Abstract: The objects stored in computer's memory include a directed graph of object directories. Each object directory stores object names and object pointers for locating and accessing other objects. A root directory object, which is the starting point for locating any specified object, stores object names and object pointers to a set of first level object directories. Each object has an associated pathname that defines a path through the directed graph of object directories for accessing that object. More particularly, each pathname is a succession of path elements, proceeding from a first path element to a last path element. A default pathname parsing procedure is used for parsing any specified object's pathname, starting with said first path element, until the default pathname parsing procedure accesses an object directory having its own distinct pathname parsing procedure.

Abstract: The objects stored in computer's memory include a directed graph of object directories. Each object directory stores object names and object pointers for locating and accessing other objects. A root directory object, which is the starting point for locating any specified object, stores object names and object pointers to a set of first level object directories. Each object has an associated pathname that defines a path through the directed graph of object directories for accessing that object. More particularly, each pathname is a succession of path elements, proceeding from a first path element to a last path element. A default pathname parsing procedure is used for parsing any specified object's pathname, starting with said first path element, until the default pathname parsing procedure accesses an object directory having its own distinct pathname parsing procedure.

Abstract: In a multitasking, multiuser computer system, a server process temporarily impersonates the characteristics of a client process when the client process preforms a remote procedure call on the server process. Each process has an identifier list with a plurality of identifiers that characterize the process. The server process generates a new identifier list which is either the same as the client process's list, or is the union of the server's and the client's lists. Each object in the system can have an access control list which defines the identifiers that a process must have in order to access the object. The operation system has access checking software for enabling a selected process access to a specified object when the identifiers for the process match the list of identifiers in the access control list of the specified object. The server can therefore access all objects accessible to the client while the server is working for the client.

Abstract: In a data processing system a structure (50) called an I/O association is constructed. An I/O association (50) is a symmetric structure which allows not only consumer (52) of a service to locate the provider (54) of the service, but it also permits the converse. In some respects, an I/O channel (32) is only half of an association (50). The association (50) describes a targeted object (56) and provides the means (57) of locating the necessary procedures to operate on the target (56). The association (50) also describes a source object (58) that is held responsible for the requested operation, as well as the means (60) of locating and invoking procedures to report results to the source object (58).

Abstract: In a multitasking, multiuser computer system, a server process temporarily impersonates the characteristics of a client process when the client process preforms a remote procedure call on the server process. Each process has an identifier list with a plurality of identifiers that characterize the process. The server process generates a new identifier list which is either the same as the client process's list, or is the union of the server's and the client's lists. Each object in the system can have an access control list which defines the identifiers that a process must have in order to access the object. The operation system has access checking software for enabling a selected process access to a specified object when the identifers for the process match the list of identifiers in the access control list of the specified object. The server can therefore access all objects accessible to the client while the server is working for the client.