How does a remote procedure execute?

Once a client has established a physical or logical connection to an AppServer (see Connection-based model), the client application can initiate requests to run remote procedures (or user-defined functions). A remote procedure is a procedure executed by an AppServer agent as a result of being directly called by a client application. An ABL client can execute a remote procedure by invoking a RUN statement on an external procedure with the ON SERVER option or on an internal procedure or user-defined function within a previously executed remote persistent procedure. A Java, .NET, or Web service client can execute a remote procedure by invoking a method (on an Open Client object) that maps to the remote procedure or user-defined function on the AppServer.

A client application can also execute a remote procedure persistently (remote persistent procedure). In this case, the procedure leaves its context available to the AppServer session after it returns (exactly like any persistent procedure in an ABL client session). The persistent procedure context is not deleted until the client deletes it or until the client disconnects from the AppServer instance that maintains it.