

Floyd W Shackelford