Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing references to objects in a distributed data processing system. A method is invoked in a client process by client application on a target object. In response to determining that the target object is on a remote process reference, a smart proxy determines whether the message can be processed within the client process. In response to determining that the message can be processed in the client process, the message is processed locally. Otherwise the message is sent to the target object for processing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for asynchronously calling and implementing objects is disclosed. Object calls to perform an operation are performed asynchronously by calling the appropriate stub function from the client application and passing in the object reference, input parameters, and a pointer to a completion routine. The object reference, input parameters, and completion routine address are provided to a client-side execution environment. The client-side execution environment stores the completion routine address and transmits the input parameters to a server-side execution environment. The server-side execution environment calls a method in the server application that implements the requested operation. The server application performs the requested operation. Once the call has been responded to, the client-side execution environment calls the completion routine and passes it the output parameters to the requested operation.

Abstract: Data structures, methods and devices for reducing computing overhead associated with dispatching a distributed object invocation and improving the flexibility of the dispatch framework in a distributed client/server based computing system are disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, a request received on an end point in a transport layer is dispatched from the transport layer to a subcontract in a subcontract layer where the request is partially unmarshaled and dispatched from the subcontract to a skeleton function in a skeleton layer where a servant is invoked.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing with a preferred processing application having a preferred identifier, an event associated with an object created by a dedicated creator application is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving the event, intercepting the event with a relay application program, and forwarding, with the relay application program, the intercepted event to the preferred processing application program.

Abstract: A system and method for using the TRAN procedural transaction coordinator, from the Encina product produced by Transarc Corporation, as the core of an OMG-compliant Object Transaction Service. The method allows the object-oriented Object Transaction Service to interoperate with Encina procedural applications. The interoperation involves coordinated processing of both object oriented transactional requests and Encina procedural transactional requests. Both object oriented and procedural requests can be part of a single atomic transaction without requiring gateways between the products. A system of implementation classes are used to transform object-oriented method invocations into the necessary procedural calls. The implementation classes also accept upcalls from the procedural TRAN and transform them into the necessary Object Transaction Service method invocations.

Abstract: A service provider for use in a client-server system which is capable of detecting the abnormal termination of a client process is disclosed. The service provider does not require a dedicated process for polling client processes in order to verify their status. Rather, a semaphore, which is used in conjunction with a shared memory segment for communication between a client process and the service provider, is initialized in such a manner that the operating system will automatically increment the semaphore in the event the client process is terminated. Thus, the semaphore will be incremented either when the client process deliberately increments the semaphore in order to notify the service provider that the client process has written data to a shared memory segment, or the semaphore will be incremented by the operating system in the event the client process terminates.

Abstract: An object oriented transaction processing system based on the Object Management Group Object Management Architecture provides effective transaction scheduling and servicing through a combination of Object Transaction Services and a Transactional Object Request Broker. The Object Transactional Services manage the information needed to provide reliability in transactions, including a two phase commit process to implement transaction atomicity. The transactional Object Request Broker includes a transaction monitor facility to schedule objects to respond to object transaction requests. The tunable transaction monitor increases the efficiency of transaction processing by optimizing use of computer system resources allocated to servicing transactions. The transaction monitor activates the objects necessary to satisfy a transaction request. Activation includes an ability to start new processes or threads of execution or to reuse existing processes or threads.

Abstract: A distributed computer system has a program compiling computer and a program executing computer. The program compiling computer is operated by a compiling party and includes a compiler that, when the digital signature of the originating party of an architecture neutral program has been verified, (A) compiles the architecture neutral program code of the architecture neutral program into architecture specific program code in the architecture specific language identified by the compile to information in the architecture neutral program, and (B) appends to the architecture specific program code a digital signature of the compiling party to generate an architecture specific program.

Abstract: An interface in a dynamic link library is created which communicates with and provides data translation functions from an application program, such as a test tool, to a device driver. A virtual device driver in an operating system of a computing system is accessed by a calling program to perform and verify the operation of the virtual device driver. A request from the calling program to perform an operation supported by the virtual device driver is decoded in the interface of the dynamic link library. An address of the virtual device driver corresponding to the requested operation is acquired in the dynamic link library.A processing module maintained in the dynamic link library for processing the requested operation is invoked, and data from this module is passed to the virtual device driver in response to the requested operation.

Abstract: A storage section stores a plurality of programs. A central processing section controls execution of each of the plurality of programs stored in the storage section. A setting section, in cooperation with the central processing section, sets at least one of a disable area that inhibits accessing of another program and an enable area that allows accessing of another program, in each of the plurality of programs stored in the storage section.