Calling of late bound functions from an external program environment

A system comprising:

• one or more processors for providing:
• an external program environment for executing a late bound function call, wherein the external program environment is an early bound programming environment;
• a late bound program environment that executes a late bound function, the late bound function being provided in a late bound program in the late bound program environment, and the late bound program being examined automatically to identify a set of one or more dependent late bound functions required by the late bound function;
• and
• an interface between the set of dependent late bound functions and the external program environment for integrating the set of dependent late bound functions into the external program environment, the interface invoking the late bound function such that the late bound function exists in the late bound environment but the late bound function call is executed within the early bound program environment, the interface automatically expressing semantics of the late bound program environment in a format compatible with the early bound program environment so that the late bound function may be called from the external program environment.

In a network, a method of comprising:

• providing a server capable of executing a late bound program environment and an external program environment for communicating with a client device over the network,
• providing a late bound function call of a late bound function, the late bound function call to be executed in the external program environment, the late bound function provided in a late bound program in the late bound environment, the external program environment being an early bound programming environment;
• automatically examining the late bound program to identify a set of one or more dependent late bound functions required by the provided late bound function call;
• automatically generating, using an electronic device, an interface between the set of dependent late bound functions and the external program environment for integrating the set of dependent late bound functions into the external program environment, the interface invoking the late bound function such that the late bound function exists in the late bound environment but the late bound function call is executed within the external program environment, the interface providing a mechanism for automatically integrating the late bound program into the early bound program environment;
• and
• calling the late bound function from the external program environment, the calling comprising executing the late bound function call from within the early bound programming environment using the interface.

A system comprising:

• a distribution server comprising one or more processors for providing information to a client device,
• an external program environment for executing a late bound function call of a late bound function, the external program environment being an early bound programming environment;
• a late bound program environment that executes the late bound function;
• the late bound function being provided in a late bound program in the late bound program environment and the late bound program being examined automatically to identify a set of one or more dependent late bound functions required by the provided late bound function call;
• and
• an interface mechanism between the set of dependent late bound functions and the external program environment for integrating the set of dependent late bound into the external program environment, the interface invoking the late bound function such that the late bound function exists in the late bound environment the late bound function call is executed within the early bound program environment, so that the late bound function may be called from the external program environment.

A non-transitory storage device holding executable instructions, wherein that storage device provides an environment communicating with a selected external environment using an electronic device, the instructions comprising instructions for:

• providing a late bound function call of a late bound function, the late bond function call to be executed in an external program environment, the late bound function provided in a late bound program in a late bound environment, the external program environment being an early bound programming environment;
• automatically examining the late bound program to identify a set of one or more dependent late bound functions required by the provided late bound function call;
• automatically generating, using the electronic device, an interface between the set of dependent late bound functions and the external program environment for integrating the set of dependent late bound functions into the external program environment, the interface invoking the late bound function such that the late bound function exists in the late bound environment but the late bound function call is executed within the external program environment;
• and
• calling the late bound function from the external program environment, the calling comprising executing the late bound function call from within the early bound programming environment using the interface.