Method and apparatus for front end navigator and network architecture for performing functions on distributed files in a computer network

• US 5,809,248 A
• Filed: 07/05/1995
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Vidovic, Nino
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/498,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.09, 395/200.03, 395/200.12, 395/200.11, 395/704, 395/183.14, 395/326, 395/335, 395/793, 395/762, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.57, 395/200.59, 395/200.54, 395/200.55, 345/326, 345/335, 707/501, 707/531
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for a front end navigating tool that may access and manipulate files distributed across different physical machines and platforms. The front end navigating tool communicates with a plurality of server processes, resident on networked servers, to perform all types of file manipulations such as such as debugging and editing. The server processes communicate with gateway processes resident on the same machine as the calling server process that perform the desired function on any of a plurality of program segments that may distributed across a plurality of computers. The present invention supports any type of function, such as debugging, browsing and editing, that may be applied to a file.

Claims

1. A method for performing a function on target files in a network, said network comprising a plurality of computers, said method comprising the steps of;

providing an element for performing the step of forming by a front end navigating tool a first universal resource locator (URL) for a first target file, said first target file resident on a first computer;

providing an element for performing the step of accessing a first server process indicated by said first URL and providing said first server process with a first file name for said first target file;

providing an element for performing the step of contacting by said first server process a first tool for performing a first function and providing said first tool with said first file name;

providing an element for performing the step of performing said first function by said first tool on said first target file;

providing an element for performing the step of providing by said first tool to said first server process, without user interaction, a second file name for a second target file residing on a second computer, when said first target file calls said second target file;

providing an element for performing the step of providing by said first server process to said front end navigating tool, without user interaction, said second target file name when said first target file calls said second target file;

wherein said step of forming by said front end navigating tool a second universal resource locator (URL) for a second target file comprises forming said second URL based upon said second file name provided by said first server process;

providing an element for performing the step of accessing a second server process indicated by said second URL and providing said second server process with said second file name;

providing an element for performing the step of contacting by said second server process a second tool for performing a second function and providing said second tool with said second file name;

providing an element for performing the step of performing said second function by said second tool on said second target file; and

providing an element for performing the step of returning, without user interaction, to said first target file after said second function on said second target file is completed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second server processes comprise the same type of server processes.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said first and second server processes comprise process servers.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said first and second tools comprise debugging tools.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said first debugging tool operates on programs written in a different language than programs that may be operated on by said second debugging tool.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said first server process comprises an httpd server.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said first target file includes a hypertext link to said second target file.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing an editor for said first and second target files.

9. An apparatus for performing a function on target files in a network, said network comprising a plurality of computers, said apparatus comprising:

a front end navigating tool configured to form a first universal resource locator (URL) for a first target file, said first target file resident on a first computer;

a first interface device configured to access a first server process indicated by said first URL and providing said first server process with a first file name for said first target file;

a first communication device configured to contact by said first server process a first tool configured to perform a first function and providing said first tool with said first file name;

first logic configured to perform said first function by said first tool on said first target file;

wherein said first communication device further includes a device configured to provide by said first tool to said first server process, without user interaction, a second file name for a second target file residing on a second computer, when said first target file calls said second target file;

wherein said first interface device further includes a device configured to provide by said first server process to said front end navigating tool, without user interaction, said second file name when said first target file calls said second target file;

wherein said front end navigating tool forms a second URL for said second target file based upon said second file name provided by said first server process;

wherein said apparatus further comprises a second interface device configured to access a second server process indicated by said second URL and providing said second server process with said second file name;

wherein said apparatus further comprises a second communication device configured to contact by said second server process a second tool configured to perform a second function and providing said second tool with said second file name;

wherein said apparatus further comprises second logic configured to perform said second function by said second tool on said second target file; and

wherein said front end navigating tool further includes a device configured to return said first target file to said front end navigating tool, without user interaction, when said second function on said second target file is completed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first and second server processes comprise the same type of server processes.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said first and second server processes comprise process servers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first and second tools comprise debugging tools.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first debugging tool operates on programs written in a different language than programs that may be operated on by said second debugging tool.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first server process comprises an httpd server.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first target file includes a hypertext link to said second target file.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said front end navigating tool further comprises an editor configured to edit said first and second target files.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for performing a function on target files in a network, said network comprising a plurality of computers, the computer readable code comprising;

a first program module configured to effect forming by a front end navigating tool a universal resource locator (URL) for a first target file, said first target file resident on a first computer;

a second program module configured to effect accessing a first server process indicated by said first URL and providing said first server process with a file name for said first target file;

a third program module configured to effect contacting by said first server process a first tool for performing a first function and providing said first tool with said first file name;

a fourth program module configured to effect performing said first function by said first tool on said first target file;

a fifth program module configured to effect providing by said first tool to said first server process a second file name for a second target file residing on a second computer, when said first target file calls said second target file;

a sixth program module configured to effect providing by said first server process to said front end navigating tool said second file name when said first target file calls said second target file;

a seventh program module configured to effect forming a universal resource locator (URL) by said front end navigating tool for said second target file based upon said second file name provided by said first server process;

an eighth program module configured to effect contacting by a second server process a second tool for performing a second function and providing said second tool with said second file name;

a ninth program module configured to effect performing said second function by said second tool on said second target file; and

a tenth program module configured to effect the return of said first target file to said front end navigating tool when said second function on said second target file is completed.