Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules. In general, the results of executing an abstract query may be used as data inputs for processing an abstract rule. In one embodiment, query results may be sorted according to input field values required for processing a deterministic abstract rule. If a record of the sorted query results includes the same input values as a preceding record, then the rule output of the preceding record may be reused, rather than processing the abstract rule again. Accordingly, the demand load placed on a rule engine may be reduced.

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 client-server computing system suited particularly for homogenous clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules included in rule set containers. In one embodiment, a first abstract rule may be identified as having an effect on a second abstract rule of the rule set container. A predicate and an action of the first abstract rule may be used in translating the second abstract rule into an executable rule. The executable rule performs the functionality included in the first and second abstract rules, while only requiring one rule execution in a rule engine. In another embodiment, the first abstract rule may be translated into a rejection query configured to return a rejection set. The second abstract rule may be translated into an executable rule that includes a condition that excludes any records included in the rejection set.

Abstract: A graphical query interface provides visual feedback to a user during the construction of a query. In a first embodiment, the visual feedback helps the user determine the quality of the query as the query is being built. The relationship of columns in the database is graphically displayed to a user. When the user selects a column in the database, a filtered display mechanism displays only those columns or records that satisfy the portion of the query already constructed. In a second embodiment, the visual feedback eliminates some possible selections in the query tree due to previously-made selections that eliminate the eliminated selections as possibilities. In the second embodiment, the visual feedback mechanism may function according to data values in columns, and may also function according to known relationships between columns themselves.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and program product initiate generation of a metafile at a client computer. The metafile is evaluated at a network server for a potential viral risk. Program code executing at the server may correlate the evaluated potential risk to a risk level stored in a database. The program code may attach a color designator or other assignment indicative of the assessed risk level to the data. A user at the client computer may act on the data based on the attached risk level.

Abstract: A client-server computing system suited particularly for clients of varying functional capabilities. Information handling capabilities are provided at the client and server on a customized, as-needed basis. When a service is needed by a client, the server determines a number of factors that may be relevant to the manner in which the service is to be provided. Then, the server selects from between two or more services having different executable code, and uploads the selected service to the client. Thus, the code may be tailored to the client's capabilities, or other aspects of its function. Services are not permanently retained by a client; rather, the client performs an analysis to determine whether services should be retained or purged. Also, state information is not permanently retained by a client; the server retains the information and uploads that information to the client. The server also manages its resources by loading service components on an as-needed basis.

Abstract: Methods and systems for message format distribution. A sending server is connected to a plurality of receiving servers. The sending server comprises a master database containing information which is periodically provided to the receiving servers. The sending server and the receiving servers communicate using messaging facilities. Changes in the message format are distributed by the sending server to the receiving servers via the messaging facilities. The message format changes are implemented by receiving clients executing on each of the receiving servers. Standard configurable receiving clients are used by all receiving servers, thereby reducing or eliminating development work by the receiving parties.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for optimizing the processing of abstract rules. In general, the results of executing an abstract query may be used as data inputs for processing an abstract rule. In one embodiment, query results may be sorted according to input field values required for processing a deterministic abstract rule. If a record of the sorted query results includes the same input values as a preceding record, then the rule output of the preceding record may be reused, rather than processing the abstract rule again. Accordingly, the demand load placed on a rule engine may be reduced.

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: A method, apparatus, and program product are provided for using watermarks to embed security features on avatars in a virtual world. A watermark engine receives security information for an avatar in a virtual world. The watermark engine creates a watermark for the avatar using the security information and associates the watermark with the avatar. The watermark may comprise at least one of: security preferences for the avatar, contact information for an owner of the avatar, and graphical information to cause alteration of the avatar when the avatar is recorded.

Abstract: Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for injecting parameter conditions to reduce a size of a data set to be processed. A data set may be received to be processed by an analytic routine. The data set may include results from executing a first query. Further, input may be received from a user, the input specifying a parameter specific to the analytic routine to be performed on the data set. At least one condition associated with the specified parameter may be identified. A second query may be generated from the first query and the identified condition. The second query may be executed to generate a reduced data set. The analytic routine may be performed on the reduced data set to generate an output to the user.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture and apparatus for graphically summarizing the data in an initial query result set, including when rows are removed from the result set by applying a data quality standard is disclosed. When a user selects to change the data quality standard, a group of target rows are identified and removed from the user's display. A bitmap is generated to graphically represent the location of each row in the initial result set, including removed rows. A bitmap to summarize the data values for one or more columns in the initial result set may also be created. Thus, a user may quickly obtain an intuitive view of what the data looks like, without the need for complex analysis or graphing packages.

Abstract: A global key control mechanism provides a single point of overall control for key generation, but portions of the key generation and/or allocation tasks may be delegated to client computer systems, thereby reducing network traffic. The global key control mechanism may download a client key generation mechanism on one or more client computer systems, and may allocate a block of keys to the client key generation mechanism. Requests for keys may then be routed to the client key generation mechanism, which can generate and/or allocate keys within the block of keys that the global key control mechanism allocated to it. When the block of keys is used up, the client key generation mechanism may request another block from the global key control mechanism. The preferred embodiments also include the capability of downloading a client key generation mechanism with an associated block of keys once the requests from one or more client applications exceed a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a graphical user interface allow performing operations simply by dragging a first object to touch a second object. The selection of the first object places a corresponding first object in a chain of objects. When the selected first object touches a second object, a corresponding second object is added to the chain of objects. This process may continue for the selection of many objects by merely touching each object with the selected first object, which causes a corresponding object to be added to the chain of objects. The chain of objects may then be processed as an atomic group of operations that may be rolled back if any of the operations in the group fail.

Abstract: A method, system and article of manufacture for managing metadata associated with a data abstraction model abstractly describing data in a database. One embodiment provides a method of managing metadata describing objects of a data abstraction model with logical fields that define abstract views of physical data in a database. The method comprises traversing a logical tree structure representing the data abstraction model. The logical tree structure has a plurality of nodes, each representing a logical field or a category of logical fields of the data abstraction model. The method further comprises identifying metadata describing logical fields or categories represented by the plurality of nodes. The identified metadata is stored in a queryable database. A user is allowed to query the database to identify objects in the data abstraction model that may be used to construct an abstract query.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method collect operational statistics associated with database access by a computer program for use in performing coverage analysis on the program. In particular, coverage analysis may be performed for a computer program that accesses a database by tracking accesses to records in the database by the computer program during coverage analysis, and calculating at least one database coverage statistic based upon the tracked accesses to the records in the database.

Abstract: An apparatus and program product initiate generation of a metafile at a client computer. The metafile is evaluated at a network server for a potential viral risk. Program code executing at the server may correlate the evaluated potential risk to a risk level stored in a database. The program code may attach a color designator or other assignment indicative of the assessed risk level to the data. A user at the client computer may act on the data based on the attached risk level.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a technique for finding anomalous values for fields with temporal autocorrelation, without resorting to complex query writing. When composing an abstract query a query interface may be provided for a user to input a temporal correlation conditions. The temporal correlation conditions may include a type of change, a delta value, and a time frame within which two data values must occur to be identified as an anomalous value. The time correlation conditions are then passed to a query builder configured to generate and execute a database query configured to identify anomalous values based on the time correlation conditions.

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.