Abstract: A method and system for updating a software subsystem while services are being provided by the software subsystem is provided. Initially, instructions are processed from a primary software subsystem loaded at a first base address associated with a primary storage unit. A secondary software subsystem is downloaded at a second base address associated with a secondary storage unit while the primary software subsystem is being executed. The secondary software subsystem typically contains an updated version of the primary software subsystem. To install the updated software subsystem, the first base address associated with the primary storage unit is swapped with the second base address associated with the secondary storage unit. Execution continues using the updated software subsystem without a significant interruption in service.

Abstract: The disclosed system represents an improvement over conventional systems for initializing static arrays by reducing the amount of code executed by the virtual machine to statically initialize an array. To realize this reduction, when consolidating class files, the preloader identifies all <clinit> methods and play executes these methods to determine the static initialization performed by them. The preloader then creates an expression indicating the static initialization performed by the <clinit> method and stores this expression in the .mclass file, replacing the <clinit> method. As such, the code of the <clinit> method, containing many instructions, is replaced by a single expression instructing the virtual machine to perform static initialization, thus saving a significant amount of memory. The virtual machine is modified to recognize this expression and perform the appropriate static initialization of an array.

Abstract: The invention concerns the generation of a software application that can be applied to several different target platforms. A software application is described by two separated, platform independent descriptions of said application, a computational description (CD) describing the structure and semantic of said application in a platform independent way and an engineering description (ED) describing the implementation principles of said application in a platform independent way. Both of said two separated descriptions (CD, ED) are used to map the application onto a target platform (TP) by means of a respective target platform profile.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for compiling a source file and to generate a data structure associating a global symbol with a global register referenced in the source file. The data structure enables a linker to initialize the global registers. The compiler also generates an object file from the source file. The object file includes the global register information. A linker links the object file potentially with at least one other object file or shared library to thereby generate an executable file or shared library. The linker uses the global symbol information contained in the object file to initialize the global registers and to perform relocation operations.

Abstract: Techniques for reducing the cost of dynamic class loading and initialization checks in compiled code are provided. Virtual machine instructions are compiled into one or more native machine instructions even if required runtime execution information is unavailable at the time of compilation. The native machine instructions include placeholder data where the required runtime execution information should be. The native machine instructions are overwritten with a native machine instruction that transfers control to a section of code or stub that, at runtime execution, replaces the placeholder data with the required runtime execution information and execution continues.