Importance

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Abstract

A method for providing synchronous message transfer is provided in an asynchronous operating environment in which conversational status can be established between communicating endpoints. The operating environment includes a transaction processing system having a plurality of terminals, a data communication component (DCC), and a transaction processor (XP) which exchanges message data with DCC for transmission to selected terminals. The method steps comprise ascertaining at the DCC whether a transaction initiated by a message is synchronous or asynchronous; passing the ascertained transaction from the DCC to the XP for generating a response; and processing the responses to synchronous transactions in progress, while retaining the responses to asynchronous transactions until the synchronous responses are completed. A stored variable data object for each terminal includes a field for indicating when a synchronous transaction is in progress and a field for identifying the input message initiating the synchronous transaction. Messages received from a terminal are inspected to determine their destination processes. When a message destined for a synchronous process is received from a terminal, entry is made into the synchronous field of the terminal's associated data object and an identification associated with the message is entered into the object's message ID field. When the synchronous flag is set in the terminal's associated data object, transaction responses directed to the terminal are inspected to ascertain which constitutes the synchronous response. All asynchronous responses for the terminal are buffered until the synchronous response is identified and processed for transmission to the terminal.

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First Claim