Abstract: An apparatus, operable to display a plurality of display elements under computer program control, comprises a presentation display component; a memory for storing display element attribute data; and a presentation-only mode control component selectably operable to write and read display element attribute data; wherein the presentation display component is responsive to instruction by the presentation-only mode control component to permit display of display elements having a permission attribute and to suppress display of display elements not having the permission attribute.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of recording diagnostic trace information is disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method is provided in which metadata corresponding to each of a plurality of events that are subject to tracing is stored, where the metadata indicates how useful each of the plurality of events is in determining a root cause of a failure. This metadata is used to vary an apportionment of memory among the plurality of events. Diagnostic trace information is then stored within the memory according to the apportionment.

Abstract: A microprocessor controlled apparatus includes a microprocessor (2) with e.g. eight address lines (A,.sub.0,A.sub.1 . . . A.sub.7) on which signals may be applied by the microprocessor for selectively addressing a peripheral device coupled thereto, and a data device such as a LCD module (1) having data lines to which data signals may be applied for transfer into the data device. Four of the data lines (D.sub.0,D.sub.1,D.sub.2,D.sub.3) are coupled to a sub-set of the microprocessor address lines (A.sub.2,A.sub.3,A.sub.4,A.sub.5) excluding the two address lines (A.sub.0,A.sub.1) associated with the least significant bits. The signals on the sub-set of address lines are thus applied as data signals to the data device.