Abstract: A method for automatically displaying dynamic images as a sequence of still frames is disclosed. The method includes receiving dynamic image data, transforming the dynamic image data into static image data, and displaying, frame by frame, the static image data on a display device. The method may be employed in a computer, a computer network or a system which has a display information card having at least a port for receiving the dynamic image data, a processor for transforming the dynamic image data into static image data, an internal memory for storing the static image data, and a display device. In the preferred embodiment, the method is employed in a web browser.

Abstract: A display with inherent means for avoiding moiré patterns in displayed digitized images having a two-dimensional array of non-uniformly spaced display elements such as LEDs, LCD, or TFT. Pixels within the display are non-uniformly spaced such that a fundamental pattern or “frequency” is not established, thereby avoiding the possibility of display physical characteristics interfering with image features, avoiding apparent moiré patterns and other display artifacts. If the source data for the image is a standard data set which represents data samples at uniformly-spaced pixels, the method interpolates the pixel values for the non-uniformly spaced display elements of the new array.

Abstract: A business card that contains printed textual information on the first side and magnetic media for storing electronic information on a second side. The second side contains all of the printed information displayed on the first side of the document. The business card also allows users to include additional information on the second side such as attached files and hyperlinks. To write and read to and from the business card, a reader/writer is disclosed. The reader/writer interfaces to a desktop computer. A software program in the personal computer enables reading and writing data to and from the business card. Because the data to be read is in XML format, any application capable of handling data in XML format will be able to process the information scanned from the card.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically backing up logical entity data. Filesystems within the computer system are identified and data pertaining to the filesystem is recorded to backup storage. Recorded data includes the filesystem name, size, mount points, logical volumes, and logical volume groups. The logical entity backup process records the logical volume group names, the disk identification data associated with the logical volumes, the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that have been set for the computer system, gateway address information for accessing a gateway computer, and netmask information. The backup process backs the logical entity data to nonvolatile storage either in a removable media or to a computer network storage device that is connected to the computer system through a computer network.

Abstract: Initially, profiles are customized by naming an assignment to individual users and identifiable groups of users. A profile is further assigned action groups that comprise one or more system actions. System actions provide the functionality needed for toolbar buttons and menu items. Using the system actions associated with the action groups, toolbar buttons and menus can then be configured for the profile. The profile determines the level of functionality downloaded with the application. When a request is received for an application, the user's profile is accessed for the action groups and system actions that provide functionality for the application. Only system actions associated with a profile to which the user is assigned are transferred to the requesting user. Alternatively, the user's group profile may be accessed for the action groups and system actions that provide functionality for the application.

Abstract: A system for efficiently generating keys for subsequently objects during object creation and for finding and activating objects using the generated keys in an object oriented system includes one or more processors, a storage system, one or more I/O controllers, a system bus, operatively connecting the processors, the storage system and the I/O controllers, a system control program for controlling the operation of the system, and an extensible instance manager which generates keys and manages instances of objects under the control of the system control program.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing user input in a graphical user interface. A graphical user interface is presented using a view controller, wherein the view controller handles the user input to the graphical user interface. Responsive to a selected user input, an event is sent to a first application mediator. Responsive to the first application mediator being unable to process the event, the event is sent to a second application mediator for processing, wherein the first application mediator and the second application mediator handle an order in which a set of displays are displayed by a view controller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for refreshing data in an application. A call is received to update data in the application, wherein the data is destined for a component in the application. A data type is identified for the data. Responsive to the data type being a handled data type, the data is formatted and a refresh is called on the component.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a data processing system for displaying a graphical user interface. A container is displayed in a graphical user interface from a set of containers, wherein a display of the container handled by a view controller from a set of view controllers. Each view controller handles the display of an associated container within the set of containers and user input for the associated container. A display of the set of containers is altered by an application mediator, wherein the set of containers are displayed in an order determined by the application mediator.

Abstract: A dead e-mail identification locator discovers dead e-mail addresses without forwarding messages to valid recipients. Existing headers in the mail protocol are extended to include a test header. A mail server that supports the protocol extension of the present invention may send a reply if the address does not exist and may discard the message if the address does exist. The test header allows a sender to test an e-mail address for validity without the message being forwarded to the user, as will be described below. The sender may be a dead e-mail locator program, which tests a plurality of e-mail addresses, such as an e-mail address list or white pages of e-mail addresses.

Abstract: A Web based application, specifically, HelpNow!®, that is not compatible with browsers of the OS/2 operating system because the Web based application contains JavaScript 1.2 statements is re-coded so that the Web pages of the Web based application will be compatible with the browsers of the OS/2 operating system.

Abstract: Intermediary frameworks allow software components to agree on sentinel values. When a software component attempts to pass a null value to a software component that does not support null values, an intermediate framework replaces the null value with a corresponding sentinel value. When a software component that is not null-capable attempts to pass a sentinel value to a null-capable software component, the intermediate framework replaces the sentinel with a null value. The sentinel values may be randomly generated or assigned by a user. A sentinel value is a valid data value that is never used during program execution. A user may designate the sentinel values based on the data models of the software components.

Abstract: A user's calendar program is configured to “induce” execution of scheduled programs or system activities. Utilizing a scheduler program, the user can configure the system to run certain recurring tasks but control system operation with varying results based on the controlling inducement factors received from the calendar program. When creating an event or activity entry in the calendar program, the user associates an inducement value with that entry. On the date of the entry, the scheduler program, before initiating execution of any scheduled tasks, obtains the inducement value(s) for that date. The inducement value(s) are logically combined with execution values to control execution of scheduled tasks.

Abstract: A method for monitoring incoming data from an external computer network is provided. The invention comprises polling all active port connections in a data processing system at regular intervals and comparing these connections to a table of authorized ports and IP addresses. Any unauthorized connections are logged and a network administrator is notified. The present invention can be implemented on clients within a computer network.

Abstract: This invention involves a method to modify that an operation needs to be done on a file system. This involves the concept of “defragmentation”, which is the process of rewriting parts of a file to contiguous sectors on a hard disk to increase the speed of access and retrieval. The present invention provides a system administrator who sets up a profile of when the file system should have the defragmentation utility run. There would be two fields in the profile; one for the number of times that contiguous allocation failed and the other is the size of the allocation. No application (file system utility) that uses the file system to tell when it is fragmented and that a defragmentation utility needs to be run.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to dynamically order features and manage features, especially aggregators, during creation of a logical volume is provided. The method and apparatus make use of a partition/aggregate list to identify partitions and/or aggregates that make up a logical volume that is to be created. In addition, the partition/aggregate list identifies features to be applied to the partitions and/or aggregates as well as the order in which these features are to be applied. The order in which these features are to be applied is designated by a current feature indicator (CFI). Based on a current CFI count of an entry in the partition/aggregate list, application of a feature corresponding to the current CFI count is attempted. If successful, the current CFI count is incremented and the process returns to a first entry in the partition/aggregate list. If unsuccessful, the current CFI count is not incremented and the process continues on to the next entry in the partition/aggregate list.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus in a data processing system for managing access to objects (called an element) in a collection of objects (called a container) in a high-concurrency environment. A request is received from a requester for an element's mutex given an identifier for the element. This mutex can be used as a mutex in a synchronized block to lock the object during that synchronized block. To compute the mutex for an element, the first instance seen by the container of the element's identifier is used. To do this, a determination is made as to whether there is already an instance of the identifier with the same value in a value set. If so, that value is returned to the requester for use as a mutex. If not, the current identifier instance is saved in the value set and returned. This allows the object to be locked prior to the existence of the object.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to dynamically order features and resolve conflicts in a logical volume management environment is provided. The method and apparatus classifies features of a logical volume into partition level, aggregate level and volume level classes. Based on these classes and the attributes associated with each feature, ordering of the features in a feature stack is performed and conflicts between features identified for conflict resolution. In addition, the apparatus and method provides a mechanism by which a default ordering of features selected by a user may be generated for a logical volume. The user may accept this default ordering or edit the ordering as long as the user does not generate any conflicts. Any conflicts generated will be reported to the user and the attempted ordering will not be allowed.

Abstract: A user creates a software tool using a simple Java text markup language (JTML) interface. The user provides the JTML server with JTML pseudo code (code objects) which the JTML server recognizes, and performs routine programming tasks associated with the JTML code objects. The JTML server builds the executable JTML tool by invoking Java classes, associated with the code object, which are necessary to create the tool. The Java classes also create the user interface necessary for the user to enter data and commands for executing the JTML tool once the tool has been created. The JTML server acts as a secure port to the host by insulating the host contact or connection from a client. No code or command passes directly between the host and the client, instead the JTML server mediates all transactions between the two. Additional security is provided by the JTML server logging each user's access and each user's transaction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying unauthorized attempts to access a data processing system. A file used to contain data on failed attempts to access the data processing system is monitored. Responsive to the file containing data on failed attempts to access the data processing system, the data is analyzed to identify candidates for unauthorized access attempts.