Abstract: A management facility for managing concurrently executable computer processes. The management facility includes a registration mechanism, which enables a plurality of interdependent processes to be considered a part of a topology of logically dependent execution groups, and a termination synchronization mechanism that synchronizes the completion of termination for the processes within the topology. Termination synchronization prevents a process within the topology from completely terminating, even if it has entered normal termination, until all of the processes within the topology have normally terminated. If one of the processes within the topology has abnormally terminated, then notification of this abnormal termination can be propagated to all of the processes within the topology of logically dependent execution groups, since none of them have completely terminated.

Abstract: When applications connect to a data pipe, which is located on the same system as the connecting applications, the data pipe is considered a local pipe. That is, local media is used to pipe the data. If, however, an application on a different system is to access the pipe, the pipe is transitioned from a local pipe to a cross-system pipe, in which an alternative non-local media is used to pipe the data. The application causing the transition and any other applications to subsequently connect to the pipe use the cross-system pipe. Any local applications still allocated to the pipe are transitioned, such that they now access the cross-system pipe, instead of the local pipe. Likewise, when an application disconnects from a cross-system pipe, such that all remaining connections to the pipe are local connections, the pipe is transitioned from a cross-system pipe to a local pipe.

Abstract: A technique for selectively dummying a data pipe transparent to a writer application is provided. A writer application writes data to a local data pipe or a cross-system data pipe and one or more reader applications read data from the data pipe. The technique involves determining when a last reader application of the at least one or more reader applications closes the data pipe before the writer application has completed writing data to the data pipe. Upon determining this condition, further writing of data to the data pipe by the writer application is transparently prevented. While transparently preventing writing to a dummied data pipe, writing of data to a fitting, e.g., for a permanent record, can proceed.

Abstract: Data is written to and read from a shared pipe by applications of multiple systems. At least one shared pipe is located within an external shared memory coupled to one or more central processing complexes. Each of the central processing complexes has one or more operating system images, which controls execution of one or more piping applications. At least one piping application corresponding to at least one operating system image writes data to a shared pipe located in the external shared memory and at least one other application corresponding to one or more other operating system images reads data from the same shared pipe, thereby providing cross-system data piping.

Abstract: Data is written to and read from a shared pipe by applications of multiple systems. At least one shared pipe is located within an external shared memory coupled to one or more central processing complexes. Each of the central processing complexes has one or more operating system images, which controls execution of one or more piping applications. At least one piping application corresponding to at least one operating system image writes data to a shared pipe located in the external shared memory and at least one other application corresponding to one or more other operating system images reads data from the same shared pipe, thereby providing cross-system data piping.

Abstract: Data is written to and read from a shared pipe by applications of multiple systems. At least one shared pipe is located within an external shared memory coupled to one or more central processing complexes. Each of the central processing complexes has one or more operating system images, which controls execution of one or more piping applications. At least one piping application corresponding to at least one operating system image writes data to a shared pipe located in the external shared memory and at least one other application corresponding to one or more other operating system images reads data from the same shared pipe, thereby providing cross-system data piping.

Abstract: A data partitioning technique for use in sorting data records of a data file. A plurality of data records is retrieved from the file until a trigger condition is satisfied. For example, data is retrieved until a trigger field within the plurality of data records changes from one value to another value, or until a comparison of the trigger field, using a conditional operator, to a predetermined value is satisfied, or until the trigger field changes from one value to another value after a predetermined number of data records is retrieved. After the trigger condition is satisfied, one or more of the retrieved data records are sorted. The sorted records are then available for output prior to reaching the end of the file.

Abstract: A data partitioning technique for use in sorting data records of a data file. A plurality of data records is retrieved from the file until a trigger condition is satisfied. For example, data is retrieved until a trigger field within the plurality of data records changes from one value to another value, or until a comparison of the trigger field, using a conditional operator, to a predetermined value is satisfied, or until the trigger field changes from one value to another value after a predetermined number of data records is retrieved. After the trigger condition is satisfied, one or more of the retrieved data records are sorted. The sorted records are then available for output prior to reaching the end of the file.

Abstract: An adapter interface function allows data to be acted on using resources owned by a corresponding application and without any modification to the application. The adapter interface can be applied to receive data from data sources not provided for in the access methods used by the application. Likewise, the adapter can be used to write data to data sinks not supported by the access methods used by the application. The adapter interface can be provided in an I/O control system or in access method programs. Adapters are written in an interpreted language to provide run-time execution and avoid program compile, assemble, and link edit requirements. A programing interface is provided to enable invocation of stored library programs.