Abstract: A method and system for preventing incorrect information from corrupting server object information maintained by a client machine. A DCOM client machine is provided with object reference information for accessing remote objects. DCOM unmarshals the information into server object information, including an object identifier and string bindings of a remote resolver through which the client machine may contact the remote server to obtain string bindings for that remote object. Each resolver string bindings received by a client machine are compared against known resolver string bindings and each unique permutation of string bindings is associated with a unique machine identifier locally generated therefor. Each object identifier is paired with its corresponding unique machine identifier so that all references to a remote object include the identity of the machine on which the object was created.

Abstract: A hollow, tubular wooden musical instrument comprises a body portion of lightweight, tubular cross-section having a first and second opposite ends and at least one wooden laminate layer defining a fingerboard surface along a length of the body portion; a tuning device capable of tensioning a plurality of strings mounted lengthwise along the fingerboard surface, the body portion being capable of withstanding string tensions of up to 1200 psi perpendicular to the body portion, and defining structure for emanating sounds produced by vibrating the strings. The hollow musical instrument has a conic-section cross section, e.g., circular or elliptical, or a compound conic-section cross-section, e.g., lute shape, and may be of uniform diameter, conical, or tapered diameter formats. It may be played as an acoustic or electric instrument. The hollow, tubular instrument can additionally be of modular design having predefined sections to facilitate changes of sounds or fingerboard surfaces.

Abstract: A computer-based method and system for accessing objects of different thread types in a single process. The system provides single-threaded apartments (STAs) for loading apartment-threaded objects and a multi-threaded apartment (MTA) for loading free-threaded objects. Each STA has a single thread, and the MTA has multiple threads. When an STA thread requests to access a free-threaded object, the system creates an MTA thread and requests the MTA thread to instantiate the free-threaded object. The STA thread then receives a marshalled pointer to the free-threaded object and unmarshals the received pointer. The STA thread then accesses the free-threaded object using the unmarshalled pointer so that the MTA thread accesses the free-threaded object on behalf of the STA thread. When an MTA thread requests access to an apartment-threaded object, the system creates an STA thread and requests the STA thread to instantiate the apartment-threaded object.

Abstract: Precise cutting of pattern strips and pattern pieces from lace and similar patterned fabrics requires correct mutual positioning of the fabric and fabric cutter for precise alignment with the boundary of the pattern pre-existing on the fabric. Patterned fabrics and especially loosely-woven lace are liable to randomly variable stretching and slippage which makes it impossible to cut under the direction of an externally imposed pattern program without regard to the instantaneous location of the pattern pre-existing on the fabric. The invention comprises lace-cutting apparatus and a lace-cutting method including optical scanning of the lace, recognition of the pattern boundary, and mutual alignment of the fabric with the fabric cutter to trace the intended cut line. Different techniques for mutual movement of the fabric and cutter are employed according to whether the pattern boundary is re-entrant or not. Preferred forms of fabric cutter include a hot-wire cutter and a laser beam cutter.

Abstract: A computer method and system for passing a pointer to an interface from a server process to a client process. In a preferred embodiment, the server process instantiates an object that has multiple interfaces. The server process identifies an interface to pass to the client process and creates a stub object for receiving a request to invoke a function member of the interface and for invoking the requested function member upon receiving the request. The server process then sends an identifier of the stub to the client process. When the client process receives the identifier of the stub, it instantiates a proxy object for receiving requests to invoke a function member of the interface and for sending the request to the identified stub. The client process can then invoke the function members of the interface by invoking function members of the proxy object. The proxy object sends a request to the identified stub. The identified stub then invokes the corresponding function member of the interface.

Abstract: An improved method for fixing volatile flavoring compounds such as acetaldehyde is disclosed. The method comprises: obtaining a glassy, aqueous, supersaturated sucrose solution; mixing therewith a volatile flavoring compound sufficiently to at least partially dissolve the volatile flavoring compound in the solution and initiate crystallization of the sucrose; contacting the resulting mixture with a stream of a drying gas during the mixing operation to at least partially dry the mixture as crystallization proceeds; and recovering as a product crystalline sucrose having the volatile flavoring compound fixed therein.

Abstract: Dry, free flowing acid compositions may be prepared from liquid acid by co-drying a mixture of the liquid acid with a soluble carbohydrate.

Abstract: Low molecular weight, aliphatic acid esters of polyhydric alcohols when incorporated into instant pudding formulations containing modified starches results in the formation of smooth creamy non-aerated pudding dessert compositions.