Abstract: The present invention introduces the concept of a super-trigger to allow for multi-level hierarchical triggers in a database application. The super-trigger may be created by identifying one or more triggers as sub-triggers, and defining a condition in the super-trigger, the result of the condition depending from a result of one or more of the sub-triggers. Upon execution, information may be retrieved regarding a result for each of the sub-triggers. The condition may then be evaluated using these results, and an action may be performed if the condition is met.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for generating from application modifications commands to modify the objects in a repository. An input object including an update to at least one of a plurality of objects in a repository object is received. At least one maintain property associated with at least one of the objects is received. The at least one maintain property indicates whether to maintain the at least one object associated with the maintain property in the repository object that is not indicated in the input object. A determination is made of an object in the repository object that are not indicated in the input object. For the determined object, the maintain property associated with the determined object is used to determine whether to maintain the determined object in the repository object.

Abstract: In order to efficiently handle change notification requests to a storage system based on a database data store and a database engine, the change notification requests are multiplexed. This can be done by issuing a query which refers, for information about what changes are being tracked, to a data structure. The information about what changes to track for each request to be multiplexed is stored in the data structure. Additionally, information about the request can be stored in the data structure. By adding information to the data structure, the query can be altered without needing to directly modify or reissue the query.

Abstract: A system for rating a service comprises a database and a charging engine. A first set of balance information is read from the database. The charging engine is for determining an update to the database based at least in part on the first set of balance information, and conditionally submitting the update to the database based at least in part on a condition that includes limits on changes to the first set of balance information that occurred after the reading of the first set of balance information.

Abstract: A software simulation method and program storage device for software defect detection and obtaining insight into software code is disclosed, where simulation consists of executing target software program code for multiple input values and multiple code paths at the same time, thus achieving 100% coverage over inputs and paths without actually running the target software. This allows simulation to detect many defects that are missed by traditional testing tools. The simulation method runs a plurality of algorithms where a plurality of custom defined and pre-defined rules are verified in target software to find defects and obtain properties of the software code.

Abstract: Systems and computer products that improve the techniques used to search multidimensional databases over techniques of the past. The preferred embodiment of the present invention advantageously improves the technique of determining a grid index that is used to locate a geometric shape in a spatial database. More particularly, the preferred embodiment of the present invention improves the technique of defining the grid cell size in a grid for a given data set, thereby improving the grid indexing process that locates a particular minimum-bounding rectangle and the associated geometric shape.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing web pages to a client with improved speed and efficiency. Web pages are cached in a web server and are referenced from a database in a database server. When a request from a client is sent to the web server for a web page, the web server checks the web page cache table in the database server. The web page cache table contains a field wherein a flag is set to indicate whether any data that affects the web page has been updated. Database triggers are used to change the value of the flag when specified data fields corresponding to a web page have been changed. If the value of the flag indicates that there has not been any change in the data, the web server reads the html file reference in the web page cache table, retrieves the corresponding page from the web page cache in the web server and sends the page back to the client.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which, when a user searches through a plurality of contents for a desired content, causes a display device to display a plurality of indexes corresponding to the plurality of contents is provided. The apparatus includes: a content selection device that selects one of the plurality of contents; an approximation degree calculation device that calculates degrees of approximation between the selected content on the one hand and each of the other contents on the other hand; and a layout determination device that determines a layout of the index of the selected content and determines layouts of the indexes of the other contents relative to the index of the selected content in accordance with the degrees of approximation. The index of the selected content and the indexes of the other contents are displayed on the display device as laid out by the layout determination device.

Abstract: A method for transmission of data for two or three dimensional geometrical entities uses a computer system, for modeling and/or manipulation of geometrical entities. The computer system comprises at least one program for modeling and/or manipulation and at least one display program, the at least one modeling and/or manipulation program transmits the data associated with the geometrical entities for display to the at least one display program, by calling up display functions located within the at least one display program. An exporting program for data associated with geometrical entities is substituted in at least one of the at least one display programs, the exporting program having the same display functions as the at least one display program.

Abstract: Retrieval and display of digital media items is described. For example, the digital media items may be photographs, videos, audio files, emails, text documents or parts of these. In an embodiment a dedicated apparatus having a touch display screen is provided in a form designed to look like a domestic fish tank. In an embodiment graphical animated agents are depicted on the display as fish whose motion varies according to at least one behavior parameter which is pseudo random. In embodiments, the agents have associated search criteria and when a user selects one or more agents the associated search criteria are used in a retrieval operation to retrieve digital media items from a store. In some embodiments media items are communicated between the apparatus and a portable communications device using a communications link established by tapping the portable device against the media retrieval and display apparatus.

Abstract: System and method for automatic versioning and data mutation for user-defined data types. A program development environment may be operable to: create a first version of a data type definition in response to user input; instantiate and store an object of the first version of the data type, optionally including a version identifier indicating the version of the object; modify the first version of the data type definition in response to user input, thereby creating a second version of the data type definition; load the object from storage; and automatically (without user intervention) modify the object to conform to the second version of the data type definition. Successive modifications of the data type definition may generate successive versions of the data type. Objects instantiated and stored according to a previous version of the data type may be loaded from storage and automatically modified to conform to a specified subsequent version.

Abstract: A method for automatically uploading information to an eBay® server includes the steps of: (a) receiving in a parsing server a formatted electronic file containing information about at least one of product information including event ticket information and other product information, and service information; (b) translating the formatted electronic file within the parsing server into a format that is compatible with eBay® API to provide a compatible parsed data file using a dynamic programming language; and (c) automatically uploading the compatible parsed data file to an eBay® server. The method also updates any existing event tickets or products or services that have been uploaded to eBay® previously using this method.

Abstract: Systems and methods for proactive information monitoring are presented. A user can define alert criteria for generating an alert through a centralized alerting service where the alert criteria relate to the status of records in a data set. The records of the data can be distributed across multiple remote or unaffiliated databases to which the user lacks access. The service can disaggregate the criteria into individual criterion targeting specific records stored in the databases. The criterions are provided to agents that monitor the records. When the records satisfy the criterion, the agents send notifications back to the service. Once the service receives sufficient notifications to indicate the alert criteria are satisfied, the service sends an alert to designated recipients. The systems and methods are able provide alert information without compromising the confidentially or security of the remote databases.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for persisting objects to a database are disclosed. A set of meta-level objects (120) are defined, each object also having defined a persistence strategy. Each object also has a set of attributes which have their own respective persistence strategy. An object also can have an association with other objects each carrying respective persistence and attribute definitions. Upon a persistence request occurring, a run-time instance of an object is created carrying attributes and attached persistence strategies. The instantiated object is then executed. By defining objects, attributes and persistence strategies at a meta-level that only are populated at run-time, they each are able to be readily modified to give effect to a desired change in persistence strategy, including which attributes are to be persisted.