Abstract: A method and apparatus for sending and receiving a print job as an HTTP request version of the MIME protocol, using an entity-body having content-types of “application/jobAttributes” and “application/documentAttributes”. The documents can be structured to as many levels as desirable.

Abstract: A process for obtaining a copy of a data object is disclosed. A location-independent identifier associated with the desired data object is obtained, for example, from a primary file that requires a copy of the data object. Using the location-independent identifier associated with the desired object, a cache is interrogated to determine whether a copy of the data object is cached. If the data object is cached, a copy of the cached data object is obtained from the cache. If the data object is not cached, a network call is performed obtain a new copy of the data object.

Abstract: A procedure for obtaining a copy of a data object is disclosed. A client computer provides a server computer, such as a proxy server, a firewall or a gateway, with a request for a data object. The request includes a location-independent identifier associated with the desired data object is obtained. The server computer interrogates a cache to determine whether a copy of the data object is cached. If the data object is cached, the server computer obtains a copy of the cached data object from the cache. If the data object is not cached, the server computer performs a network call to obtain a new copy of the data object.

Abstract: Each character in a message is segregated into a range depending on the value of the character and encoded based on the range of the character. The encoding techniques may include removing all but the lowest byte, removing all but the lowest byte and masking one or more bits, base 64 encoding, base 64 encoding certain bits, and subtracting prior to base 64 encoding certain bits. To certain encoded characters is added a shift character, which can be used to determine how to decode the character. Multiple characters in the same range may be encoded and placed between a shift lock character and a shift unlock character, with the shift lock character used to determine how to decode the encoded characters. The encoded characters may be decoded using the encoded character, and the absence or presence of any shift, shift lock or shift unlock characters.

Abstract: A name service system in a computer network has a program on a master host which includes a name service map containing the names and corresponding network addresses of servers running in the network. The name service system also includes a proto-server residing on all hosts in which a server needing dynamic name service updates runs. The network address in the name service map corresponding to the server's name is the network address of a program called a "proto-server". The proto-server contains a name table having the name and the corresponding actual address of the server. The name table in the proto-server can be updated dynamically, and the proto-server enables multiple instances of similar servers to run on the same host. When a client requests the binding of a server from the name service, the client program determines whether the address returned from the name service map is the binding of the proto-server, and if so the binding in the proto-server's name table is fetched and returned to the client.