Development system for automatically enabling a server application to execute with an XATMI-compliant transaction manager managing transactions within multiple environments6272675Abstract Apparatus and method for the automatic generation of code which will enable a user-developed client application to initiate and participate in a transaction across multiple hardware platforms. In a preferred embodiment, one of the platforms is an enterprise OLTP (On-Line Transaction Processing) system, and another one of the platforms executes within the Microsoft .RTM. Transaction Server (MTS). Claims What is claimed is: Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
TABLE 1
Service Request (Function Calls) of the XATMI API.
Name Description
Typed Buffer Functions
tpalloc() Allocate a typed buffer.
tpfree() Free a typed buffer.
tprealoc() Change the size of a typed buffer.
tptypes() Determine information about a typed buffer.
Function for Writing Service Routines.
tpservice() Template for service routines.
tpreturn() Return from a service routine.
Functions for Dynamically Advertising Service Names
tpadvertise() Advertise a service name.
tpunadvertise() Unadvertise a service name.
Functions for Request/Response Services
tpcall() Send a service request.
tpcall() Send a service request and synchronously awaits its
reply.
tpcancel() Cancel a call descriptor for an outstanding reply.
tpgetrply() Get a reply from a previous service request.
Functions for Conversational Services
tpconnect() Establish a conversational service connection.
tpdiscon() Terminate a conversational service connection abortively.
tprecv() Receive a message in a conversational connection.
tpsend() Send a message in a conversational connection.
Each of the foregoing XATMI API requests has a formal syntax that specifies that format and arguments of each request. The formal syntax for each request is specified in the XATMI Specification. Microsoft Corporation has recently introduced a product called Microsoft.RTM. Transaction Server (MTS) that provides a component-based programming model and execution environment for developing and deploying distributed applications. "Microsoft," "windows," and "Windows NT" are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. MTS allows users to build three tier applications. Client applications may be either DCOM or IIS applications. MTS becomes the middle tier supporting reusable business logic, and the data store becomes the third tier. The technology is based on the idea of building reusable components in the form of COM objects that comprise all business logic. Examples of such components include the following types: Query: data inputted, then the component binds to the data store to get the information; Update; execute a transaction and send a message to update a data base. In the MTS environment, a client application requests an instance of an MTS component to perform a given task. The MTS component provides the business logic associated with that task. When a client application makes a request for a component instance, MTS instantiates the MTS component and returns a reference to the client application. Every instance of an MTS component has an associated context object that holds information about the MTS component. The context object of each MTS component exposes an IObjectContext interface comprising a number of methods. Two methods relating to transaction processing are IObjectContext::SetComplete () and IObjectContext::SetAbort (). An MTS component invokes SetComplete () when it has successfully completed executing its work. SetAbort () is invoked if the work is not completed successfully. A global method provided by MTS, called GetObjectContext (), is used to obtain a reference to the IObjectInterface of a context object. MTS components (i.e., COM objects) are written as single thread units and the MTS executive handles any concurrency issues. MTS enables developers to collect a series of such components into a package to make deployment easier. Unlike with the X/Open DTP model, the MTS component developer does not have to worry about how components will be combined into global transactions. MTS components are written as all-encompassing units and are configured as either requiring or supporting a transaction, or having non-transactional properties. When an MTS component is instantiated, MTS validates its transactional properties, and if the MTS component is configured to be transactional, MTS instantiates the component with those properties. An MTS component that is instantiated with transactional properties will enlist (i.e., join) in a transaction, if one is in progress. A Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC) within the MTS environment controls the enlistment of components in global transactions, and also coordinates transaction commitment. The MS DTC implements two-phase commitment processing. Unlike the X/Open DTP model, however, MTS transactions are not demarked by the client application as having a beginning and end. Rather, through the enlistment process, the life of a transaction is controlled by the MS DTC. In any transaction processing system, each resource in the system is controlled by a resource manager that declares itself by contacting the local transaction manager. In the MTS environment, the local transaction manager is the MS DTC, and the process by which a resource manager declares itself to the MS DTC is referred to as enlistment (to be distinguished from enlistment in a transaction). After a resource manager has enlisted with the MS DTC, it waits for requests from an executing application. When a request associated with a new transaction arrives, the resource manager must also then enlist in that transaction. This ensures that the resource manager will get callbacks (i.e., indications) from the MS DTC when the transaction commits or aborts. The MS DTC supports transactions that are distributed across two or more Windows.RTM. 95 or Windows NT.RTM. systems. Each system has a local a transaction manager - the MS DTC. All components and resource managers communicate with their local transaction managers. The transaction managers cooperatively manage transaction protocols that span systems using OLE Transaction Protocols. Further information concerning the Microsoft Transaction Server environment can be found in Database Workshop: Microsoft Transaction Server 2.0, Roger Jennings ed., Sams Publishing, 1997, and also at the Microsoft Corporation web site. Currently, MTS interoperability for heterogeneous hosts exists through Microsoft's COMTI (COM Transaction Interface) for IBM's IMS or CICS transactions, through third party ODBC (Open Data Base Connectivity) for connection to remote host's databases, or via the XA Mapper. COMTI allows exiting Cobol programs running on an IBM mainframe to be accessed by new window-based clients. ODBC allows access to various databases (Oracle, Informix, SQL Sequel server) by MTS components. The XA Mapper allows client applications that communicate with X/Open-compliant transaction managers to map their XA protocol to MTS's native OLE transaction protocols for inclusion of MTS controlled resources. Unfortunately, these interoperability solutions exclude a large class of existing transaction processing systems - those that have been built according to the X/Open DTP model and that use the XATMI programming interface as the interface between an application program and a resource. Servers in these systems add business logic to control data bases which may be accessed by remote clients. The transaction managers in X/Open DTP-based systems control the coordination of transactions and the routing of messages. They also control rollback and recovery of data and synchronization of remote data managers. The MS DTC, which provides the transaction manager function in an MTS environment, cannot currently interoperate with resources on remote servers controlled by an X/Open XATMI-compliant transaction manager. The MS DTC is not XATMI-compliant. Servers controlled by XATMI-compliant transaction managers therefore cannot participate in global OLE transactions managed by an MS DTC. Given the large installed base of client/server applications that are built upon an X/Open XATMI-compliant transaction manager, it would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus that enable an MS DTC to include such servers in a global transaction that it controls. More broadly, it would be desirable to provide the ability for any transaction processing environment that does not employ an XATMI-compliant transaction manager to be able to access, as part of a global transaction in that environment, a resource on a remote server in another environment that does operate under the control of an XATMI compliant transaction manager. The present invention satisfies that need. In order for a COM/DCOM server application to be enabled to participate in, and initiate, a transaction which will be performed across several platforms, specific code must be added to the service. This requires knowledge on how the MTS system enforces the two-phase commit protocol. The average user developing a client application does not have this knowledge. The average user will only know that there is a specific OLTP service on the enterprise server which he or she wants to access, and further knows that there are one or more resources registered under the MTS system that are to be accessed within the same transaction. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing an apparatus and method for the automatic generation of computer source code which will enable a user-developed client application to initiate and participate in a transaction across multiple hardware platforms. In a preferred embodiment, one of the platforms is an enterprise OLTP system, and another one of the platforms executes within the Microsoft Transaction System (MTS). In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a person familiar with an OLTP system develops an OLTP service on a enterprise system. This service is designed to perform one or more parts of a transaction. As an example, a service may require a name and credit card as input. The service utilizes this input information to book a hotel and plane reservation, and provides confirmation numbers as output. A user then develops a client application on a personal computer (PC). This client may be a C, C++ or a Visual Basic Program, or may be an Active Server Page (ASP) which is accessible from a web browser. The client is developed to perform a transaction which accesses a specific OLTP Service on the enterprise system (such as the Unisys 2200), and further accesses certain applications operating within the Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) environment. In order for this client application to be enabled to participate in, and initiate a transaction which will be performed across multiple hardware platforms, specific source code must be added to the client application. This requires knowledge of how the MTS environment enforces the two-phase commit protocol. The average user developing a client application does not have this knowledge, and only knows that there is a specific OLTP service on the enterprise server which he or she wishes to access, and further knows that there are one or more resources registered under the MTS system that are to be accessed within the same transaction. To make the development of the client application much easier, a tool was created to generate the specific code needed to accomplish the transaction. This tool, which is integrated into the "DGateAce" environment, is the subject of the present invention. The "DGateAce" environment is further described in a co-pending application entitled, "AN AUTOMATED DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPING APPLICATIONS THAT INTERFACE WITH BOTH DISTRIBUTED COMPONENT OBJECT MODEL (DCOM) AND ENTERPRISE SERVER ENVIRONMENTS", The interface code generated by the tool of the present invention receives a request from the client application, then interfaces with the requested enterprise service via a gateway server dynamic link library and a resource dispenser. The resource dispenser coordinates the MTS and enterprise OLTP server portions of the transaction so that a two-phase commit protocol is achieved. Either all parts of the requested transaction are actually performed, or none of the parts of the transaction are performed. An error occurring on either system will cause the portions of the transaction performed on the other system to be rolled back (not committed). The DGateAce program generates all code used for the enterprise server and Object Context initialization, and for the registration of status. The user is still required to add code to make the calls to the MTS services, and to make the calls to the Object Context to report status from the MTS calls. However the user is able to pattern the calls after what has already been automatically generated by DGateAce. Therefore, the code development process is greatly simplified. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects of the present invention and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof and wherein: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the X/Open Distributed Transaction Processing (DTP) model architecture for distributed transaction processing systems; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) environment; FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the computing environment in which the present invention operates; FIG. 4 is an illustration of the first DGateAce input screen encountered by a user when generating the Transactional Gateway (TGATE) code; and FIG. 5 is an illustration of the second DGateAce input screen encountered by a user when generating the Transactional Gateway (TGATE) code. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The detailed descriptions which follow are presented largely in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. An algorithm is here, generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It proves convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers or the like. It should be kept in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Furthermore, the manipulations performed are often referred to in terms, such as adding or comparing, which are commonly associated with mental operations performed by a human operator. No such capability of a human operator is necessary, or desirable in most cases, in any of the operations described herein which form part of the present invention; the operations are machine operations. Useful machines for performing the operations of the present invention include general purpose digital computers or other similar devices. In all cases, it should be kept in mind the distinction between the method operations in operating a computer and the method of computation itself. The present invention related to method steps for operating a computer in processing electrical or other (e.g., mechanical, chemical) physical signals to generate other desired physical signals. The present invention also relates to apparatus for performing these operations. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes or it may comprise a general purpose computer as selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. The algorithms present herein are not inherently related to a particular computer system or other apparatus. In particular, various general purpose computer systems may be used with computer programs written in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, or it may prove more convenient to construct more specialized apparatus, to perform the required method steps. The required structure for such machines will be apparent from the description given below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the X/Open Distributed Transaction Processing (DTP) model architecture for distributed transaction processing systems, and is discussed in detail in the background section listed above. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS) environment coupled to a remote enterprise On-Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) system. The present invention describes apparatus and method for the automatic generation of computer source code which will enable a user-developed client application to initiate and participate in a transaction involving an MTS environment coupled to an enterprise OLTP system. MTS is a runtime environment that executes under the Microsoft Windows NT operating system, and also, in a more limited fashion, under the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system. An MTS environment typically includes a client application 52, representing the first tier of a traditional three-tier transaction processing model. The client application 52 usually provides a user interface and may also perform some of the overall logic of the application. An application's business logic is implemented in the form of one or more MTS components (e.g., component 54). MTS components are written as single thread units, and the MTS executive handles any concurrency issues. A series of MTS components can be grouped into a package for easier deployment and use. An MTS component developer can configure an MTS component as either requiring or supporting a transaction. An MTS component that is so configured, will automatically join a transaction, if one is in progress, under the control of a Distributed Transaction Coordinator (MS DTC) 56 in the MTS environment. The MS DTC controls the participation of MTS components in transactions and coordinates transaction commitment in accordance with a two-phase commitment process. MTS components can request resources from one or more resource managers (not shown) within the MTS environment. A resource manager controls access to a particular resource, such as a database. In a typical MTS environment, the MTS component 54, the MS DTC 56, and one or more resource managers (not shown) communicate using DCOM protocols. In this embodiment, the methods and apparatus of the present invention enable the MTS component 54 to request, as part of a global transaction coordinated by the MS DTC 56 (which is not XATMI-compliant), a resource (e.g., data from database 58) on a remote server 60 that is under the control of an XATMI- compliant transaction manager 62 outside of the MTS environment. Such a remote server might be constructed, for example, in accordance with the X/Open DTP model, as is the remote server 60 of this example. That is, the remote server 60 is architected and operates in a manner similar to the exemplary server 12 of the X/Open DTP model system of FIG. 1. Remote servers of this type will communicate with other servers in accordance with a bi-directional two-phase commitment communications protocol, such as the OSI TP Protocol Specification. In a preferred embodiment, the methods and apparatus of the present invention are implemented, as shown in FIG. 2, in the form of an interconnect 64. This interconnect receives XATMI service requests (e.g., tpcall, tpacall, tpconnect, etc.) from the MTS component via an XATMI interface, and receives directives for a given global transaction (e.g., prepare, commit, abort, etc.) from the MS DTC 56. As described hereinafter in greater detail, the interconnect 64 of the present invention translates these requests and directives into corresponding service requests of the bi-directional two-phase commitment communications protocol employed by the remote server 60 (e.g., the OSI TP protocol Specification), and coordinates the processing of those service requests with the processing of corresponding events in the MTS environment. In this manner, the remote server 60 appears as a local resource to the MS DTC 56. The interconnect 64 communicates with the MS DTC 56 using the native OLE transaction protocol of the MTS environment. As used herein, the terms "XATMI", "XATMI interface" and "XATMI service request" are intended to encompass the interface and service requests described in the XATMI Specification, as well as other versions, variations, predecessors, or modified forms thereof, whether or not known by the same name. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the computing environment in which the present invention operates. The computing environment of FIG. 3 is termed a "transactional" DGate environment, because a single transaction may be performed across two different types of systems. One or more parts of the transaction are performed on an enterprise server, such as a Unisys 2200 node 200 using an OLTP service 216 being coordinated by the OLTP TM2200 transaction manager 212. Additionally, one or more other parts of the transaction may be performed on the MTS system 224 residing on a Microsoft NT node 202, and may utilize resources registered within the Microsoft Environment. These portions of the transaction are coordinated by the HTP/ic component 229. The HTP/ic component 229, which is referred to as a "resource dispenser", further coordinates the MTS and 2200 portions of the transaction so that a two-phase commit protocol is achieved. The HTP/ic component 229 is connected to the OPEN/OLTP TM2200 component 212 via the enterprise-based HTP/x component 214. The HTP/ic component is also connected to the MTS component 224 via interface 226, and to the TGateServer.dll component 244 via interface 228. Either all parts of the transaction are actually performed, or none of the parts of the transaction are performed. An error occurring on either system causes the portions of the transaction performed on the other system to be rolled back (not committed). The ability to coordinate MTS portions of a transaction with portions of a transaction performed on an enterprise OLTP server so that the transaction adheres to OLTP principles such as two-phase commit (that is, "XATMI-Compliant") is described in the Application entitled "METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR ENABLING A COMPONENT IN A FIRST TRANSACTION PROCESSING ENVIRONMENT TO ACCESS A RESOURCE IN ANOTHER ENVIRONMENT THAT IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF AN XATMI-COMPLIANT TRANSACTION MANAGER", which was filed in May, 1998. The WebTx Monitor (known as WTXSVC in a Windows NT environment) 232 communicates with the Web Server via interface 238, and the DGate Gateway 230 via interface 236. The WTXSVC Monitor 232 functions as the WebTx administrative tool. One function of the WTXSVC Monitor 232 is to start and stop the DGate gateway 230 as needed. The WebTx Web Server component 241, is a run-time extension of the Web Server 240 (such as Netscape FastTrack, Netscape Enterprise, or Microsoft IIS). The function of the Web Server Extension 241 is to intercept requests intended for WebTx 210, and instead route the requests to the Gateway 230. The Web Server Extension 241 will also interpret the response from the Gateway 230, and route the reply. The Web Server Extension 241 is connected to the WTXSVC Monitor 232 via interface 238. The DGate Gateway 230 receives requests from the Web Server Extension 241 via the WTXSVC Monitor 232. This typically involves transforming a request (such as a URL from a Web Browser or remote procedure calls RPC's from a DCOM client) into a format which is understandable by a Distributed Transaction Processing System such as a Unisys 2200 Enterprise System 200. The DGate Gateway 230 also transforms data returned from the Distributed Transaction Processing System 200 into a formatted response which is returned to the requestor. The present invention is best described in terms of the development steps performed in order to create the enterprise (2200) and MTS (NT) services, and to further create the client. A person familiar with the enterprise OLTP system 200 first develops an OLTP service 216 on the enterprise server node 200. This service 216 is designed to perform one or more parts of a transaction. For example, the service may require a name and credit card number input from a user, utilizes this user input information to book a hotel and plane reservation, then provides the user with confirmation numbers for the hotel and plane reservations. Input parameters are received from the NT node in a particular format as determined by an "input view file", whereas the output parameters, if any, are provided to the NT node in the format defined by the "output view file". More specifically, the input and output view file determine the offset locations, the size, and the type of, input and output parameters within the input and output buffers. An OLTP service 216 may have only an input view, may have both input and output view which are different, or may have input and output views which are the same. After the 2200 service is developed, the view files are copied to a specified location on the NT node 202. A user then develops a client application 252 on a PC 204. This client 252 may be a C, C++, Visual Basic Program, or may be an Active Server Page (ASP) which is accessible from a web browser. The client application 252 is developed to perform a transaction which will access a specific OLTP service 216 on the Unisys 2200 enterprise server 200, and further accesses certain applications residing within the MTS environment 224. The user knows the name of the OLTP Service 216, and further knows the name and location of the view files which have been copied to a specified location on the NT node 202. The user developing the PC client application 252 uses the DGateAce tool, to generate the code shown as "DGateAce generated code" 248 on FIG. 3. The "DGateAce generated code" 248 is part of the overall COM/DCOM Server Application 246. This COM/DCOM Server Application 246 is the code which receives requests from the client 252 and which interfaces via the TGate_Server.dll 244 with the HTP/ic component 229, in order to gain access to the 2200 service 216. FIG. 4 is an illustration of the first DGateAce input screen encountered by a user when generating the Transactional Gateway (TGATE) code. The DGateAce program, also described in a co-pending application, Ser. No. XX/XXX,XX entitled, "AN AUTOMATED DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPING APPLICATIONS THAT INTERFACE WITH BOTH DISTRIBUTED COMPONENT OBJECT MODEL (DCOM) AND ENTERPRISE SERVER ENVIRONMENTS", is utilized by the present invention to generate the necessary code. The present invention can be distinguished from the aforementioned co-pending application in that the DGateAce tool described in the co-pending application generates source code for transactions that are performed exclusively on a OLTP enterprise system, while DGateAce tool in the context of the present invention generates code that performs a single transaction across two different types of systems (namely a enterprise OLTP system AND a Microsoft Transaction Server system). Within the first DGateAce screen 400, a user must specify a Gateway name 402 to determine which TGate_Server instance will receive a request. A Microsoft Windows NT Node may have several instances of a TGate.sub.- Server running, which will all be named. The interface name 404 is an arbitrary name selected by the user. The client does not have to be aware of the Interface name 404. This name 404 determines which functions will be built together as a code block, as will be discussed below. The screen of FIG. 4 further includes a pushbutton control 406 to select between the Transactional and Non-Transactional mode of operation. If "Non-Transactional" pushbutton 408 is selected, the regular DGateAce functionality described in the co-pending application, Ser. No. XX/XXX,XX entitled, "AN AUTOMATED DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM FOR DEVELOPING APPLICATIONS THAT INTERFACE WITH BOTH DISTRIBUTED COMPONENT OBJECT MODEL (DCOM) AND ENTERPRISE SERVER ENVIRONMENTS", will be invoked. Selecting the "Transactional" pushbutton 410 invokes the functionality associated with the present invention. The user further selects the type of buffer 412 which will be received from the client. This will be determined by the type of client. For a C or C++ client, the user selects "Std C/C++" 414. For a Visual Basic client, the user selects "BSTR" 416, and for an Active Service Page, the user selects the type of "Variant" 418. When all of the fields have been supplied by the user, the user selects the "Build Functions" button 420 which sets up an interface on the NT node. Setting up the interface actually involves initialization of a data structure. This data structure supports the various functions which are part of the interface, and which are specified using the screen shown in FIG. 5, discussed below. FIG. 5 is an illustration of the second DGateAce input screen 500 encountered by a user when generating the Transactional Gateway (TGATE) code. In this second screen 500, the user enters an OLTP service name 502, which is the name of the enterprise (Unisys 2200) service which will be involved in the transaction. The user also supplies the location of the view file 504, which will be a directory on the Microsoft Windows NT node, and further supplies the input buffer name 506, which will be a view from the view file. As discussed above, generally, an input view 503 is always required since the transactions will require input parameters. An output view 505 may or may not be supplied. If an output view 505 is supplied, the output view file location 508, and the output buffer name 510 are entered by the user. The type of view buffer, X_Common and X_C_Type, which determine the type of parameters which will be included in the view buffer (e.g., long integer, integer, floating, etc.) is also supplied by the user. For the input buffer, the pushbutton is shown at 512, and for the output buffer, the pushbutton is shown at 514. Once the parameters are supplied, the function name 516 is automatically generated by DGateAce from a concatenation of the information provided by the user. That is, an ASCII character string will appear in this field 516 after the user has entered the OLTP service 502 and view file names 504 and 508, respectively. This character string 516 is an arbitrarily-assigned name which will be used by the user when developing the client application. It will be used as the function call within the client when the client makes the request to the NT server. The code associated with this function is generated automatically by selecting the "Build" button 518. More than one function may be added to a single interface. This is done by filling in the screen of FIG. 5 again with different service and view file names, then re-selecting the build button. If an entirely new interface is to be built, the user selects the "back" button 520, and then selects the "build next interface" button (FIG. 4, element 422) from screen one. Attachment 1 is an example of the code automatically generated using the above-defined screens (shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5) for an Interface called "Test". This interface accesses an OLTP Service called TestSvc, which has input and output views which are the same, and which are called "EMP_BUF". This is illustrated in attachment 1 in the lines designated by bracket #601, on page A-1. Since "transactional" was selected when this code was generated (see the lines marked by bracket #601), the code includes lines surrounded by comments "MTS Enable", and which are added to the code using a conditional compiler switch. It is this code which is of interest for this invention. Bracket #602 on page A-2 shows a default message being set up which informs the user of a failure. For the two-phase commit protocol, default status is the transaction "failed". It is not necessary to perform this step if part of the transaction is not being performed within the MTS environment. Bracket #603 on page A-3 is the definition for the buffer used to assemble the parameters which are passed by the client to the 2200 OLTP service. This definition is automatically generated by DGateAce when the user supplies the view name. Bracket #604 on page A-3 designates the code which automatically sets up the object context. An object context is required by MTS for every COM transaction server that exists in the MTS environment. This object includes the data structures and methods which will ensure that a two-phase commit is performed. Initially, all parts of a transaction are registered as being "NULL", and later are registered with "Abort" or "Commit" status. This is discussed in more detail below. The Object Context is shown in FIG. 3 as a box behind the TGate_Server Dynamic Link Library (DLL). Starting at arrow #605 on page A-3 and continuing through page A-5, the code performs packing of input parameters received from the client into the buffer defined in the foregoing code as specified by the view. This is done in both non-transactional and transactional modes. Bracket #606 on page A-6 shows initialization of the Object Context with Failure status, and to a default action of "SetAbort". As stated above, this is the default status generally selected for XATMI- compliant transactions performing two-phase commits. As a result of this initialization to abort, if an error is generated anywhere in the middle of the program, all parts of the transaction will abort instead of commit. At Bracket #607 on page A-6, the transaction is initiated with a function call of "Process Transaction". The code for "Process Transaction" is located in the TGate_Server.dll. This process translates the input buffer into a format that the resource dispenser (HTP/ic) will understand, and makes a call to HTP/ic using "tpcall()" (an XATMI compliant function call). This call passes all information needed, including the view names, the OLTP transaction service name, and the 2200 IP address. The status returned by this call will indicate whether the transaction completed successfully on the Unisys 2200 enterprise server. At #608 on page A-6, the Object Context on the MTS system is informed of the status of the transaction success. When success occurs, the Object Context interfaces with the HTP/ic resource dispenser to ensure that all portions of the transaction on both the MTS and 2200 systems occurs. At #609 on pages A-6 and A-7, the returned parameters are unpacked. At #610, the Object Context is set to failure. The Object Context must abort all parts of the transaction. The code shown in attachment 1, which is generated by the DGateAce program (FIG. 3, element 248), takes care of calling the Unisys 2200 Enterprise OLTP service, and further takes care of setting up of the context object, and of informing the context object of status returned from the 2200, and status associated with the other tasks like packing and unpacking the input/output parameters. This may be only part of the code which is included as part of the COM Server Application. Other code may be added by the user. However, it is possible to run with the generated code without any changes. As discussed above, the overall transaction includes calls to MTS services which access MTS resources. If this were not the case, there would be no reason to use transaction mode since the enterprise server takes care of the two-phase commit for those portions of the transaction on the Unisys enterprise server. These services are either developed by one of the users themselves, or are provided by a third-party vendor. The calls to the MTS services must be added by editing the code included in attachment 1. The "Process Transaction" function will only call enterprise OLTP (Unisys 2200) services. The MTS calls to service components on the Windows NT platform are separate. If a user wants to update a database on the Windows NT platform, the user can either update the server component that performs the "ProcessTransaction()" to include code that updates a local NT database, such as SQL, or the user can create a new component that updates a database on the Windows NT platform. This new MTS component that updates a database on the Windows NT platform can call the DGateAce server component, the DGateAce server component can call the new MTS NT database update component, or a separate, newly created module can call both the new MTS NT database update component and the DGateAce server component. If the MTS service returns an error, the object context must be set to rollback (set Abort). Following each of the service calls to an MTS service, the status returned by the service call must be registered with the Object Context. This is done by adding a call which is similar to that shown by bracket #608 or #610. If the Object Context receives any failure status, the Object Context rolls back all portions of the transaction on the MTS system, and also communicates with the HTP/ic resource dispenser so that the resource dispenser can cause the 2200 portions of the transaction to also be rolled back. Otherwise, if a successful status is received on all portions of the transaction, the Object Context and the HTP/ic resource dispenser operate in conjunction to cause all portions of the transaction to be committed to the database. Page A-8 of attachment 1 provides an automatically generated buffer definition which is generated by DGateAce from the view file definition and data type specified by the user in the DGateAce user input screens two and one, respectively. This buffer definition is provided to that the user can insert this information into the Client Application using "cut" and "paste" operations. This saves the user from having to derive the information from the view file, then re-type it into the client application, which is error-prone and time-consuming. Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings found herein may be applied to yet other embodiments within the scope of the claims hereto attached.
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