Abstract: An apparatus and method define the concept of a “database breakpoint.” One or more conditions in the database are specified as a database breakpoint in a debug environment for debugging a computer program that accesses the database. When the database conditions exist, one or more debug functions may be performed with respect to the execution of the computer program. Examples of debug functions include halting execution of the computer program and halting operations to the database by other programs. With both the computer program and database halted, the user may then interrogate the database to determine its state, and may interrogate the program to determine its state. Database breakpoints greatly enhance the utility of a debugger by providing additional conditions for debugging a computer program that accesses a database.

Abstract: A method autonomically refreshes a materialized query table (MQT) in a computer database to improve database performance and utility. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer autonomically initiates a refresh of MQT depending on an estimated time for the query to access the base tables. In other preferred embodiments, the query optimizer estimates the time for the query to access the base tables and compares it to the estimated time to refresh the MQT to determine whether to refresh the MQT and run the query over the MQT rather than the base tables.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for determining a fee to be charged for requests processed in a grid computing environment based. In one embodiment the fee may be determined based on the time it takes to process a request and/or pricing schedules that may vary depending on a variety of pricing criteria. In another embodiment, a completion time criterion that defines a maximum acceptable time to complete a request may be specified. If the amount of time needed to perform the request is less than the maximum acceptable time specified, returning the results may be delayed to avoid providing services valued in excess of what the customer has paid for.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing enhanced query governor functions. Query execution includes first checking for a timeout value for a query. Responsive to identifying a timeout value for the query, an execution time for the query is reset and a monitor for each timeout value for the query is started. Then the execution of the query is started. The execution of predefined events is monitored during the execution of the query. The predefined events include a begin or end of processing of at least one of a trigger and a user defined function (UDF). Execution status of the query is periodically checked. Responsive to identifying the query is executing, checking for any expired timeout value is performed. The execution of the query is halted responsive to an identified expired timeout value.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to optimize a query access plan in a computer database system. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer determines the query can be optimized and generates for the query an optimized access plan that eliminates records defined by a Where clause and one or more ordering criteria prior to ordering the records (sorting or grouping) and then returning a first n rows.

Abstract: A satellite radio receiver includes a display that displays information regarding one or more channels that are not currently being listened to. For a music channel, this information may include the name of the artist, the song title, time left in the song, etc. For a news channel, this information may include the news currently being discussed, the name of the news program, the time remaining, etc. For a sports channel, this information may include the name of the channel, a description of the sporting event, the time remaining, etc. The preferred embodiments include different ways to select which channels are “favorites” and therefore displayed on the display. One way is to keep track of which channels are most frequently listened to, and to display information regarding those channels.

Abstract: A database engine and optimizer framework support creation of a series of profiling indices over a column having character string data, such as a traditional “varchar” data type. The profiling indices result in a reduction of the number of records that are searched when searching for a sub-string match within that column. In some embodiments, the series of indices are created over a column that is typically searched using the LIKE predicate or some similar technique; these indices indicate for each record whether certain sub-strings may exist in that record's value in the column. Thus, the indices are used to find the rows that may match one or more portions of the particular term being queried or, in other words, eliminate those records that do not have at least a portion of the term to be matched. The number of records actually retrieved and searched for the query sub-string is thereby reduced.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamically adjusting computer resources, as appropriate, in response to predictions of query runtimes as well as for rendering costs of the computer resources actually utilized, which costs are consistent with consumer demands.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that in an embodiment replace an element in a query with a backup if the element is not available, but the backup is available. An element may also be removed from the query if the element is not required. In various embodiments, the element may be a table or a user-defined function. In this way, the query may still execute even if the element is not available.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to optimize a query access plan in a computer database system. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer determines the query can be optimized and generates for the query an optimized access plan that eliminates records defined by a Where clause and one or more ordering criteria prior to ordering the records (sorting or grouping) and then returning a first n rows.

Abstract: A program which is linked or bound by reference (referenced program) into one or more other programs supports multiple valid export signatures, each corresponding to a respective version of the referenced program. When a program is built, it records the current signature of each referenced program it is bound to. When subsequently determining whether to rebuild the program, the previously recorded signature of any referenced program is compared with all currently supported signatures of the referenced program, and only if none of the supported signatures matches does the program need to be re-built to ensure compatibility with the referenced program. Preferably, the referenced program is a program library containing supporting procedures, intended to be used by multiple applications programs which are bound to it.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to optimize a query access plan in a computer database system. In preferred embodiments, the query optimizer determines the query can be optimized and generates for the query an optimized access plan that eliminates records defined by a Where clause and one or more ordering criteria prior to ordering the records (sorting or grouping) and then returning a first n rows.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for managing a task of a project in an integrated development environment. The task typically includes a plurality of events. In one aspect, the method includes receiving a set of data from a project management tool, the set of data including an identifier corresponding to the task. A process of the task associated with the identifier is then managed.

Abstract: Database indexes include multiple fields that are used to track how the components of the index are used. An index component monitoring mechanism tracks how the components of the index are used, and updates fields in the index accordingly. Such component-level statistics allow a query optimizer to make more intelligent decisions regarding when to build a new index and when to discard an index, and also provide information regarding which queries are using the index, the maintenance cost of the index, and the selectivity of the index when used to process a query.

Abstract: A query access plan for executing a database query is dynamically selected from among multiple alternative query access plans based on the availability of computer resources allocated for running the query. Preferably, a first query access plan is generated based on resources then available, and if it is possible to provide additional resources, one or more alternative plans are generated based on the additional resources. If an alternative plan is significantly better than the original plan based on a comparison of query related parameters, the alternative is chosen for executing the query. Additional resources for running the query may be provided from logically partitioned and/or grid environments.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize automated analysis techniques to assist in the determination of acceptable usages of linguistic terms (e.g., words, phrases, acronyms, etc.). In particular, an acceptable usage of a linguistic term in a document on the Internet may be determined by detecting a spell definition tag in the document. In response to detecting the spell definition tag, automatically adding the acceptable variant of the linguistic term to an electronic dictionary.

Abstract: Advertisements may be selected for display to a user in a computer game environment based at least in part on one or more of a personality trait of the user as determined from monitoring a behavior of the user as the user is participating in the computer game environment, a user affinity for a subject of another advertisement as determined from monitoring activity of the user after the user views the other advertisement while the other advertisement is displayed in the computer game environment, and a characteristic of the user as determined from a username selected by the user.