\contentsline {chapter}{List of Tables}{vii}
\contentsline {chapter}{List of Figures}{viii}
\contentsline {chapter}{Abstract}{ix}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {1}Introduction}{1}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {1.1}Background Information}{1}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {1.2}Research Questions}{3}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {1.3}Methodology}{3}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {1.4}Overview of Thesis}{4}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {2}Distributed Object Technology}{6}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {2.1}Object Oriented Concepts}{6}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1.1}Abstraction}{6}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1.2}Encapsulation}{7}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1.3}Identity}{8}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1.4}Inheritance}{8}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1.5}Polymorphism}{9}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {2.2}Distributed Computing}{9}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.2.1}Distributed Systems}{9}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.2.2}Distributed System vs Centralised System}{10}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.2.1}Economics}{10}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.2.2}Reliability}{10}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.2.3}Software}{10}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.2.4}Security}{11}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.2.3}Features of Distributed Systems}{11}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.3.1}Loosely Coupled System}{12}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.3.2}Highly Coupled System}{12}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.2.4}Design Issues of Distributed Systems}{12}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.4.1}Transparency}{12}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.4.2}Flexibility}{13}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.4.3}Reliability}{13}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.4.4}Performance}{14}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {2.2.4.5}Scalability}{14}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {2.3}Distributed Object-Oriented Computing}{14}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {3}CORBA}{16}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {3.1}Object Model}{16}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {3.2}Reference Model}{17}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2.1}Object Request Broker}{17}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2.2}Object Services}{18}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2.3}Common Facilities}{20}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2.4}Vertical Domain Interfaces}{20}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2.5}Applications Interfaces}{20}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {3.3}CORBA}{20}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.1}ORB}{21}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.2}OMG Interface Definition Language (OMG IDL)}{22}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.3}Language Mappings}{23}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.4}Interface Repository}{23}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.5}Stubs and Skeletons}{23}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.6}Static Invocation and Dispatch}{24}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.7}Dynamic Invocation and Dispatch}{24}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.8}Object Adapters}{25}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3.9}ORB Interface}{25}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {4}Interface Definition Language}{26}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {4.1}Interface Definition Language}{26}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.1.1}Primitive Types}{27}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.1.2}Structures}{28}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.1.3}Operations}{28}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.1.3.1}Oneway Operations}{28}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.1.3.2}Return Value}{29}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.1.3.3}Parameters}{29}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.1.3.4}Exceptions}{29}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.1.4}Interface Inheritance}{30}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {4.2}IDL Extensions and Interface Semantics}{30}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.2.1}Object Definition Language (ODL)}{30}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.2.2}Assertion Definition Language (ADL)}{31}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.2.3}Real-Time Interface Definition Language (RIDL)}{33}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.2.4}Larch}{33}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {4.3}Extended Interface Definition Language (XIDL)}{34}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.3.1}Path Expressions}{34}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.3.2}Modified Path Expressions}{36}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.3.3}XIDL specification}{36}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.3.3.1}XIDL keywords}{37}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.3.4}Programming by Contract}{38}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {5}eXtended Interface Definition Language}{40}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {5.1}XIDL summary}{40}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.1.1}List of Available States}{41}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {5.2}XIDL examples}{41}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.2.1}\textbf {File} Interface}{41}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {5.2.1.1}\textbf {File} Interface in XIDL - Advantages}{42}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {6}XIDLtojava Compiler Implementation}{44}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {6.1}\textbf {idltojava} Compiler - Limitation}{44}
\contentsline {chapter}{\numberline {7}Research Conclusion}{46}
\contentsline {chapter}{Appendix\ A\ xidltojava Compiler Source Code}{47}