Abstract: The present invention provides for methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture directed to dynamically generating input to an analysis environment. Varying input data is linked with analysis routines by provision of a well defined but general purpose input structure for selected data, which is used as input to analysis routines. Metadata is used to describe the multiple analysis routines and their capabilities, and a framework both automatically formats the input data and customizes the analysis routine to accept the specific dynamic fields available in the input. In this manner, data (e.g., a query) containing new input fields is dynamically made available to multiple existing analysis techniques.

Abstract: The present invention provides for methods directed to dynamically generating input to an analysis environment. Varying input data is linked with analysis routines by provision of a well defined but general purpose input structure for selected data, which is used as input to analysis routines. Metadata is used to describe the multiple analysis routines and their capabilities, and a framework both automatically formats the input data and customizes the analysis routine to accept the specific dynamic fields available in the input. In this manner, data (e.g., a query) containing new input fields is dynamically made available to multiple existing analysis techniques.

Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture for providing language transformation support for a query result obtained in response to execution of a query against an underlying database containing physical data. The method comprises identifying one or more physical values defined by the physical data for the query result for the executed query. The method further comprises retrieving a user-defined function configured to transform the one or more identified physical values from a first language defined by the physical data in the underlying database into alternative values defined in a second language. The query result is outputted in the second language on the basis of the user-defined function.

Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture for executing database queries where the data being queried resides in both relational databases and other external data sources, and, more particularly, for creating a dynamic, just in time, database table using data retrieved from an external source. One embodiment provides a method of processing a database query. The method includes receiving, from a requesting entity, an abstract query of data contained in a database and an external data source, the abstract query being defined using logical fields of a data abstraction model abstractly describing the data in the database and the external data source.

Abstract: The present invention provides for methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture directed to dynamically generating input to an analysis environment. Varying input data is linked with analysis routines by provision of a well defined but general purpose input structure for selected data, which is used as input to analysis routines. Metadata is used to describe the multiple analysis routines and their capabilities, and a framework both automatically formats the input data and customizes the analysis routine to accept the specific dynamic fields available in the input. In this manner, data (e.g., a query) containing new input fields is dynamically made available to multiple existing analysis techniques.

Abstract: An access mechanism and method for accessing objects in a distributed object system manages object accesses and causes all accesses within one transaction to be to either the home object or the local copy, whichever is accessed first. When an object is accessed for the first time in a given transaction, the requested access is granted. For example, if home access is requested to an object in a different process, a proxy is created to access the object in its home location. When the object is subsequently accessed within the same transaction, the access mechanism ensures that the same access is used to assure that changes are not being made to a home object and a local copy or to more than one local copy simultaneously. In an alternative embodiment an exception may be generated if the requested access cannot be provided.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for creating new objects “near” existing objects is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a desirable location for the new object is determined by making a series of observations and system level decisions. By examining the system parameters and creating new objects in physical locations where other, related objects currently reside, system performance in object-oriented systems can be greatly increased.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object-oriented disabling mechanism which selectively disables object methods. The object-oriented disabling mechanism prevents the selected methods from being called on an object by other programs or processes via various alternative embodiments. A first preferred embodiment of the object-oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a plurality of method tables to restrict method calls on an object. An alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism works in conjunction with a read flag and a write flag to define which methods can be called on an object. Another alternative preferred embodiment of the object oriented disabling mechanism uses software “locks” and a lock conflict matrix associated with the object to determine which methods can be called on an object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for versioning persistent objects which updates the version of a persistent object by splitting the persistent object up into two sections, a header section and a data section. The header section has a data pointer to the data section. The header section determines the object identity of the persistent object and always remains in place. Since the header section of the object always remains intact, the object identity of the persistent object never changes. When updating the version of the persistent object, the persistent object versioning mechanism simply updates the pointer in the header section of the object to reference a newly created data section. Once the persistent object versioning mechanism updates the data pointer to reference the new data section, existing objects can reference the new version of the persistent object using the original object identity of the persistent object.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an apparatus and method for providing access to multiple object versions allows the system administrators to control which version of a given object is referenced by existing related objects. By providing an option for the system user to select and access different object versions, object upgrade policies can be flexible and accommodate the various needs of different object-oriented systems. The object versioning mechanism of the present invention provides several different options when modifying an existing object to create a new version. The various embodiments of the present invention provide a versioning mechanism to manage version updates for objects in an object-oriented system. The versioning mechanism disclosed herein implements the methods of the present invention by making a copy of an existing object whenever a new version of the existing object is to be introduced into an object-oriented system.

Abstract: A second object is created which is an instance of a first class. The data from the first object is copied into the second object. The method table pointer of the first object is then changed to the method table of the second class. The data section of the first object is then reallocated according to the data requirements of the second class. The data in the second object is then converted to data in the first object. The resultant first object has both methods and data updated to the second class without passivating the object.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for updating objects sets up morphing on affected classes, and the actual morph of each object is performed the first time the object is touched, i.e., the first time a method on the object is invoked after the morph is set up. Morphing objects on first touch allows an application that requires a new object configuration to be loaded and executed immediately, because new methods and/or data will become available when an instance is first touched. The apparatus and method of the invention set up morphing on first touch by overriding methods on the old class with morph and retry methods that first perform the morph of the object, then route the method call to the newly morphed object. The first touch of an object to be updated thus updates (or morphs) the object, and each subsequent access will be to the updated object.

Abstract: An object identity swapper dynamically updates the configuration of an object by taking a first object, instantiating a new second object, swapping the identities of the first and second objects, and reading and converting the state data of the old object (now the second object) into the new object (now the first object). The result is that the first object identity doesn't change, but its configuration is updated without passivating the object.

Abstract: An object-oriented framework mechanism for persistent storage systems provides an infrastructure that embodies the steps necessary for a framework consumer (i.e., user) to define persistent storage for any type of data not supported in an object-oriented system by extending the framework to fit a particular persistent storage environment. Certain core functions are provided by the framework, which interact with extensible functions. A user may thus define extensible functions that allow the framework to support many different types of persistent data stored in datastores capable of storing the persistent data.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an object and an associated handle between the object-oriented schema of an application program and the relational schema of a database in which the object is persisted. The handle is reconstructed in response to a run-time request by an application program to instantiate the object. The handle may be an independent handle or an embedded handle. The relationships afforded by primary keys and foreign keys in a legacy, i.e., existing, relational database, can be preserved by mapping them to the independent and embedded handles, respectively. The mapping is performed prior to application program run-time, and is defined in a high-level schema mapping language, which may be generated with the aid of a schema mapping software tool.

Abstract: An object-oriented mechanism is disclosed that allows new configuration data to replace existing configuration data within an existing object-oriented program. The new configuration data allows an OO program to be quickly and easily generated from an existing OO program without manually changing the source code of the existing OO program. When a factory object creates an object in the existing OO program, the new configuration data that defines a modified class is used to create the object. In this manner class substitution or redefinition in an OO program is easily accomplished, thereby allowing a new OO program to be easily generated from an existing OO program (or framework).

Abstract: An object pointer data structure for efficiently combining an object identifier and an object address for use in object-oriented programming systems. An object address is a value that allows a client application or process to conduct high-performance operations on an object in the client's local virtual address space. An object identifier is a value that can be used to uniquely identify an object for the lifetime of that object across some defined domain, such as an entire universe of computer systems. The data structure of this invention defines an object pointer that is larger than the object address but smaller than the combination of the object identifier and object address. The truncated object pointer structure preserves all information from both object address and object identifier by forcing a portion of the local object address in each address space to be equal to a portion of the invariant object identifier.