Abstract: Data is written to and read from a shared pipe by applications of multiple systems. At least one shared pipe is located within an external shared memory coupled to one or more central processing complexes. Each of the central processing complexes has one or more operating system images, which controls execution of one or more piping applications. At least one piping application corresponding to at least one operating system image writes data to a shared pipe located in the external shared memory and at least one other application corresponding to one or more other operating system images reads data from the same shared pipe, thereby providing cross-system data piping.

Abstract: A logical positioning mechanism is provided within a storage controller, thus enabling the storage controller to determine which logical position in a storage device is to be accessed next. The logical positioning mechanism includes one or more logical position indicators defined, maintained and controlled by the storage controller. The logical position indicators include the address of the logical position to be next accessed and are incremented and decremented by the storage controller depending upon the operation accessing the logical position.

Abstract: In a data processing system, a hardware system area ("HSA") storage is associated with the hardware configuration of the system. A change in the system hardware configuration typically corresponds to a change in HSA size. Upon determination of the requirement for, for example, increasing the size of HSA, a region of storage is freed from use as central storage or expanded storage. The freed region is incorporated into the data processing system as HSA storage. The process may be reversed to reduce the size of HSA by converting a region of HSA into either central storage or expanded storage.

Abstract: An adapter interface function allows data to be acted on using resources owned by a corresponding application and without any modification to the application. The adapter interface can be applied to receive data from data sources not provided for in the access methods used by the application. Likewise, the adapter can be used to write data to data sinks not supported by the access methods used by the application. The adapter interface can be provided in an I/O control system or in access method programs. Adapters are written in an interpreted language to provide run-time execution and avoid program compile, assemble, and link edit requirements. A programing interface is provided to enable invocation of stored library programs.

Abstract: In a computer system, the ability to dynamically switch between different user interface types is provided. A directed graph is composed of nodes that each contain user interface information. A first part of the user interface information is common to each of the different user interface types, while a second part of the user interface information corresponds to one of the different user interface types. A presentation front end program selects a user interface type by accessing the user interface information stored in the nodes.

Abstract: Methods for operating a modeling system and/or a communications network, using a computer assisted process, are described, which transform a first set of signals, including (a) signals representing a given linear network defined in terms of a set of node identification signals, (b) a set of weighted/directed edge signals each of which identify the weight, direction and the pair of nodes in the network interconnected via a given edge, and (c) signals representing arbitrarily specified start and target nodes in the network, into a second set of signals indicating the shortest path in the network between the start and target nodes. The processes contemplated by the invention perform the aforementioned transformation by incrementally creating an array of node identification signals directly from the first set of signals. No starting matrix (or sparse matrix), as required by prior art processes, needs to be created or stored.