Abstract: Non-modal database system having methods for incremental maintenance of live views is desribed. The database system maintains a single-context workspace throughout an entire user session; here, the user creates a base document (database) for storing user-supplied information. In a typical session, the user takes "views" of the base document, for presenting the information according to a user-selected format and according to user-specified criteria (if desired). More particularly, the system maintains "live" views of the data so that all views of a particular base document (or documents) reflects at all times the state of the underlying data. By employing "incremental queries," the system of the present invention can at all times maintain the "liveness" of user-designed forms and reports, all without having to re-execute queries or re-paginate reports.

Abstract: A computer system having concurrently shared objects or resources is described. An exemplary embodiment includes a multi-user database management system having information tables and related objects stored in shared directories on a file server. A plurality of lock types, including directory lock, full lock, write lock, prevent full lock, and prevent write lock, are provided for controlling concurrent access. Methods are described for managing locks by creating a special lock file for each shared directory that is accessed. The lock file stores at least one logical lock file having locking or concurrency information specific to a family of related members. The logical lock file itself includes a plurality of entries for specifying concurrency information of associated family members. A shared object or resource is accessed according to the information retrieved from the corresponding logical lock file.

Abstract: A data access system of the present invention includes an interface (client), a data engine having a common application programming interface layer, and data drivers. Through the drivers, the data engine (responding to client requests) accesses foreign data objects, which may include information tables, files, and other data objects of a foreign format. In this manner, the system provides a virtual interface between a client (e.g., database manager) and individual foreign data objects (e.g., database files). Regardless of the format of the individual database files, all files can be shared without the need to make copies.

Abstract: A development system having a compiler, a linker, and an interface is described. The compiler, which generates or "compiles" source listings into object modules, includes a parser for parsing information. Parsed information, which is initially stored in a parse tree, is further processed. A hash table is initialized for storing a unique address or signature for a particular data object (or set) of the tree. The nodes of the parse tree are processed in a "preorder" traversal. If a node under examination is not stored in the hash table, it is installed in the table and its address (hash address) is returned for storage in the tree. Other nodes of the tree are (recursively) processed in a similar manner. Two identical trees encountered in a parse will hash to the same address and thus need only be stored once. If two trees differ by only a small amount, only the difference and the left edge of the second tree will be stored in addition to the first.

Abstract: A Software Translation Kit (STK) system having a shell, TShell, coupled to an Export/Import module and various Editors is described. The Export/Import module itself includes a parsing engine to extract strings and translatable information from application programs. It functions as a front end parser to "translatable" sources, providing data conversion as needed. The STK system provides a standard interface and set of tools which can be used to localize graphic user interface products. By employing a datacentric approach, the system provides a standard platform which allows translators to act independently of the product they are translating.

Abstract: A Database Management System having a Collation Engine with improved methods for sorting information with National Language Support (NLS) is described. The Collation Engine includes an improved method for comparing text strings with a culturally predictable result. In an exemplary embodiment, the Collation Engine includes a Collation Table storing primary, secondary, and tertiary weightings. The weightings are employed, in a method of the present invention, for accounting for locale-dependent factors or rules other than those taken into account by conventional primary and secondary weightings. Additional rules include, for instance, local-specific sorting rules specifying that the case of a character be taken into consideration, or that the expansion of an expanding character (e.g., "" which expands to "AE") be taken into consideration.

Abstract: System and methods are provided for optimizing the access of information, particularly in response to ad hoc queries or filters. The system of the present invention includes a computer having a memory and a processor, a database for storing information in the memory as field values in a record, an indexing component for referencing a plurality of records by key values of the field(s), an input device for selecting desired records by entering a filter (query) condition corresponding to values stored in the field(s), and an optimization module for providing rapid access to the desired records. The optimization module employs one or more existing indices for optimizing data access, including using ones which do not directly support the filter expression. In instances where no indices are available, the optimization module may employ a "learned" optimization method of the invention for on-the-fly learning of records which meet the filter condition.

Abstract: An electronic spreadsheet system includes a notebook interface having a plurality of notebook pages, each of which may contain a spread of information cells, or other desired page type (e.g., Graphs page). Methods are provided for rapidly accessing and processing information on the different pages, including displaying a plurality of page identifiers for selecting individual pages, and further including a preferred syntax for referencing information. Additional methods are provided for editing cells and blocks of cells.

Abstract: A system for assisting a user of a computer system in entering valid information includes a computer having a processor and a memory, a display device for illustrating screen objects, a screen cursor for indicating a location on the display device, an input device for positioning the screen cursor, and screen information for indicating user operations available with the input device.

Abstract: A system of the present invention includes a relational database management system (RDBMS), having an object-based, interactive visual-programming language providing programming by "visual inheritance." A user places screen objects (e.g., boxes, screen buttons, table objects, and the like) on an on-screen window or "form," visually attaches selected "properties" and "methods" to the screen objects, and then establishes an containership-based event model that dictates how and when these properties and methods will be invoked. An object inherits (derives) properties and methods from other (parent) objects via its visual containership. In this manner, the task of creating and maintaining application programs is greatly simplified.

Abstract: Multi-user system includes a server connected to one or more workstations or "clients" through a computer network. System provides concurrent access to shared resources (e.g., common data structures residing on the server), but without the disadvantage attendant with conventional mutual exclusive (mutex) primitives. Specifically, the system provides a "nested mutex" mechanism, so that user program code can acquire and release mutexes without concern for deadlocking and without special processing for testing a particular mutex condition or state. At the same time, the system prevents other threads or processes from accessing the shared resource in a manner which would violate concurrency.

Abstract: A system for creation and completion of goal oriented electronic forms creates a graphical image data file which defines: a graphical image of a form for display and printing; a graphical image of tree branches, tree nodes, and conclusions in association with fields of the form; reading and writing links between form fields and data sources and destinations; and links to other forms which, with the original form, comprise a related stack of forms. The system includes a form creation mode and a run time mode. The trees are defined by an application developer using the form creation mode to establish both qualitative and quantitative relationships between the various fields on the forms thereby providing the basis for the goal oriented prompting for the application user using the run time mode.

Abstract: The present invention provides an expert system for suggesting and providing graphic design selections based on a user's desired result. The invention provides a plurality of descriptors to define the characteristics of an output page or document. A user can "scale" or "weight" the descriptors, as desired. The present invention utilizes the weighted descriptors to select a number of solutions from a predefined database of possible solutions. The "fit" of each database solution to the user criteria is determined via an intelligent search. Initially, solutions that do not satisfy rejection constraints are identified and eliminated. These rejection constraints are binary constraints and may be the result of output device limitation, intended audience, environment of use, availability of color, etc. The elimination of solutions that do not meet the rejection constraints reduces the population of possible solutions, simplifying further researches and analysis.

Abstract: The present invention includes a computer-based training system (CBT) having one or more Application Translation Units (ATUs), a message engine, and a script engine. For one or more target applications of interest, an ATU is provided for processing events specific to that application, thereby trapping events and translating them into abstract messages or "meta-messages" for conveying information about a particular event to the system. A general operating system ATU is also provided for trapping general system events. Translated event messages are processed by event handlers. System or application-specific messages which are not of interest are simply allowed to pass through. The individual handlers dispatch their respective messages to the script engine, which includes instructions for directing the activity of the target application(s). The script engine, in turn, acts upon an incoming message. The dispatched message triggers appropriate action (as specified by instructions within the script).

Abstract: A development system having a compiler that allows programmers and software developers to more efficiently develop compiled applications with runtime exception handling support is described. The compiler implements methods for handling of exceptions, which may occur during runtime execution of the program. In an exemplary embodiment, the system of the present invention registers exception handling information (e.g., an Exception Registration Record) with the underlying operating system, during execution of prolog code for each function (or other discrete section of code). The method is implemented so that the Exception Registration Record (ERR) resides at the bottom of the stack (or top of stack, for stack-based systems whose system stack grows upward) so that the information is positioned at one end of the stack during execution of the function.

Abstract: An electronic spreadsheet system includes a notebook interface having a plurality of notebook pages, each of which may contain a spread of information cells, or other desired page type (e.g., Graphs page). The system includes a spreadsheet application development module having a user interface (UI) builder. The UI builder provides "live" links between system objects. In particular, link commands are provided as statements a developer may attach to a control to indicate what should happen when an end-user activates or changes the control. Link commands usually specify three things: an event, an action, and an object. The event indicates what occurrence should trigger the link command; the action indicates what should happen. The object is what should be acted upon. One control can have many link commands. In operation, a link command can send a value to a cell in the notebook, run a macro, close a dialog box, change the zoom factor in the notebook, or the like.

Abstract: System and methods are described for sorting information records in a fast and efficient manner. The present invention is particularly useful in environments where resources, such as available memory storage, are limited. A preferred method of the present invention includes scanning the field of records to be sorted (e.g., from left to right), whereby the system recursively divides the records into smaller groups, as determined by the values at a current position (i.e., the location currently under examination). As the members of a group drop below a predetermined threshold value, traditional improved sorting techniques (e.g., quicksort or insertsort) may be applied to the group to complete the sort.

Abstract: A system includes a relational database management system (RDBMS) having a data modeling component. A "data model" is a graphical representation of the relationship between tables one may use in a design document. "Design documents" allow a user to customize how his or her data are presented, including presenting information in formats which are not tabular and including formats which link together different tables (so that information stored in separate tables appears to the user to come from one place). Methods are described for automatically linking tables to be placed in a data model by comparing unique keys (e.g., primary key or other unique identifier) of one table with indexes (or indexable fields) of another table. Based upon the comparison, the system automatically suggests an appropriate link (if any) for the tables.

Abstract: A debugging system that allows programmers and software developers to more efficiently find and correct for errors in software applications. Preferred methods of the present invention includes the steps of setting and clearing watchpoints, statement stepping a program, and stopping a program from a debugger. One method provides for a table of watchpoints in the debugger. The debuggee is executed and, when an exception is generated, an address location of the exception is evaluated against the table of watchpoints to determine if a watchpoint has been encountered.

Abstract: A development system having methods for maintaining data integrity of information stored as a data record in a database table with information displayed on a screen device is described. An exemplary method for maintaining data integrity, without continuous exclusive locking of a shared data record, includes the following steps. First, the system reads at least one field value from a database table, while the table is available to others (i.e., accessed with share access). This field value is displayed on screen to the user, whereupon the user may enter new information (i.e., new field value). In the event that the user has entered new information, the method performs the step of re-reading the field value from the database table. Accordingly, the method can determine whether the just-entered value differs from that stored in the database.