Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Getting Started:
Application and Integration Services

How does a remote procedure execute?

Once a client has established a physical or logical connection to an AppServer (see the "Connection-based model" section), 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. A 4GL 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 a 4GL 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.