Abstract: Some embodiments of a method and an apparatus to conduct software release have been presented. In one embodiment, a user submits a request to conduct software release on a set of servers. Each of the servers has a distinct platform. In response to the request, a set of commands in a cross-platform language is sent to the servers via remote procedure calls (RPCs) in a transactional format.

Abstract: Inter-procedural strength reduction is provided by a mechanism of the present invention to optimize software program. During a forward pass, the present invention collects information of global variables and analyzes the information to select candidate computations for optimization. During a backward pass, the present invention replaces costly computations with less costly or weaker computations using pre-computed values and inserts store operations of new global variables to pre-compute the costly computations at definition points of the global variables used in the costly computations.

Abstract: A method finds an error in a computer program. A plurality of execution breakpoints are set in the computer program. A portion of the execution of the computer program is simulated as recorded in the trace data in the reverse order until one a plurality of conditions is met, wherein one of the plurality of conditions is an attempt to execute a machine instruction associated with one of the plurality of execution breakpoints.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method for highlighting selected tasks in a program code listing comprising: converting the program code listing to a mark-up language; inserting instructions at a starting point and at an ending point; and testing if highlighting is to be turned on at a point in the program code listing by the instructions provided at the starting point.

Abstract: The disclosure provides integrated software for supporting a distributed business application comprising computer readable instructions embodied on media. The integrated support software is operable to automatically monitor the distributed business application for potential incidents. It also facilitates continuous data exchange between the distributed business application and a remote support module based on the automatic monitoring, with the communications in a protocol associated with a plurality of services in the distributed business application and with a plurality of incidents for these services. Upon identification of a potential incident, the software provides integrated incident management in the distributed business application and provides software maintenance management to the distributed business application for one or more identified incidents.

Abstract: A method for updating software is disclosed. The method includes accessing system data associated with a client and determining known issues to be resolved associated with the client based on the system data. The method also includes accessing system update preferences associated with the client, the system update preferences representing a minimum system status level and determining if the client satisfies the minimum system status level based on the update preferences and based on the system data.

Abstract: A method for managing multiple hardware test module versions, software components, and tester operating system (TOS) versions in a modular test system is disclosed. The method includes installing the TOS versions compatible with the modular test system in an archive and installing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions in the archive. The method further includes creating system profiles for describing vendor software components corresponding to the hardware test module versions and the TOS versions, selecting a system profile for the modular test system, where the system profile includes a set of compatible vendor software components and a selected TOS for testing a particular hardware test module version, and activating the selected TOS on the modular test system.

Abstract: A method of dynamically analyzing source code to generate usage hints for a user performing program editing is disclosed. The functions in a collection of source code being edited by a user are processed so as to generate a parse tree data structure for each function called. The incoming and outgoing arguments in the parse tree are identified. Subsequently, a user editing code calls the function and either completely or incompletely enters the arguments as part of the function called. Input arguments are identified and associated with the corresponding argument in the parse tree for the function. Relevant preconditions and post-conditions of the surrounding nodes corresponding to the current location are analyzed. Usage hints are provided for the completion of the function call. Arguments for a completed function call argument entered by the user are validated. Error messages are delivered in the event of an invalid call.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an XML application framework (XAF). XAF applications are data driven such that all operations with the computer system are data focused. In addition, the components used in the XAF application are instantiated and connected according to how the data is displayed and what type of data is used. Applications within XAF comprise a user interface (UI) connector, an action module, and a data connector. UI connectors receive UI events and connect the UI event to an action module. The action module generates a standard format action from the UI event and sends it to the data connector. The data connector translates the standard format action into a data-specific action that changes data in a data store. A data connector then sends a standard format data representation corresponding to the changed data back to the UI connector to provide the changed data to the UI.