Abstract: For use with a computer system having a dynamic data referencing (DDR) module, a plurality of external data references accessible via the DDR module, the computer system capable of executing a user application that operates on a plurality of generic variables, a system and method for dynamically binding the external data references to the generic variables. The system includes a DDR routine within the user application that allows creation of an alias variable for at least some of the plurality of generic variables. The alias variable is adapted to identify a given external data reference. The user application employs the alias variable at runtime to request the DDR module to bind a given generic variable to the given external data reference to allow communication of data between the user application and the external references.

Abstract: A computer system, having external peripherals, includes an operating system and application packages residing therein. Data exchange logic permits an outside application package (generated by a third party to perform a predefined application function in a general purpose computer environment) to be integrated into the computer system. A data file containing information for making the necessary data available to the outside application package in the computer system is generated off-line. When the outside application package is executing in the computer system and it is desired to obtain the necessary data, a first package is accessed. The first package utilizes information contained in the data file to generate commands to obtain the necessary data. Information of the data file includes source information of the necessary data internal to or external to the computer system. If, however it is desired to output results of the predefined application function, a second package is accessed.