Abstract: The present application generally relates to methods and systems for facilitating the return and exchange processes of unwanted retail products, and it more specifically relates to coordinating the pickup, drop-off, and delivery of unwanted products from the customer to the retailer. The methods and systems of the present application being designed to facilitate the product return and exchange processes without the need for the customer's credit card or other payment information. The methods and systems of the present application being designed to facilitate earlier confirmation to the retailer that the product has been picked up from the customer.

Abstract: The present application generally relates to methods and systems for facilitating the return and exchange processes of unwanted retail products, and it more specifically relates to coordinating the pickup, drop-off, and delivery of unwanted products from the customer to the retailer. The methods and systems of the present application being designed to facilitate the product return and exchange processes without the need for the customer's credit card or other payment information. The methods and systems of the present application being designed to facilitate earlier confirmation to the retailer that the product has been picked up from the customer.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Abstract: A system and method for transforming a data object from a source form into a destination form is described. In one embodiment, the data object is stored in its source form as a set of related source components forming a source data structure having a first hierarchical configuration. The data object is stored in its destination form as a different set of related destination components forming a destination data structure having a different hierarchical configuration. A user is enabled to define a transformation map including a set of transformation mapping expressions declared by the user for transforming the data object between its source form and its destination form. The data object is then automatically transformed from its source form into its destination form based on the transformation map defined by the user and the source and destination data structures.

Abstract: A data adapter including method and apparatus is presented. In one embodiment, the data adapter is a method. The method includes finding a set of records of a relational database matching an object instance of an object type. The method further includes updating the set of records of the relational database based on a first set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the first set corresponding to the records of the set of records. The method further includes inserting new records in the relational database corresponding to a second set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the second set not matching records of the set of records. The method also includes recursively repeating the finding, updating and inserting with respect to child components of the components.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium are provided for displaying contents of a database table comprising a plurality of fields arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, selecting a field of the plurality of fields wherein the selected field comprises a reference to an attached file, and opening the attached file in response to the selecting. A row of the plurality of rows of the database table is associated with an attached file. A column of the plurality of columns comprises information about the attached files associated with the rows.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Abstract: A data adapter including method and apparatus is presented. In one embodiment, the data adapter is a method. The method includes finding a set of records of a relational database matching an object instance of an object type. The method further includes updating the set of records of the relational database based on a first set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the first set corresponding to the records of the set of records. The method further includes inserting new records in the relational database corresponding to a second set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the second set not matching records of the set of records. The method also includes recursively repeating the finding, updating and inserting with respect to child components of the components.

Abstract: A system and method for transforming a data object between a source form into a destination form. Generally, the data object will be stored in its source form as set of related source components forming a source data structure having a first hierarchical configuration, while the data object will be stored in its destination form application as a different set of related destination components forming a destination data structure having a different hierarchical configuration. The transformation is accomplished by enabling a user to declare a set of transformation mapping expressions that define how the data object is to be transformed from its source data structure form into its destination data structure form, and defining its source and destination data structures. A declarative data transformation engine then transforms the data object from the source data structure form into the destination data structure form based on the user-defined transformation mapping expressions.

Abstract: A data adapter including method and apparatus is presented. In one embodiment, the data adapter is a method. The method includes finding a set of records of a relational database matching an object instance of an object type. The method further includes updating the set of records of the relational database based on a first set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the first set corresponding to the records of the set of records. The method further includes inserting new records in the relational database corresponding to a second set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the second set not matching records of the set of records. The method also includes recursively repeating the finding, updating and inserting with respect to child components of the components.

Abstract: A data adapter including method and apparatus is presented. In one embodiment, the data adapter is a method. The method includes finding a set of records of a relational database matching an object instance of an object type. The method further includes updating the set of records of the relational database based on a first set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the first set corresponding to the records of the set of records. The method further includes inserting new records in the relational database corresponding to a second set of instances of components of the object instance, the instances of components of the second set not matching records of the set of records. The method also includes recursively repeating the finding, updating and inserting with respect to child components of the components.

Abstract: A method for upgrading (31-b of FIG. 1) a software application (35-b) from a prior version to a subsequent version while preserving user modifications to the prior application. The method includes comparing differences between the two versions of the software applications. This is followed by enumerating the differences between the two versions of the software applications; and determining which differences between the two versions of the software are conflicting and which are compatible. The compatible changes are made (7). Also disclosed is an article of manufacture containing computer readable program code for carrying out the above process, and a program storage device carrying the code.

Abstract: Distributing and instantiating software version upgrades in a distributed computing environment. This includes defining the required versions of software as the contents of a software version upgrade kit. This is written, e.g., as a table of contents or a list, to a database to generate software version upgrade kit tables. These tables are used to generate software version upgrade kits. The kits are then used as a source to download copies of the upgrade kits to clients to be upgraded. This enables upgrading the software on the client.

Abstract: A method, a program product, and a system for assigning resources to tasks in a rule based, resource constrained system. This is done by receiving as inputs tasks and task attributes; resources and resource attributes; and assignment rules. These inputs are used to searching a database of tasks, task attributes, and assignment rules thereof, to search a database of resources including resource attributes thereof, and to retrieve resources based upon the resource attributes. Resources are assigned to tasks based upon matches and scores of the resource attributes, the task attributes, and the assignment rules.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Abstract: A method, a program product, and a system for assigning resources to tasks in a rule based, resource constrained system. This is done by receiving as inputs tasks and task attributes; resources and resource attributes; and assignment rules. These inputs are used to searching a database of tasks, task attributes, and assignment rules thereof, to search a database of resources including resource attributes thereof, and to retrieve resources based upon the resource attributes. Resources are assigned to tasks based upon matches and scores of the resource attributes, the task attributes, and the assignment rules.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.

Abstract: Attaching files and other objects in a distributed computing environment. This includes adding file attachments and non-database objects, such as, text file data, web file data, image file data, and other file attachment objects to databases. These objects may be retrieved at the convenience of a node to which the objects are sent. Visibility rules can be set to determine which attachments and objects are seen by a node. Distribution rules for an object determine whether a node must request the object or whether the node is forced to receive the object.

Abstract: A method of and system for collecting, storing, and retrieving data in a data base management system. The database management system includes a master database server (4), at least one workgroup server (315), and a plurality of workgroup user clients (310). The workgroup server (315) is interposed between the master database server (4) and said workgroup user clients (310). The method creating a transaction in a local database resident on one of the workgroup user clients (310), entering the transaction into a transaction log resident on the workgroup user client (310), and creating a transaction file corresponding to the transaction in an outbox of said workgroup user client (310). Next, the transaction file is copied to an inbox identified to the workgroup user client (310) and updating the transaction file into a workgroup database (305) resident on the workgroup server (315). The workgroup database (305) includes a transaction log.