Semantic error diagnostic process for multi-agent systems

Apparatus for automatically locating sources of semantic error in a multi-agent system having an application agent with a head portion and a body portion for initiating an application in response to a service request and one or more underlying agents and resources for implementing said application, comprising:

• a temporary database in the head portion of said application agent for storing diagnostic information;
• and
• a plurality of rule-based expert system scripts in the head portion of said application agent for receiving said service request and in response assigning an identity value to said application, retrieving diagnostic information from said temporary database for indicating whether said application as identified by said identity value has previously encountered a semantic error, and
• I) in the event said diagnostic information indicates that said application has not previously encountered any said semantic error, then
• a) issuing a job request via the body portion of said application agent to said underlying agents and resources along with said identity value and diagnostic information indicating that said application has not previously encountered any said semantic error, whereupon said underlying agents and resources return simplified setup connection tree information for said application as identified by said identity value, and
• b) initiating performance tests via the body portion of said application agent on said underlying agents and resources for detecting any said semantic error, and
• i) in the absence of detection of any said semantic error then updating said temporary database to indicate that said application as identified by said identity value has resulted in said absence of detection of said semantic error, and
• ii) in the event of detection of said semantic error then analyzing said simplified setup connection tree information and said performance tests to identify a predetermined one of said underlying agents and resources responsible for said semantic error and updating said diagnostic information in said temporary database in response thereto, and
• II) in the event said diagnostic information indicates that said application has previously encountered said semantic error then issuing said job request to said underlying agents and resources along with said diagnostic information via the body of said application agent whereby selection of said predetermined one or more of said underlying agents and resources responsible for said semantic error is avoided.