Abstract: A method of on-line reconfiguring a data processing system for an added input/output (I/O) device. A configuration program is called and menus are presented. Based on menu selections, the program causes a device definition to be built. The built definition is used to construct a control block which is written into main storage during system operation such that the added device is available for use on a real time basis.

Abstract: An improvement to a method of providing a distributed, interactive data processing system with concurrent multi-lingual use by a plurality of users is disclosed. According to the basic method, a message model data collection (18) is established by storing message models via a message identifier primary key that is common for all usage and a secondary key that is the national language index. Then using a central message service, messages are composed from message models retrieved from the message model data collection using the primary and secondary keys in response to a call from an application program (10). The improvement provides message models of informational or error messages generated by application program components, these message models being stored in the message model data collection. In this way, it is possible to display data obtained from the data collection in place of the original data provided in the informational or error message of application programs such as COBOL and FORTRAN.