Methods and systems for unifying data parameter passing in a data processing system

1. A method for processing data sets in a data processing system including at least one client unit and at least one server unit, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a data processing request at a server unit from a client unit, wherein the data processing request includes at least one data location reference indicating a location of at least one data set to be processed by at least one processing program of the server unit;

ascertaining whether the data location reference indicates a location of the data set as being at the server unit or in an attachment to the data processing request, wherein the ascertaining includes concluding that the location of the data set is in an attachment to the data processing request responsive to the data location reference failing to comply with at least one standard format;

determining at least one new location reference indicating at least one new storage location at the server unit if the data location reference indicates the data set location as being in an attachment to the data processing request;

storing at least a portion of the data set at the at least one new storage location indicated by the at least one new location reference;

forwarding the at least one new location reference to the at least one processing program of the server unit; and

processing, by the at least one processing program of the server unit, the data set stored at the at least one new storage location indicated by the at least one new location reference.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

forwarding an execution trigger to the processing program of the server unit to process the data.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

sending a response message to the client unit, the response message including a reference to a location of a result of the processing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the location of the result of the processing is in an attachment to the response message.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the result of the processing includes web page data.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing request further includes a requested processing type, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining a processing program suitable to carry out the requested processing type, wherein the forwarding step comprises forwarding the at least one new location reference to the determined processing program.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forwarding comprises forwarding the at least one new location reference to a plurality of processing programs which are each suitable for carrying out the data processing of the data set stored at the new storage location.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining at least one new location reference comprises determining a plurality of new data location references, and wherein the storing comprises storing the data set at the plurality of new storage locations indicted by the plurality of new location references.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing request includes a plurality of data location references, wherein the determining the at least one new location reference comprises determining a single new location reference, and wherein the storing comprises storing a plurality of data sets indicated by the plurality of data location references at the single new storage location indicated by the single new location reference.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data processing request includes a plurality of data location references, wherein the determining the at least one new location reference comprises determining a plurality of new location references, and wherein the storing comprises storing a plurality of data sets indicated by the plurality of data location references at the plurality of new storage locations indicated by the plurality of new location references.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the data location reference contained in the data processing request indicates a data storage location of the server unit as a location of the data set to be processed, the storing further comprises storing the data set at the data storage location, wherein the new location reference corresponds to the data storage location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises numerical information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that cause a server program, in a data processing system having a client and a server, to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message from the client instructing the server to process input data, the server comprising a processing program for processing the input data;

determining whether the input data is located in an attachment to the message, wherein the determining includes concluding that the location of the input data is in an attachment to the message responsive to an input data location reference in the message failing to comply with at least one standard format;

moving the input data to another location other than in the attachment responsive to the input data being located in the attachment;

when it is determined that the input data is located in the attachment, replacing, in the message, a reference to the location of the input data in the attachment with a reference to the other location;

sending the message to the processing program;

instructing the processing program to process the input data; and

storing output data corresponding to a result of the processing of the input data in an output storage location, the output storage location comprising an attachment to a response message to be sent to the client.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

processing the input data.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:

sending a response message to the client, the response message including a reference to the output storage location.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the result of the processing includes web page data.

17. A data processing system comprising:

a memory comprising a program that

receives a message from a client instructing a server to process data, the server comprising a processing program for processing the data,

determines whether the data is located in an attachment to the message, wherein the program concludes that the location of the data is in an attachment to the message responsive to an data location reference in the message failing to comply with at least one standard format,

moves the data to another location responsive to the data being located in the attachment,

when it is determined that the data is located in the attachment, replaces, in the message, a reference to the location of the data in the attachment with a reference to the other location,

sends the message to the processing program,

instructs the processing program to process the data; and

sends a response message to the client, the response message including a reference to a location of a result of the processing;

a processing unit that runs the program.

18. A data processing system comprising:

means for receiving a message from a client instructing a server to process data, the server comprising a processing program for processing the data;

means for determining whether the data is located in an attachment to the message, wherein the means for determining whether the data is located in an attachment to the message includes means for concluding that the location of the data is in an attachment to the message responsive to a data location reference in the message failing to comply with at least one standard format;

means for moving the data to another location responsive to the data being located in the attachment;

means for replacing, in the message, a reference to the location of the data in the attachment with a reference to the other location, when it is determined that the data is located in the attachment;

means for sending the message to the processing program; and

means for instructing the processing program to process the data.