Abstract: The system for simulating user activity on a multi-tier computer network includes an event capture database for capturing interface level information and kernel level information associated with the interface level information. A virtual script editor module creates a virtual script from the captured interface level information and captured kernel level information to simulate user activity on the network. A virtual script playback module is responsive to the virtual script to produce virtual kernel level information indicative of network and server activity associated with a virtual user.

Abstract: The process management system includes task information indicative of tasks that define process steps for a group of processes. The task information defines the steps as software events and as non-software events. The system further includes task relationship information indicative of a relationship between the tasks to define the processes, and application information defining the software events. A user interface displays the tasks and enables the selection of the tasks. The processes are completed by selecting the tasks associated with a particular process and executing the software events and the non-software events corresponding to the selected tasks.

Abstract: The processing system includes a storage device for maintaining entity information including period information indicative of information processing periods for the entity. A scheduling application defines application processing information for a desired processing job and identifies the processing job as being recurrent. A function routine determines recurrence information including a set of processing start times corresponding to the information processing periods and the application processing information associated with the processing job. A launch application accesses the recurrence information to identify a current one of the start times, and submits the processing job corresponding to the current start time for processing.

Abstract: The system for simulating user input to control the operation of an application includes a processor and software operable on the processor to enable the selection of application specification information and execution input information. The selected application specification information is indicative of execution parameter information to facilitate the identification of application parameter information. The selected application specification information and execution input information is maintained on a storage device, and is indicative of a desired operation of the application. In order to simulate user input, the software provides the execution input information to the application parameter information when the execution parameter information corresponds substantially to the application parameter information to achieve the desired application operation.

Abstract: The application package building system includes an application storage maintaining specification and component information, and a client package build system which creates an application package definition for both a client application package and a server application package. The package definition identifies required specification and component information for both the client application package and the server application package. A client package build engine builds the client application package using the required specification and component information, and a server package build engine builds the server application package from the required specification and component information.

Abstract: A computing system according to the present invention includes data having a primary access location in the system and having a secondary access location in the system. The system also includes a computer running an application, where the application requests for the data having the primary and secondary access locations. In response to the application requesting the data, middleware on the computer determines whether the requested data is at the primary access location. If the data is at the primary access location, the middleware retrieves the requested data from the primary access location and sends the requested data to the application. In response to the data not being found at the primary access location, the middleware retrieves the data from the secondary access location. The middleware then sends the requested data to the application and stores a copy of the requested data at the primary access location. The middleware is implemented as software.

Abstract: A computer system includes at least one client computer and at least one server computer. An Object Configuration Manager allows a user to distribute and use objects, such as business logic, database tables, and batch applications. Additionally, through the Object Configuration Manager, access to objects can be limited to select users and applications. The Object Configuration Manager is implemented as a software application.

Abstract: A data processing system for computer application installation on a client/server network on an as needed basis is disclosed. The server computer includes an installation unit, a system application repository, and a user information file. The client computer includes a menu driver, an application check unit, a local application repository, and a local version repository. A user on the client computer selects an application to execute through the menu driver. The application check unit searches the local application repository and the local version repository for the application and, if found, determines whether it is the most current version unless the most current version is already installed on the client computer. After installation is completed on the client computer, the application is automatically executed. Further, the present invention includes a method for installing a computer applications and/or update on an as needed basis.

Abstract: In a graphical user interface (GUI) for a personal computer system, an improved method and apparatus for accessing and executing commands associated with user applications. In addition to the standard menu categories of a menubar and control icons of a tool bar, the present invention provides a "hyperbutton", a "context sensitive pop-up menu" and a "menu control editor". A hyperbutton displays, in a persistent subview, a user selected default hyperitem from the hyperitems of the menubar. The default hyperitem is automatically executed when selected by the user with a mouse. The hyperbutton displays a title of the default hyperitem. The user can change the default hyperitem using a pop-up menu displayed in response to an interface command such as a right mouse button. A context sensitive pop-up menu is associated with a particular object such as a grid subview. The user configures the context sensitive pop-up menu to contain a custom set of the hyperitems associated with the object.

Abstract: In a computer network comprised of multiple nodes spread across different geographic locations and connected through a communication system, a Distributed Data Synchronizer (DDS) synchronizes files across the network so that user applications running at the various nodes can share common databases of information. In a preferred embodiment, rather than store master files at a server node, each node stores a master copy locally in a disk drive. When a user application modifies one of the local files, the DDS communicates the update to the appropriate remote nodes under the control of a user defined script file.