Patent ID: 7765513

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of presenting information regarding a system that is one of the set of a simulated system and a hardware system, said method comprising: a computer maintaining in a configuration database associated with the system, at least one data structure associating an instance of a configuration entity with a latch within said system, wherein said configuration entity has a plurality of different settings that each reflects which of the plurality of different possible values is loaded in said associated latch, said at least one data structure further indicating a controlling value set for the instance of said configuration entity, wherein said controlling value set indicates at least one controlling value for which presentation of a current setting of the configuration entity instance is restricted; and in response to a request to present at least a partial state of the system, the computer presenting a state of at least one other configuration entity instance by reference to said configuration database and excluding from presentation a current setting of the configuration entity instance by reference to said controlling value set indicated by said at least one data structure in said configuration database.