Abstract: A system, method, and program of the invention enables a software programming tool to automatically populate a specified directory, such as a working directory of a specified application, with files matching a certain file type, e.g., *.gif, *.jpeg, or matching a general file description, e.g., pictures, images, spreadsheets, text. The files may reside within any directory accessible to the computer system running the specified application. When running the specified application, a user has access to all of the files matching the specified type or description from the one directory. The functionality of the tool is invoked each time the application is launched, without further user interaction, so that any newly created files matching the file type or general description are automatically copied or moved to the specified one directory.

Abstract: A method for providing additional descriptive information about a file during a download to a local computer so that functional and descriptive aspects of the file may easily be reviewed without having to open the file. A software application is provided that enhances current browser software. When a user desires to download a file from a remote source, the application causes the browser to link to the web site and retrieve particular descriptive information/data associated with the file, including the URL. Concurrently, a dialog box is opened and displayed on the display device of the local computer. The dialog box includes a text entry area in which the user can enter personalized identifying data/information about the file being downloaded. The downloaded file is saved along with the data retrieved from the web site as well as the user-entered data/information. The additional information is stored as extended attributes linked to the file and are retrieved without opening the file.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing a print job. A call is received from an application to print the print job to a selected printer, wherein the print job includes a request to use a hardware service. A print preview of the print job prior to printing the print job is provided. Responsive to receiving an indication that the print job is to be printed after providing the print preview, the print job is sent to a device driver for the selected printer to print the print job. A determination is made as to whether the selected printer supports the hardware service. Responsive to a determination that the hardware service is unsupported by the selected printer, the hardware service is provided using a software simulation.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for bookmarking a resource. In response to a request to bookmark a location in the resource, a universal resource locator and location information are identified by querying a plug-in for location information for the location in the resource. The universal resource locator and location information are stored as a bookmark in which the bookmark is used to return to the location in the resource.

Abstract: A system and method that allows an administrator to provide application extensions in a platform-neutral shell environment is provided. The administrator defines a graphical interface, such as an icon, used to launch the platform dependent software application. The administrator centrally manages the application extensions by defining the extension and including the extension definition in self-contained desktops. The administrator defines the executables and directories used to launch the corresponding application. The administrator selects desktop components, including application extensions, needed for a particular job role and packages the components into the self-contained desktop package file. The desktop packages and included application extensions are received and loaded on a platform-neutral desktop shell application. The shell application exists in a platform-neutral environment such as a Java virtual machine.

Abstract: A system and method that centrally manages desktop packages is provided allowing the administrator to recover component files previously sent to servers located throughout the organization. Applications are assigned to users and workstations. Self-contained desktop packages are transmitted to servers. The servers, in turn, provide the desktop packages to clients. The packages and the components included in the packages include unique identifiers used to identify the packages and components. A manifest is maintained detailing the individual components included in each of the self-contained desktop files. When a disaster event occurs at the administrator's computer system, the administrator retrieves the self-contained desktop files from the servers to which the packages were previously transmitted. The administrator repopulates the component libraries by unpacking the components from the self-contained desktop files.

Abstract: A system and method that provides a platform-neutral shell application for a user interface is provided. The platform neutral shell application is performed in a way that prevents the user from accessing the underlying operating system. The desktop shell application executes in a middleware application. The operating system residing on the client computer system is booted. The middleware application is loaded on the operating system platform. The middleware application is programmed for the particular operating system being used by the client. The shell application is loaded on the middleware application. The shell application prevents the user from accessing the underlying operating system by maximizing the window in which the shell application is running, pinning the shell application window to the foreground, and removing controls from the desktop window would otherwise allow the user to bypass the desktop shell.

Abstract: A system and method that selects applications that are allowed to be performed by a particular user using a particular workstation is provided. The system identifies one or more roles that have been assigned to the user and matches the identified roles with one or more roles that have been assigned to the workstation. Roles that are allowed for both the workstation and the user are enabled to be used by the user using the workstation. In one embodiment, a user may be allowed to perform multiple roles from the user's workstation. The available roles are selected using an interface, such as a pop-up menu. In one embodiment, the desktop packages and components are received by, displayed on, and launched from a operating system platform-neutral shell application, such as a Java software application running on a Java virtual machine. In this manner, the packages and components are platform-independent.

Abstract: A system and method that centrally manages desktop packages is provided. The administrator assigns applications to users and workstations. The administrator selects desktop components needed for a particular job role and packages the components into a self-contained desktop package file. The self-contained desktop package is sent to a user that is using a particular workstation. Roles that are allowed for both the workstation and the user are enabled to be used by the user using the workstation. In one embodiment, the components are packaged in different sets of self-contained desktop packages, with each package corresponding to a different role. In one embodiment, the self-contained desktop package files are transmitted to a user when the user logs into the network using a particular workstation.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically generating code, in particular high level source code for remotely accessing functionality running in a remote process is provided. Given a specified set of functionality, which may be defined via an interface, for providing functionality to a local process, the mechanism generates, in source code form, software for remotely accessing the functionality by an application running in another process, that is, for accessing the functionality by an application running a second process. The code may be generated at build time but before the actual build of a software product implementing the functionality.

Abstract: Data is received from a memory, which includes bitmap images, for output on an output device. The images may be stored in compressed or uncompressed form. The operating system, application or generic graphics environment program interface, queries the printer driver for the types of image compression formats supported by the printer. If the image is available in a compatible compressed format, that compressed image is read from memory. Alternatively or in addition, the best possible compression format supported by the printer is selected from the formats available in the printer driver. The image is then loaded in a printer compatible compression format or compressed using the selected format. The image is spooled in the selected compression format. The image file may be spooled as a raw file or metafile depending on the embodiment used.

Abstract: Data is received from a memory, which includes bitmap images, for output on an output device. The images may be stored in compressed or uncompressed form. The operating system, application or generic graphics environment program interface, queries the printer driver for the types of image compression formats supported by the printer. If the image is available in a compatible compressed format, that compressed image is read from memory. Alternatively or in addition, the best possible compression format supported by the printer is selected from the formats available in the printer driver. The image is then loaded in a printer compatible compression format or compressed using the selected format. The image is spooled in the selected compression format. The image file may be spooled as a raw file or metafile depending on the embodiment used.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a distributed data processing system for controlling printing. An interface is presented, wherein the interface allows for association of a logical font with a number of system fonts on a per printer queue basis. Responsive to a print request, the print request is printed using the system font associated with the logical font for that print request.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which a request from a client for the display of a web page is processed by initially separating device-dependent display data from device-independent display data. The device-independent data is first sent back to the requesting client while the device-dependent data is being processed prior to being returned to the client. The device-dependent data processing includes separating bitmaps with text and bitmaps without text. The bitmaps are modified to suit the client system and the device-dependent modified bitmaps are returned to the client following the return of the device-independent data.

Abstract: A system, method and program of the invention provides an application program tool that generates a password for a user to access a resource. The tool receives as input from a user a global user password and at least one hash key. The tool applies a consistent algorithm to the name of the resource being accessed, such as a domain name for an Internet site, and the hash key, and the global user password to generate the password. The same password is regenerated the next time the user accesses the same resource. The tool automatically populates the resource with the password.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for storing user identifications and passwords in a mobile device, such as a personal digital assistant. A modified keyboard device driver may be installed on each platform the user accesses. When the user is prompted for a password from a functioning terminal, the user may select the appropriate account on the mobile device. The mobile device then may send the user identification and password for the account to the terminal. The modified keyboard device driver receives the user identification and password from the mobile device and converts it into keyed text. The accounts with user identifications and passwords may be protected by a password. Thus, the user must only remember the one mobile device password to access a plurality of resources and computer systems. Furthermore, the communications between the mobile device and terminal may be encrypted to prevent snooping.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for converting programs and source code files written in a programming language to equivalent markup language files is provided. The conversion may be accomplished by a static process or by a dynamic process. In a static process, a programming source code file is converted by an application to a markup language file. A document type definition file for a markup language is parsed; a source code statement from a source code file is parsed; an element defined in the document type definition file is selected based on an association between the element and an identifier of a routine in the source code statement; and the selected element is written to a markup language file. In a dynamic process, the program is executed to generate the markup language file that corresponds to the source code file or presentation steps of the program.

Abstract: A method for serving an image from a server to a client, e.g., a computer having a browser or other graphics viewing engine. The user of the client first specifies a set of one or more bitmap characteristics for an image transfer, with at least one of the bitmap characteristics including a number of bits per pixel. Preferably, this specification is accomplished using an applet or other piece of code that is downloaded to the client from the server. Later, when the server receives a client request that includes data identifying a specified bitmap characteristic, a server processing routine (e.g., a servlet) generates a version of the image that conforms to the specified bitmap characteristic. This version is then delivered back to the client in response to the original request. In this way, the user of the client machine can control the particular characteristics of the image files that are delivered to his or her machine.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product in a data processing system for printing a disjoint web object and content of a web page is provided. Responsive to presenting the web page by the browser, an embedded tag is presented as the disjoint web object. The disjoint web object is then printed based on the embedded tag, wherein content relative to the disjoint web object is printed along with content of the web page.

Abstract: In the system, method, and program of the present invention, the browser renders a multimedia object to the screen. The multimedia object may be one or more advertisements having links to one or more advertisers. The browser periodically captures screen images having the multimedia object. In one embodiment, the screen images are captured at configurable time intervals. In another embodiment, the screen images are captured when there is a change in content of a screen image. Each screen capture contains the necessary link(s) to access the advertiser. The screen captures are stored, during a configurable duration of time, in a chronological list. A user can replay at a later time some or all of the stored screen images that were captured. The user will have various identifiable snapshots of the advertisements and access to the necessary links to get back to a desired advertiser.