Abstract: A computer system having a shared disk file system running on multiple computers each having their own instance of an operating system and being coupled for parallel data sharing access to files residing on network attached shared disks. Methods are provided for use as a parallel file system in a shared disk environment by use of a scalable directory service for the system with a stable cursor, a segmented allocation map. Dynamic prefetch and cached balance pools for multiple accesses improve the system. Extended file attributes are used for implementation of Access Control Lists in a parallel file system. Improvements to caching and cache performance developments balance pools for multiple accesses. A metadata node manages file metadata for parallel read and write actions.

Abstract: A method of the present invention receives information in at least one of a plurality of information fields associated with the data record and provides a designated field for receiving a filing identifier for filing the data record. The filing identifier identifies the location used by the computer system for storing the data record. A method of the present invention receives the filing identifier in the designated field in response to receiving the information within selected fields of the data record and automatically updates the filing identifier when information in the selected fields is modified. The method may further include the step of automatically generating, by the computer system, a plurality of predefined filing formats for the filing identifier based on the information received in at least one of the information fields. An option may be provided to select one of the predefined filing formats for automatic insertion in the designated field.

Abstract: A method and system for compressing a data base that permits queries on the compressed representation of the data base. Another feature is that an approximation of the values of the data base are derivable directly from the compressed representation of the data base. Yet another feature is correction of poor approximations of the reconstructed data. Still another feature is the capability of performing aggregate queries of the compressed representation of the data base.

Abstract: Specified combinations of attribute input criteria may be utilized to determine the unique object identifier of an object in a database. The value of each attribute specified as input criteria is compared to the value of a corresponding attribute within an object attribute record. If the values are equivalent, a match weight associated with the attribute is added to a weight accumulator. If not, an executable rule associated with the attribute may be executed on the input criteria value and the result compared to the object attribute record value. If a match is determined after a rule is executed, a post-rule weight is added to the weight accumulator. If no match is determined, either before or after a rule is executed, a non-match weight is subtracted from the weight accumulator.

Abstract: A personal information manager computer program for storing names, addresses, telephone numbers and the like for personal and business contacts includes a capability for delivering geographic information in response to user requests. The personal information manager provides a display which includes one or more fields for entering or selecting contact information. The display also includes a number of buttons for requesting different types of geographic information, such as maps, directions, weather and yellow pages information. When the user clicks on one of the buttons, the personal information manager utilizes an address or other location identifier associated with the contact name to format a request to a geographic information server. The server uses the location identifier to retrieve the appropriate geographic information for that location, and sends the information to the personal information manager for display.

Abstract: A record having a fixed length data portion and a variable length data portion is stored in memory units, each capable of being inputted/outputted independently, in unit of sub-record while the fixed length data portion is divided into a plurality of fixed length sub-records each having the same length and the variable length data portion is made one variable length sub-record. When data operation of the record such as retrieval, update and deletion is required, sub-records necessary for the data operation are limited and the data operation is made in a unit of one or more sub-records, so that data processing of unnecessary sub-records is not made.

Abstract: A communication-efficient change log historian allows workstations having images of a shared memory to remain correlated to the shared memory. The system comprises one or more workstations connected to a microprocessor-based device which includes a memory device. The memory device includes the shared memory, and also stores a memory change list and a memory change index. The memory change list forms a list of changes which have been made to the information stored in the shared memory area, and the change index is indicative of the location of the most recent entry to the memory change list. The workstations maintain an image of the shared memory area, and store workstation change indexes which are indicative of the most recent entry to the memory change list which has also been implemented to respective images of the shared memory area in the workstations.

Abstract: In one aspect, the disclosed technique detects common leading byte patterns in the integers so that these patterns need only be stored once in the encoded byte stream. Those integers that share a common leading byte pattern are stored in truncated form, without their common leading bytes. These truncated integers may themselves be further examined to determine if any of them share additional common leading bytes beyond those already detected. Thus, the technique lends itself naturally to description using the language of trees. Integers with a common leading byte pattern are stored as child nodes, their parent being the node containing the common byte pattern. Child nodes consist only of those bytes remaining after the initial byte pattern has been extracted; the greater the number of children, the greater are the efficiency gains. All the children of a given tree or subtree are similarly examined for common leading byte patterns, ignoring those bytes that are already accounted for in their ancestor nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for converting character sets stored in at least one database into different character sets. First, an Activity including a requesting object makes a request of a Link. The Link including a receiving object and a retrieving object receives the request and retrieves the corresponding data from the database. The retrieval process creates a "stream" object from the data and a character set indicator. The stream object is transmitted to the Activity which processes the request. During processing, a request may be made of the stream object for the data in a particular character set. The stream object determines whether the retrieved character set matches the character set requested. If the data requires converting, the stream object, comprising a converting object converts the data into the target character set. The data is then presented to the requester in the target character set. If no conversion is necessary, the data is sent directly to the requestor.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant technique for managing cross-hierarchy failure of a process of transactions is disclosed. The process has blocks of transactions and one or more of the transactions may be subtransaction of others. The technique includes enabling a block having one or more transactions in the process to notice, e.g., the failure in a transaction not in the process, wherein the noticed failure will cause a failure of a transaction (FFT) in the process. The technique also includes, upon the failure of the transaction FFT in the process, determining an in-progress closest recoverable ancestor (ICRA) in a block in the process. The ICRA is the nearest transaction to the failed transaction FFT, in the block on an ancestor tree of the FFT, that is in-block-recoverable and in-progress. The technique further includes recovering from the first process failed transaction by undoing from the ICRA to that failed transaction. The undoing step includes aborting or compensating one or more transactions, or both.

Abstract: The electronic distribution of research documents over the world wide web or other network to investors. A repository server receives research documents from contributors. A restriction subsystem server is selectively coupled to the contributor workstation. The restriction subsystem server which includes manages and stores "restriction" and "review" information of companies, relative to contributors. A contributor identifies (via electronic communication or otherwise) to the restriction subsystem server a "restriction" and/or "review" status of a company relative to the contributor. A particular company may be identified as "RESTRICTED" if the contributor has a current banking or financial interest in the company. Additionally, a company may be identified as "UNDER REVIEW" if the contributor believes its opinion about the company may change based on a news event. Moreover, a company may be identified as "UNDER EXTENDED REVIEW," if, for example, the contributor is not presently "covering" that company.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for an encoder for encoding members in a concept hierarchy. A query is executed in a computer. The query is performed by the computer to retrieve data from a database stored on a data storage device connected to the computer. Members in the database that are related by one or more concept hierarchies are encoded. Then, members in one of the concept hierarchies that are descendants of one or more selected concepts are identified based on the encoding.

Abstract: A graphical user interface is employed for generating an object-oriented database (ODB) application. An application information extraction unit extracts application information in response to a screen operation by a user on an actual screen in which links are expanded. A query language generation unit generates a query language including an operation for pursuing the link between objects in correspondence with the extracted application information, and it issues the generated query language to an ODB management system. A retrieval result display control unit receives a retrieved result in the ODB from the ODBMS, and it updates the link-expanding actual screen. A link meta-information management unit registers and manages the query languages which the query language generation unit has generated in correspondence with the screen operations instructed by the user to be registered, as link meta-information which corresponds to the database application indicated by the user.

Abstract: A computer system having dual outboard devices for generating audit trail sequence numbers and performing file locking. One embodiment includes a master and a slave outboard device, where lock request handling includes a lock request first sent to the master, lock grant awaited, followed by a request sent to the slave. Unlock request handling includes sending an unlock request to slave first, followed by sending an unlock request to the master. Obtaining a system sequence number includes always reading the slave outboard device, then reading the master outboard device. The computer system includes a method for switching host processors from a single outboard device mode to a dual outboard device mode and back again in the event of failure of one of the outboard devices.

Abstract: A disk sequencer uses control words to identify starts and splits in headerless data sectors. Each control word indicates an event-count, an initial event, and a terminal event. The initial event, which can be an EOS pulse, a sector pulse, or a data sync pulse, synchronizes the start of a count until the terminal event. The terminal event causes either generation of a sector pulse indicating a start of a data sector or an interrupt indicating a split in a data sector. A disk sequencer includes an event counter and a data segment sequencer. The event counter starts counting at the initial event, counts the event-count, and generates the sector pulse or interrupt at the end of the event-count. A sector pulse starts a data segment sequencer processing a first data segment of a data sector. The interrupt causes the data segment sequencer to execute an interrupt routine for fields surrounding a servo sector.

Abstract: Logical tables and logical keys are employed to facilitate interaction between user applications and a relational database. Each logical table is a group of at least one column from a table or view associated with a relational database, and can be utilized like a relational table or view. Each logical primary or foreign key is a key between logical and physical tables that behaves like an actual primary or foreign key. A normalization process allows creation of integrator relational schema objects from existing captured tables. Once a denormalized table is captured from a database the normalization process allows the user to define different logical tables using subsets of the columns of the table. One or more columns of the logical table are designated as primary key. The logical tables interact with the mapping process in the same manner as physical tables.

Abstract: A data processing system, software program and method effectively and intuitively display a storage space of a data processing system to an end-user to allow the end-user to create a filing system which has an easily usable interface. In implementing this methodology, the user is allowed to simply request that all objects within an entire file system of a data processing system be placed in a logical container. A user sets the parameters for defining the desired characteristics of each of the objects stored within the logical container. Thus, a user is able to organize representations of desired objects in various storage locations without requiring extra steps by a user or excess memory. Furthermore, the contents of a logical container are dynamically updated in real-time to ensure that the filed information is current and accurate.

Abstract: A Client/Server Database System with improved methods for performing database queries, particularly DSS-type queries, is described. The system includes one or more Clients (e.g., Terminals or PCs) connected via a Network to a Server. In general operation, Clients store data in and retrieve data from one or more database tables resident on the Server by submitting SQL commands, some of which specify "queries"--criteria for selecting particular records of a table. The system implements a "Data Pipeline" feature for programming replication of data from one database to another in client applications. Specifically, a pipeline object and SQL SELECT statement are built using a Pipeline Painter. The Data Pipeline lets a user (developer) easily move data from a high-end database server (e.g., Sybase) to a local database (Watcom SQL), all without the user having to issue SQL commands. The pipeline object facilitates moving data from one database management system to another, or between databases of the same type.

Abstract: A Client/Server Database system is described which includes a Database Server providing methods eliminating duplicates from an ordered tuple stream (e.g., resulting from a query involving a database "join"), without the need for performing an expensive sort operation. Specifically, the system provides a "filter" which eliminates duplicates without having to perform a sort. The filter, which is implemented as an optimization at the level of the query processor, comprises two basic pieces. The first piece, INIT.sub.-- FILTER, simply serves to initialize the filter--that is, the piece sets a flag that forces the filter to pass the first tuple encountered and to construct a first key from it. The second piece, FILTER, serves as the actual filter, when the system scans the tuple stream. If the current tuple has the same key as the preceding tuple, then the current tuple is thrown away. Otherwise, the current tuple is passed and a new key is constructed from it. The positions of both INIT.sub.

Abstract: A method of packaging service logic programs for dissemination in a telecommunications network includes receiving a request to package a service logic program having a plurality of service independent blocks associated with a plurality of parameters. The service logic program is copied and parsed to automatically identify the parameters associated with the service logic program. The service independent blocks of the service logic program are stored in a packaging file in a specified sequence. The associated parameters are copied and then stored in the packaging file.