Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Oracle International Corporation

Tin A Nguyen

Dwight F Hare

Amy Pearl

Richard F McAllister

Carolyn L Foss

Srinath Krishnaswamy

Susan M Kotsovolos

Sami Shaio

Sami Shalo

Joyo Wijaya

John Boonleungtomnu

A method and apparatus that allow schema version evolution to occur without requiring applications that expect older schema versions to be recompiled is provided. According to one aspect of the invention, each application that requests data is supplied the data in the format that the application expects. To supply the data in the expected format, a mechanism is provided for tracking the evolution of data types without losing information. In addition, mechanisms are provided for determining the format expected by the application and the format in which the data is currently stored. A mechanism is also provided for converting the data from the stored format to the expected format when the two formats do not match. A data migration strategy is described in which data is gradually migrated to newer formats when the data is updated by applications that expect a more recent format than the format in which the data is currently stored.

Method and apparatus for providing schema evolution without recompilation

A method and apparatus are provided for locating a object based on a reference to the object. An application determines whether the reference has previously been used to locate the object. If the reference has previously been used to locate the object, then a data structure referred to as a 'tombstone' that has been associated with the object is located based on a first virtual memory address that is stored in the reference. Once the tombstone has been located, a first pseudo-timestamp that is stored in the reference is compared to a second pseudo-timestamp that is stored in the tombstone. If the first pseudo-timestamp matches the second pseudo-timestamp, then the object is located based on a second virtual memory address that is stored in the tombstone. If the first pseudo-timestamp does not match the second pseudo-timestamp or if the reference has not been previously used to locate the object, then the object is located based on the identifier stored in the reference. During the process of locating the object based on the object identifier, the virtual address of the tombstone associated with the object is stored in the reference, and the pseudo-timestamp stored in the tombstone is stored in the reference. When tombstones are reused, the pseudo-timestamp within the tombstone is incremented.

Method and apparatus for locating a first set of data using a global

A method and apparatus for extensible inter-application link management is disclosed. The apparatus is independent of the applications that manipulates the anchors linked by the links being managed. Anchors linked may reside on the same or different computers on a network. Links managed comprise navigation links and include links. Links managed may be further extended with application defined links. Application defined links may or may not require support by additional application provided link maker programs. Application defined links may inherit linking operations managed from the navigation link, include link and other existing application defined links with or without override.

Method and apparatus for extensible object-oriented inter-application

A method and apparatus for object oriented interprocess message switching between a sender process and a plurality of receiver processes is disclosed. A sender process may address object oriented messages to a plurality of objects without knowing the identities of programs that handle or observe the object operations defined by the object types of the addressee objects, whether these programs are being executed, and how to start their execution if they are not being executed. Object operations defined by object types may be inherited from predecessor object types. Inherited object operations may also be overridden for 'pre-processing' and 'post-processing'. One handler process and any number of observer processes are selected for each object oriented message. Handler processes are selected for object oriented notice messages as well as object oriented request messages and vice versa. Executing as well as non-executing processes (i.e. programs) are selected. The sender process and the receiver processes may be executed on the same different computers in a network.

Method and apparatus for object oriented interprocess message switching

A method and apparatus for interprocess message switching between a sender process and a plurality of receiver processes is disclosed. Messages supported comprise request and notice messages. Receiver processes supported comprise handler processes and observer processes. Request messages may be observed as well as handled, and notice messages may be handled as well as observed. Handler and observer processes may be non-executing as well as executing. Sender processes do not need to specify the identity of the receiver processes. The sender process and the receiver processes may be executed on the same computer or on two or more computers in a network.

Method and apparatus for routing messages to processes in a computer

A method and apparatus for scoped interprocess message switching between a sender process and a plurality of receiver processes is disclosed. Messages supported may be scoped to message scopes of a message scope type of 'Session' or one of a plurality of non-session message scope types including a message scope type of 'File'. Messages may also be scoped to message scopes of an intersection or union of message scope types. Intersection and union of message scope types comprise 'File in Session' and 'File or Session'. Scoped messages supported further comprise request and notice messages. Receiver processes supported comprise handler processes and observer processes. Request messages may be observed as well as handled, and notice messages may be handled as well as observed. Handler and observer processes may be non-executing as well as executing. Local receiver processes are selected for session scoped messages. Remote as well as local receiver processes are selected for non-session scoped messages. Sender processes do not need to specify the identity of the receiver processes. The sender process and the receiver processes may be executed within the same or different sessions, on the same computer or on different computers in a network.

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Danville, CA, United States of America

Tin A Nguyen