GENERALIZED CONTROL FOR STARTING OF TASKS (PROCESSES AND THREADS)

A generalized applications programming interface (API) is inserted as a separate level above the API's of the operating system in a data processing system and used to invoke a group of operating system API's having similar functions, such as the starting of sessions, processes and threads in the OS/2.TM. operating system. The generalized API includes at least one parameter which contains coded information specifying a plurality of parameters which must be specified to invoke an operating system level API. The function of decoding the parameter relieves the programmer of the burden of separately specifying each parameter and flag of the operating system level API to be invoked. The use of a generalized API further relieves the programmer from the burden of detailed knowledge of the plural operating system level API's of the group and renders them transparent. Since the generalized API is arranged to output code to invoke the operating system level API's, substitution of code to be output allows application of the generalized API to different operating systems. Accordingly, the generalized code in an application program, permitted by the generalized API, permits programs to be developed which are not operating system specific and which can then be ported between data processors regardless of the operating system existing on such data processors.