Abstract: System Configuration files in source code are created from a high level definition of the distributed system which is to be integrated. The configuration files include data such as the types and formats of data for each process on each node of the system, identification of all applications and machine types, topography and the data manipulations needed for sending messages and files and the like from an application program in a first computer language and of a first data type to an application program in a second computer language and of a second data type. Node-specific data manipulation modules are formed at each node during start-up of the system, and these modules are automatically distributed to nodes on the network having the same architecture.

Abstract: A real-time database provides the predictable, high speed data access required for on-line applications, while providing flexible searching capabilities. The data retrieval routines include the option to "read-through-lock" to access data in locked data tables, the capability to directly access to data using tuple identifiers, and the capability to directly access unformatted data from input areas which contain blocks of unformatted data. The data updating routines include an option to omit index updating when updating data and an option to update data in a locked data table. Multiple indexes can be defined for a data table. Thus, high speed searches can be performed based on a variety of data fields. The data storage and retrieval mechanisms are independent and there are hash index tables that connect the multiple index keys to the data tables. The data table structure includes a column defined for storing tuple identifier strings.