Java I/O toolkit for applications and applets

• US 6,011,916 A
• Filed: 05/12/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, Victor S., Walters, Glen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZHEN, WEI Y
• Application Number:
  US09/076,391
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 395/712, 395/701
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45504 Abstract machines for programme code execution, e.g. Java virtual machine [JVM], interpreters, emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45529 Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser

Abstract

A method to perform I/O (Input/Output) operations in a data processing unit running an interpretative based program in an Interpretive Machine (IM). One example on an interpretative based program running in an IM is a Java based program. An I/O class for passing data into the interpretative based program and out of a the interpretative based program is defined. An object representing an instance of this I/O class is created. The I/O class includes a first member function called an Applet function for handling I/O operations when the IM is running as an Applet coupled to a Web browser. The Applet function has its own procedures and data variables for performing I/O operations. The I/O class includes a second member function called and Application function for handling I/O operations when the IM is running as an Application not coupled to a Web browser. The Application function has its own procedures and variables for performing I/O operations. A check is made to determine whether the interpretative based program is being executed with or without a browser. When the interpretative based program is being executed with a browser, the Applet function performs I/O operations and when the interpretive based program is being executed without a browser, the Application function performs the I/O operations. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a computer readable medium is disclosed corresponding to the above method.

Claims

1. A method to perform I/O (Input/Output) operations in a data processing unit comprising the steps of:

executing an interpretative based program on an Interpretative Machine (IM);

defining an I/O class for passing data into said program and for passing data out of said program;

creating an object with a first class method based on said I/O class for said interpretative based program for execution on an IM not coupled to a Web browser and a second class method based on said I/O class for execution on an IM coupled to a Web browser;

wherein said object is an instance of said I/O class with said I/O class having its own procedures and data variables for performing I/O operations;

checking to determine whether said interpretative based program is being executed on an IM not coupled to a Web browser or on an IM coupled to a Web browser;

if said interpretative based program is executing on an IM not coupled to a Web browser executing said first class method;

wherein said first class method perform I/O operations during execution of said interpretative based program; and

if said interpretative based program is executing on an IM coupled to a Web browser executing said second class method;

wherein either said second class method perform I/O operations during execution of said interpretative based program.

2. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, wherein said step of executing an interpretative based program includes a Java based program and executing said Java based program.

3. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, wherein said if step of executing on an IM not coupled to a Web browser includes executing a interpretative based program running on an IM not coupled to a Web Browser is a JAVA Application.

4. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, wherein said if step of executing on an IM coupled to a Web browser includes executing a interpretative based program running on an IM not coupled to a Web Browser is a JAVA Applet.

5. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, wherein said step of executing an interpretative based program includes an IM running a Java Virtual Machine.

6. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, further comprises:

defining an I/O class for passing data into said data processing unit and for passing data out of said data processing unit;

wherein at least part of said passing of data is through use of a file name.

7. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, further comprising:

defining an I/O class for passing data into said data processing unit and for passing data out of said data processing unit;

wherein at least part of said passing of data is through use of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

8. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 1, further comprising:

defining an I/O class for passing data into said data processing unit and for passing data out of said data processing unit;

wherein said I/O class includes authorization function with a userid and password; and

authenticating said at least some of said I/O operations with said userid and said password.

9. The method to perform I/O operations of claim 7, further comprising:

appending a username to said URL.

10. A computer readable storage medium containing program instructions for performing I/O (Input/Output) operations in a data processing unit, said program instructions comprising instructions for:

executing an interpretative based program on an Interpretative Machine (IM);

defining an I/O class for passing data into said program and for passing data out of said program;

creating an object with a first class method based on said I/O class for said interpretative based program for execution on an IM not coupled to a Web browser and a second class method based on said I/O class for execution on an IM coupled to a Web browser;

wherein said object is an instance of said I/O class with said I/O class having its own procedures and data variables for performing I/O operations;

checking to determine whether said interpretative based program is being executed on an IM not coupled to a Web browser or on an IM coupled to a Web browser; and

if said interpretative based program is executing on an IM not coupled to a Web browser executing said first class method;

wherein said first class method perform I/O operations during execution of said interpretative based program; and

if said interpretative based program is executing on an IM coupled to a Web browser executing said second class method;

wherein either said second class method perform I/O operations during execution of said interpretative based program.

11. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, wherein said interpretative based program is a Java based program.

12. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, wherein said step of executing an interpretative based program includes a Java based program and executing said Java based program.

13. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, wherein said if step of executing on an IM not coupled to a Web browser includes executing a interpretative based program running on an IM not coupled to a Web Browser is a JAVA Application.

14. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, wherein said if step of executing on an IM coupled to a Web browser includes executing a interpretative based program running on an IM not coupled to a Web Browser is a JAVA Applet.

15. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, wherein said step of executing an interpretative based program includes an IM running a Java Virtual Machine.

16. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, further comprising:

defining an I/O class for passing data into said data processing unit and for passing data out of said data processing unit;

wherein at least part of said passing of data is through use of a file name.

17. The computer readable storage medium to perform I/O operations of claim 10, further comprising:

defining an I/O class for passing data into said data processing unit and for passing data out of said data processing unit;

wherein at least part of said passing of data is through use of a URL (Uniform Resource Locator).