Abstract: A method and apparatus for interprocess message switching between a sender process and a plurality of receiver processes is disclosed. Messages supported comprise request and notice messages. Receiver processes supported comprise handler processes and observer processes. Request messages may be observed as well as handled, and notice messages may be handled as well as observed. Handler and observer processes may be non-executing as well as executing. Sender processes do not need to specify the identity of the receiver processes. The sender process and the receiver processes may be executed on the same computer or on two or more computers in a network.

Abstract: In a computer system where applications and data manipulated by the applications are implemented in an object oriented manner, an object type and its deriving attribute are stored as an entry in a table having an identifier. The object type table is in turn stored in a database. Similarly, the object type and its attribute values having corresponding attribute identifiers are stored as an entry in a table having an identifier. The object type attribute table is in turn also stored in a database. An object type deriving manager and an object type attribute values obtaining manager corresponding to the object type table and the object type attribute table are provided for deriving object type and obtaining object type attribute values respectively. A row getting interface routine and a column getting interface routine are provided for invoking the functions of the object type deriving manager and the functions of the object type attribute values obtaining manager.