System for use in data exchange and information retrieval

1. In a user interface system employed in retrieving information from an information repository used in exchanging data between different electronic data systems, a method comprising the steps of:

supporting user initiation of display of a first menu supporting user selection of a bi-directional communication interface from a plurality of different communication interfaces between electronic data systems employing incompatible communication interfaces having respective different data exchange communication characteristics, said bi-directional communication interface having data exchange communication characteristics enabling communicating data between a particular source using a first communication protocol and first data format and a particular destination using a different second communication protocol and second data format;

in response to user selection of said bi-directional communication interface, initiating display of a second menu supporting user entry of data determining data exchange communication characteristic information to be retrieved from said information repository for the selected communication interface and identifying a bi-directional communication protocol used by said selected communication interface; and

supporting user initiation of a display of a third menu for retrieving information indicating connection properties of connections with said source and said destination and enabling user comparison of connection properties of connections with said source and said destination.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein

said third menu supports retrieval of at least one of, (i) data header information, (ii) transport protocol information, (iii) session information, and (iv) network information.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein

said communication characteristics to be retrieved concern at least one of, (a) connection attributes, (b) transmission configuration, (c) receiving configuration and (d) communication data format.

4. In a user interface system employed in retrieving information from an information repository used in exchanging data between different electronic data systems, a method comprising the steps of:

supporting user initiation of display of a first menu supporting user selection of a bi-directional communication interface from a plurality of different communication interfaces between electronic data systems employing incompatible communication interfaces having respective different data exchange communication characteristics, said bi-directional communication interface having data exchange communication characteristics enabling communicating data between a particular source using a first communication protocol and first data format and a particular destination using a different second communication protocol and second data format incompatible with at least one of, said first communication protocol and said first data format;

in response to user selection of said bi-directional communication interface, initiating display of one or more second image menus identifying a bi-directional communication protocol used by the selected communication interface and enabling retrieval of information concerning at least one of, (a) protocol characteristics, (b) interface characteristics and (c) connection characteristics; and

supporting user initiation of a display of a third menu for retrieving information indicating connection properties of connections with said source and said destination and enabling user comparison of connection properties of connections with said source and said destination.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein

a menu for retrieving information concerning protocol characteristics supports retrieval of at least one of, (i) data header information, (ii) transport protocol information, (iii) session information, and (iv) network information.

6. A method according to claim 4 , wherein a menu for retrieving information concerning interface characteristics supports retrieval of at least one of, (i) interface port information, (ii) alternate protocol information, (iii) identification of inbound and outbound protocols and (iv) interface name.

7. A method according to claim 4 , wherein a menu for retrieving information concerning connection characteristics supports retrieval of at least one of, (i) network node information, (ii) task name information, (iii) user identification information and (iv) synchronous or asynchronous characteristic definition.

8. In a user interface system supporting retrieval of information from an information repository used in exchanging data between different electronic data systems and including data elements individually associated with corresponding record identifiers, a method comprising the steps of:

supporting user initiation of display of a first menu supporting user entry of data identifying an information repository used in establishing a bi-directional communication interface between electronic data systems employing incompatible communication interfaces having data exchange communication characteristics enabling communicating data between a particular source using a first communication protocol and first data format and a particular destination using a different second communication protocol and second data format, to be parsed to identify data exchange characteristic related data elements in said information repository by identifying relationships between corresponding record identifiers associated with said data elements;

supporting user initiation of display of at least one second menu supporting user entry of data determining information to be retrieved from said information repository using sorting identifiers created and collated to indicate data exchange communication characteristic related data elements, in response to user entry of data identifying an information repository and identifying a bi-directional communication protocol used by a selected communication interface; and

supporting user initiation of a display of a third menu for retrieving information indicating connection properties of connections with said source and said destination and enabling user comparison of connection properties of connections with said source and said destination.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein

display of a second menu is initiated in response to user selection of an icon in said first menu.

10. A method according to claim 8 , wherein

said information to be retrieved concerns at least one of, (a) an interface, (b) a protocol and (c) connection attributes.

11. In a user interface system employed in retrieving information from an information repository including data elements individually associated with corresponding record identifiers, said information repository being used in exchanging data between different electronic data, a method comprising the steps of:

supporting user initiation of display of a first menu showing source and destination communication characteristics of a bi-directional communication interface between electronic data systems employing incompatible communication interfaces having data exchange communication characteristics enabling communicating data between a particular source using a first communication protocol and first data format and a particular destination using a different second communication protocol and second data format including showing at least the first or second communication protocol type, said first menu supporting user entry of data identifying an information repository to be parsed to identify data exchange communication characteristic related data elements in said information repository by identifying relationships between corresponding record identifiers associated with said data elements;

supporting user initiation of display of at least one second menu supporting user entry of data determining information to be retrieved from said information repository using sorting identifiers created and collated to indicate related data elements in response to user entry of data identifying an information repository and identifying a bi-directional communication protocol used by a selected communication interface; and

supporting user initiation of a display of a third menu for retrieving information indicating connection properties of connections with said source and said destination and enabling user comparison of connection properties of connections with said source and said destination.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein

display of a second menu is initiated in response to user selection of an icon in said first menu and user entry of data identifying an information repository.

13. A method according to claim 11 , wherein

said information to be retrieved concerns at least one of, (a) an interface, (b) a protocol, (c) a transaction and (d) connection attributes.