Abstract: The invention relates to a software system and method for dynamically varying context sensitive menus of a software system. In this method, a menu item is added to a context sensitive menu of a graphical user interface (GUI) at the request of a subsystem module. Then, an activation event for the context sensitive menu is received from the GUI. The added menu item is displayed as either active or inactive based on a response to a query from the software system to a second subsystem module. The action associated with the menu item specified by the first subsystem module is executed when the menu item is selected only if it is active.

Abstract: The invention relates to a software system and method for configuring a software system for interaction with a hardware system. In this method, the software system (140) is executed on a host processor interconnected with the hardware system (103). A database (152) is accessed to obtain a description of a set of functional components present within the hardware system (103). A software representation (154) of the capabilities of each functional component is created by using the description of the set of functional components. Then, the software representation (154) is interrogated to determine a set of operational capabilities of the hardware system (103). The software system (140) is then operated in a manner that is responsive to the set of operational capabilities of the hardware system (103).

Abstract: The invention relates to a software debugging system and method proactively allowing debug components already in use by other debugging jobs to be released for use in a new debugging job. In this method, a new debug job is requested. A determination is made that one or more of the debug components needed to perform the new debug job is not currently available as they are in use by one or more other debug jobs. The set of existing debug jobs that are using these required components are identified. This set of debug jobs is displayed along with an indication that the new debug job cannot be performed because this set of debug jobs is using required components. Finally, one or more of the set of debug jobs is canceled if selected from the list in order to free up the required components. The determination of availability of components through the cancellation of selected jobs may optionally be repeated until the new debug job can be performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a software system and method for dynamically varying context sensitive menus of a software system. In this method, a menu item is added to a context sensitive menu of a graphical user interface (GUI) at the request of a subsystem module. Then, an activation event for the context sensitive menu is received from the GUI. The added menu item is displayed as either active or inactive based on a response to a query from the software system to a second subsystem module. The action associated with the menu item specified by the first subsystem module is executed when the menu item is selected only if it is active.

Abstract: The invention relates to a software system and method for configuring a software system for interaction with a hardware system. In this method, the software system (140) is executed on a host processor interconnected with the hardware system (103). A database (152) is accessed to obtain a description of a set of functional components present within the hardware system (103). A software representation (154) of the capabilities of each functional component is created by using the description of the set of functional components. Then, the software representation (154) is interrogated to determine a set of operational capabilities of the hardware system (103). The software system (140) is then operated in a manner that is responsive to the set of operational capabilities of the hardware system (103).

Abstract: The invention relates to a software system and method for dynamically determining debugging information from source code of a program being debugged. In this method, the source code of the program being debugged is presented in an area of a display by the software system. A portion of the source is selected for a debug activity. In response to this selection, a source code object is created that contains debugging information relevant to that portion of source code. Then, a debug activity is initiated by using the debugging information from the source code object. This debug activity may be selected from a menu or be presented in another portion of the display in the form of a parameter input area (dialog). The debugging information in the source code object is used to supply the parameters of the debug activity.