Abstract: This invention addresses the management of window geometry (or layout) in a distributed data processing system. In this invention, a client server model includes an application executing on a client system with graphics being drawn on the server system for the end user. Each client application interacts with the user by defining client windows into which are placed graphical data and where input data may be entered by the user. The application software together with the graphics software is provided in the client processor. The server processor includes the ability to display data to the end user. The application data for display, in the form of a window, includes a special designated area within the window to provide user access to the application.

Abstract: This invention addresses the management of window geometry (or layout) in a distributed data processing system. In this invention, a client server model includes an application executing on a client system with graphics being drawn on the server system for the end user. Each client application interacts with the user by defining client windows into which are placed graphical data and where input data may be entered by the user. The application software together with the graphics software is provided in the client processor. The server processor includes the ability to display data to the end user. The application data for display, in the form of a window, includes a special designated area within the window to provide user access to the application.

Abstract: A control window for navigating and implementing menu selections in a multiple level hierarchical menu is provided having a first zone displaying a list of the selection levels and a second zone displaying a list of the selection options within a selection level. The second zone is refreshed with selections for another selection level in the menu hierarchy in response to a user implementation or registration of a selection option at the originally displayed selection level. Preset default settings in all selection levels permit the user to implement a "fast path" hierarchical menu selection.

Abstract: A control window for navigating and implementing menu selections in a multiple level hierarchical menu is provided having a first zone displaying a list of the selection levels and a second zone displaying a list of the selection options within a selection level. The second zone is refreshed with selections for another selection level in the menu hierarchy in response to a user implementation or registration of a selection option at the originally displayed selection level. Preset default settings in all selection levels permit the user to implement a "fast path" hierarchical menu selection.

Abstract: A method, system and program is provided for reconfiguring a database by the manipulation of table and column icons on a user interactive graphical display interface to the database. In the interactive display, columns are represented by icons and tables are represented by icons which in turn represent combinations of columns. One or more of the table icons are decomposed into the column icons making up the tables. The column icons are displayed in pool areas on the display from which the user may interactively select column icons and combine such column icons to form a new table represented by a table icon.

Abstract: A distributed data processing system and method in which locks on a file are supported by a data structure that resides on either a client machine or on the file's server. When only a single client's processes are locking a file, the data structure can reside on that client. Whenever a plurality of client machines attempt to place locks on a file, the data structure is moved to the server; this forces the clients locking the file to communicate with the server when performing lock operations. When a client requests a lock from the server that cannot be granted because of an existing blocking lock, the client is informed that it should put the requesting process asleep awaiting a retry notification. When there is a change in the locks on the file that might allow such a client's now sleeping process to acquire the lock, the server sends a retry notice to the client. This awakens the sleeping process at the client, and the process then reattempts the lock operation by sending a message to the server.

Abstract: A method and system for enhanced branch history prediction accuracy in a superscalar processor system by maintaining branch history tables which include a separate branch history for each instruction fetch position within a multi-instruction access. In a superscalar processor system which is capable of accessing multiple instructions simultaneously, a branch history table is established which includes a predictive field for each possible instruction fetch position within a multi-instruction access. Each group of predictive fields is accessed within the branch history table utilizing a portion of the instruction fetch address, such as the low order address bits. A particular predictive field within the group is then selected which corresponds to the position of the branch instruction within the instruction fetch. The content of the selected predictive field is then utilized to predict whether or not a branch is taken for the corresponding branch instruction.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for displaying and confirming the status of a plurality of deferred requests for processing by a system made by an end user of that system. Each request made by an end user is monitored and an indication of each deferred request is stored in a deferred status request list which acts as an electronic "out basket." The deferred status request list includes an indication of the date and time of each request as well as an indication of the type of request. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an indication of the status of each deferred request is periodically generated and stored within the deferred status request list so that the end user may determine whether or not the request is pending, running, or completed. The end user may also selectively view the deferred status request list and alter the status of a selected request by deleting it, placing it in a hold status, or viewing the results of that request.

Abstract: An application or terminal emulation program, which is being executed on an information processing system, is represented by the display of a first icon on a display device. If during the execution of the application or terminal emulation program, a virtual display buffer associated with the application program, is updated, a second icon is displayed on the display device to indicate to a user of the system that a change in the status of the program has occurred.

Abstract: A method for moving a cursor while constrained on a selected, displayed graphics object displayed on a display screen. Entering a signal for pointing to a position on the display screen, determining a point on the display screen in response to the entered signal, determining a point on the graphics object which is near to the point determined on the display screen, and displaying a cursor at the point determined on the graphics object.

Abstract: In a data processing system which defines and processes objects and defines a plurality of virtual screens of display data with which views of objects can be associated, the system defines distinct anterior and posterior display layers for display, with the anterior layer having a background such that the content of the posterior display layer can be viewed therethrough and with one of the layers being assignable for the display of a selected virtual screen and the other display layer being dedicated for the display of an additional screen. The system also provides for the transfer of objects between the anterior and posterior display layers such that the dedicated layer can be used for transporting objects between virtual screens.

Abstract: An extended selection field for use in selecting one or more choices from a list on an information system display. The extended selection field exhibits the behavior and appearance of a standard single choice field, with the additional capability to switch into a multiple choice mode to override the single choice restriction. A single choice is selected using the standard technique of moving the selection bar to the desired choice and pressing the Enter key. However, the single choice restriction may be overridden by using the standard multiple choice selection technique of moving the selection bar to a first desired choice and pressing (instead of the Enter key) a choice selection key such as the space bar. The field then exhibits the behavior and appearance of a standard multiple choice field. The single choice selection bar immediately changes to a multiple choice indicator and the operator receives immediate visual feedback that the system is enabled to accept multiple choices.

Abstract: A method of exchanging date and time slot usage between calendar users. A date and time map structure is configured in a common way to allow the accessing of the map information using an algorithm and then responding to the provided information. The response would normally be to create a composite calendar for purposes of determining which time slots are not used for selected calendars to assist when establishing a group meeting. The structure supports specifying calendar categories, time span and granularity for the times represented by the used time slots in the map.

Abstract: A distributed data processing system and method in which locks on a file are supported by a data structure that resides on either a client machine or on the file's server. When only a single client's processes are locking a file, the data structure can reside on that client. Whenever a plurality of client machines attempt to place locks on a file, the data structure is moved to the server; this forces the clients locking the file to communicate with the server when performing lock operations. When a client requests a lock from the server that cannot be granted because of an existing blocking lock, the client is informed that it should put the requesting process asleep awaiting a retry notification. When there is a change in the locks on the file that might allow such a client's now sleeping process to acquire the lock, the server sends a retry notice to the client. This awakens the sleeping process at the client, and the process then reattempts the lock operation by sending a message to the server.

Abstract: A computer program to be compiled is optimized prior to carrying out the final compilation. Subgraphs within the program are identified and examined for optimization beginning with the entire program as the largest subgraph. The number of entities in each subgraph which are relevant to each dimension of arrays used to represent data flow equations is determined. Next, the amount of memory required to contain the arrays is determined. If that memory requirement is within a predefined memory usage limit for the compilation, then a specified procedure of the compilation process is applied. If the memory requirement to contain the arrays exceeds the predefined memory usage limit for the compilation, the process is repeated for successively smaller subgraphs within the program in an attempt to find a subgraph to which the memory limits allow application of the specified procedure.

Abstract: A perspective view of a pointer icon is displayed such that toward the middle of the display frame the icon appears to point toward the display surface, rather than toward an edge of the display frame. This creates an illusion that the icon, such as an arrowhead, is reversing its direction smoothly in three dimensional space. Although the display screen is only a two dimensional surface, the multiple icons can readily be configured to be shown in perspective and, therefore, appear to be three dimensional, without the requirement for gray scale or half tone display technology. The invention is readily implemented with conventional monochromatic or color graphics hardware commonly available for personal computers.

Abstract: A system and method in which client access to data at a server is synchronized to keep the data consistent by ensuring that each portion of the data accessible for modification at a node is not accessible for reading or modification by any other node, while allowing portions of the data accessible only for reading to be accessible by any number of nodes. If a conflicting request arises from a different client the server must revoke data that has been previously distributed to a client. For a revoke.sub.-- bytes request, all outstanding get.sub.-- bytes are marked so that the bytes that are being requested to be revoked will be discarded when they do arrive at the client. To insure that read and write system calls on a file are performed in a serializable fashion throughout a distributed environment, each machine at which a read is being performed must acquire a read token and each machine at which a write is being performed must acquire a read/write token from the server for the file.

Abstract: An improved directory caching technique is provided for a plurality of data processing systems which are connected together in a network. In the system, when a local, or client, data processing system interrogates a remote, or server, data processing system for a unit of directory information, the server system is enabled to automatically send additional units of pertinent director information back to the client system in response to a subsequent change in the directory structure of the server system. If the server system is unable to continue updating the client system, for any of a plurality of possible reasons, the server system informs the client system of this fact, which enables the client system to purge itself of the formerly stored directory cache entry relative to this path, since the client system can no longer consider this cached path information to be currently correct.

Abstract: Help is provided to the user of a data processing system having a work station, including a display, and input means including a visible on-screen indicator and a selection means, in response to a request from the user, information on the current state of the system is used to address a store of hierarchical help text information, thereby providing contextual help text which is displayed in a separate window on the display screen alongside information related to the task in hand. A help map function is available which displays concurrently, separately from the help text, a portion of a hierarchical map of the stored help text to be replaced by new help text corresponding to the selected map entry.

Abstract: In performing a series of device evaluation cycles relative to pins of a physical electronic model, a signature associated with an immediately preceding device evaluation cycle is compared to the corresponding signature that exists just prior to the last pattern for the current device evaluation cycle. If the signatures compare, the new pattern of the current evaluation cycle is completed. If the signatures do not compare, an error has occurred and the operator is notified so that this series of device evaluation cycles will not be considered valid. Computer simulation information is employed to determine the optimal times to clock signatures with each signal pin having its own programmable clocking circuit. These optimally generated signatures are used to verify the consistent operation of the physical model.