A method and system for performing user-defined code conversions in a computer system. A utility accepts a text file from a user program. This text file contains a series of conditional rules that define a protocol for converting character data between codesets. The utility parses this file and converts it to a binary table format that is then stored in a code conversion table database. The user program then invokes functions contained in the operating system to convert data in accordance with the stored binary table.

A safe system and method for reversibly translating source code between unlike character sets, or formats, includes a mapping table of syntactically necessary characters and, possibly, other frequently used characters, for translating source characters from a first format to a second format. A marker character is used to replace other characters in the source code while preserving the original, replaced source characters in a comment file. Upon reverse translating, syntactically necessary characters are translated back into the first format using the mapping table, and marker characters are replaced by original source characters from the comment file.

A method and apparatus which, as part of a compiler, supporting the generation of code in two (or more) target languages. The selection of the target language, and the program structure in that target language, is made depending on the capabilities of each target language, in a separate processing pass. Runtime efficiency is also improved by allowing selection of the most appropriate target language and program structure for a particular source code function.

A method and apparatus for converting codes between applications is provided. User defined conversion rules are applied to either convert an internal code into one or more external codes, or to convert one or more external codes into an internal code. Each code conversion rules specifies the conversion between an internal value and one or more external values, and may specify criteria that is met before the code conversion rule is applied. A set of code conversion rules are associated with a user defined code conversion category. The code category may be assigned to one or more fields. When a code is being converted for the field, a conversion rule associated with the code category is applied to convert the code. One or more user specified search key values define criteria for a code conversion rule that are met before the code conversion rule is applied. A user specifies fields that supply values to associate with codes that are being converted. The supplied values are compared with the search key values associated with a code conversion rule to determine whether the particular code conversion rule applies.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for generic data conversion. A generic data convertor interprets a data description that has configurable data definitions that can accommodate changes in the data. The data definitions can allow the data type, character set, location, and length of data elements in the data stream or file to be described and easily modified. The data convertor uses the data description to determine how to convert the data and, if necessary, where data elements are in the data. The data convertor is particularly useful for converting data that is sent to and/or received from a server. The data convertor and data description cooperate to support calling multiple releases of the server using the same data description. In addition, the data convertor may also call the server program with the correct, converted parameters in the correct order. The data convertor usually waits until a requesting application asks for particular data elements in the data before converting the data elements.