Abstract: A method for processing a distributed application program in a SNA type network having a host processor executing a virtual machine type operating system and a relatively large plurality of terminals, in which a plurality of run ready virtual machines are established at the host and primed by pre-initializing each machine with the host resident portion of the application program under the control of a Virtual Machine Pool Manager that was previously created. Primed virtual machines are assigned to process requests from the terminals for LU 6.2 type conversation with the application program since the virtual machine is pre-initialized the request is immediately accepted for processing. At the end of the conversation the primed machine is returned to the pool of primed machines to await the processing another request. The Pool Manager is provided with a control strategy which determines the number of primed virtual machines that are in the pool during any period of time.

Abstract: A method for developing computer program external interfaces by simulating the interfaces to allow intended users to evaluate the design of the program, even before program code for the simulated program is created.The interfaces are executed as a simulated program. During execution, the interfaces may be altered; execution can then continue using the altered interfaces.

Abstract: A method to logically serialize a plurality of independent system events in a virtual memory data processing system. Each event causes interrupt servicing routines to be executed and requires data structures that record the status of virtual pages to be updated. The system events include the interrupt that is generated as a result of a page fault, the interrupt that is generated as a result of a paging I/O completion operation that resolves a page fault, and lastly interrupts generated in response to a supervisory call to a paging service.

Abstract: A method for generating a graphical figure in a textual markup language used for document composition. A special tag in the mark-up language calls a procedure. The procedure consists of drawing a series of contiguous rectangular boxes, of very small extent in at least one dimension, so as to appear as continuous lines representing the figure. Text can be associated with the tag and included within the figure. The size of the figure then depends on the extent of the text.

Abstract: A method for editing graphic objects in an interactive draw graphic system, in which the operator is allowed to select one of two editing modes which results in a graphic object being either redefined or remaining as is when a graphical editing action is applied only to a portion (sub-object) of the object. In the REDEFINE mode, the graphic editing action e.g., stretch, shrink, scale down, rotate, etc., applied to a sub-object results in the line segments of the object that are attched to the ends of the sub-object to be redrawn or "rubber-banded" as the sub-object is edited (moved). In the AS-IS mode only the sub-object is affected by the graphic editing action and the rest of the object is not altered.

Abstract: A method is described for editing graphic objects in an interactive draw graphic system which selectively displays a menu of available editing actions in response to operation of one mouse button by the operator and allows the operator to cursor select the specific edit action from the menu to be made active by operating a second mouse key. The operator may also cursor select the object to be edited by operation of the second mouse key. Once the editing action is selected and made active, the menu is hidden (not displayed) and the editing action remains active in the system until positive steps are taken by the operator to either terminate the edit function or change the active editing action. The operator, therefore, does not have to return to the selection process after each specific editing operation. The previous editing operation is implied for the next edit operation.

Abstract: A method for editing sub-objects in an interactive draw graphic application which allows the operator to apply the edit action to the sub-object without affecting the rest of the object. Vertices of the object that are defined by the adjacent common end points of the sub-object are assigned attributes that either permit or prevent the end points from being separated during the sub-object editing process. If the end points are permitted to separate, actual separation is determined by the operator during the sub-object selection action and is based upon whether the point of selection is in the center third of the sub-object or the end third of the sub-object adjacent the vertex to be separated.

Abstract: An operating system in a digital computer environment is run as a virtual machine on a virtual resource manager. In order to provide a more dynamic environment for the operating system, linkages are made between the operating system device drivers and the corresponding real and virtual devices of the virtual resource manager. This is accomplished by assigning a "token" to the virtual resource manager. A device dependent information file corresponding to the device is created. This file contains adapter dependent information including a hardward port address for the physical device. The "token" is placed in the operating system device driver at the time it is initiated. When the operating system device driver is "opened" to drive the device, it uses the "token" to communicate with the virtual resource manager device driver thereby accomplishing driver to driver binding.

Abstract: A monitoring and alarm system of general purpose design can be customized for use with many different applications to provide sophisticated alarming and control functions based on logical relationships among several sensed variables. A central processing unit is connected to receive a plurality of inputs from various sensors, the variety and type of which are the choice of the user depending on the specific application to which the monitoring and alarm system is to be connected. The central processing unit is programmed to provide the user with an interactive display to first define the variables in the application and the states and/or limits of the variables. This action defines a logical group. Next, the user enters the alarm/action functions to be performed on the condition that all the conditions in the logical group are true. Once this interactive process has been completed, the central processing unit performs the alarm and control functions specified by the user.

Abstract: A method of scheduling a meeting among terminal users who are provided with calendaring applications for storing and retrieving timed and dated events. Included is presentation to a meeting scheduler of a prompting screen with blanks for keying in desired times and dates, and prospective attendees. Based on keying to this screen, there is a comparison with the prospective attendees' calendars of events. The result of the comparison is an option list which is presented to the scheduler for selecting an available meeting time. Based on a selection from the option list, a meeting notification screen is built for transmitting to the attendees.

Abstract: A method of on-line reconfiguring a data processing system for an added input/output (I/O) device. A configuration program is called and menus are presented. Based on menu selections, the program causes a device definition to be built. The built definition is used to construct a control block which is written into main storage during system operation such that the added device is available for use on a real time basis.

Abstract: A distributed, interactive data processing system provided with the ability to allow concurrent multi-lingual use by a plurality of users having different national language preferences is further provided with the ability to be independent of the national language in which an input to the data processing system is received. A message model data collection (18) is established by storing message models via a message identifier primary key and a secondary key that is the national language index. A central message service (17) is used to compose messages from message models retrieved from the message model data collection (18) using the primary and secondary keys in response to a call from an application (10), application control (12) or supervisor (13) program. The calling program stores a message identifier primary key as the value of a variable and causes an event to be stacked for an event handler (19).

Abstract: A method of building a monthly calendar screen having abbreviated event descriptions directly translated from event descriptions on day screens. Day screens are built from keyed in dates, times, and descriptions of events related to the dates and times. Monthly screens are built by combining and abbreviating corresponding day screens. Keying and coding during day screen building, and processing steps during monthly screen building are reduced by positionally locating the first characters of day screen event descriptions, time-wise, within the monthly screens.

Abstract: A display system is provided for a monitoring and alarm system. The monitoring and alarm system includes a central processing unit (10) and a plurality of sensors (14) polled by the central processing unit. A display which is part of the central processing unit is used to prompt user inputs to group a plurality of the sensed variables and the states and limits of each of the variables in a group. The display system is employed by the user to generate a schematic display of the system or environment being monitored. In the process of generating the schematic display, the user links alarm areas on the schematic display with a group or single variable defined by the user. In addition, the user links message areas on the schematic display with user defined messages to be displayed in the event all the conditions defined by the states and limits of variables in a group are true. After each schematic has been generated, it is stored together with the data defining the linked areas of the display.

Abstract: An electronic office equipment network has a plurality of work stations (11) and a plurality of printers (--, 14, 15, 16) connected to a network bus (12). The printers have various options installed as for example hardware attachments for feed paper (22). The network also has a printer resource manager (17) for receiving requests for a printer from the work stations and notifying a work station when a printer can be claimed by the work station. The process of claiming a printer includes the step of specifying those printer options which are required by the work station in order to properly format the printer data stream and control the printer. One such option is the paper feed technique to be used by the printer. The user is given the option of choosing the currently installed printer options thereby allowing the printer to specify the options to the work station.

Abstract: A personal computer having an interactive all points addressable display terminal (44) and a cursor positioning device (52) and provided with apparatus for facilitating the generation of a graphics display using cursor characters selected from a table of cursor characters is capable of clearly demarking the currently selected cursor character from characters previously fixed at various points on the all points addressable display. This is accomplished by exclusive ORing the selected cursor character data with the corresponding data in the all points addressable display at the current position of the selected cursor character.

Abstract: Data base administrator (10) creates program communication blocks (11), and programmer (12) writes programs (13) using the program communication blocks (PCBs) to store data in bulk storage device (14). A user (15) not having data processing skills or experience is enabled by means of a utility to access data in bulk storage device (14) via the PCBs (11). The utility first reads the data base descriptions (DBDs) and PCB source statements and constructs a data directory, consolidating access paths into entry data bases which are displayed to the user (15) as a menu. The utility then evaluates all possible access paths that will satisfy a user query, weights them according to their efficiency, and selects the best.

Abstract: Text editing and subsequent reformatting of a document is performed in two separate stages run as two parallel processes with different priorities. The editing of text is performed as a high priority process directly on a selected portion of the document previously copied under control of edit/format control logic 7 from a document store 5 into a refresh buffer 3. The editing process takes each keystroke as it is received by control logic 7 from keyboard 8 and enters it into buffer 3. The contents of the buffer 3 are directly mapped onto a display screen 2 so that the updated portion of the document is immediately seen by the operator. Should insufficient space be available in buffer 3 to accommodate an edited line of text, space is made available by controlled wordspill of text from the line into auxiliary storage prior to execution of the editing operation.

Abstract: A method of, and system for, managing assembly and formatting of footnotes and body text. Following preparation and separate storage of both body and footnote text, assembly of the footnote text with the body text can be accomplished in one pass for a review of the appearance of the document in its to-be-printed format. Two techniques are available for assembly of the document. The technique selected will be the one which will provide optimum performance and will be determined by the amount of footnote text being assembled and/or the body and footnote text edited. If any editing is performed, the new and/or edited footnote text can be re-assembled in one pass.

Abstract: An improvement is disclosed to the conventional field related help facility in an interactive data entry data processing system. The improvement comprises a technique for a detailed analysis of all dialog errors, recommended solutions and predicts the application response if the error is not corrected. This is accomplished by building a data base of extended diagnostic message sets which are uniquely addressed by at least the data entry dialog name and the error bit mask generated by an analysis of data entered by a user. Then at the user's request, the error summary data consisting of an error statement, suggested solutions, and a prediction of what will happen if the error goes uncorrected are presented for all errors detected.