Patent ID: 7567971

Claim:
A method in a data processing system for resolving references to symbols, the method comprising: receiving a reference to a symbol for resolution; and responsive to receiving the reference, identifying the symbol using a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a set of symbol space instances, wherein a symbol space instance in the set of symbol space instances comprises a set of name space registry instances, wherein a name space registry instance in the set of space name registry instances comprises a set of name space instances, wherein a name space instance in the set of space name instances comprises a set of name instances, wherein a name instance in the set of name instances corresponds to a referencable symbol instance, and wherein the referencable symbol instance corresponds to the symbol; wherein the identifying step comprises: identifying the symbol space instance from the set of symbol space instances using a symbol space that corresponds to a model; identifying the name space registry instance from the set of name space registry instances within the identified symbol space instance using a scope; identifying the name space instance from the set of name space instances within the identified name space registry instance using a name space; identifying the name instance from the set of name instances within the identified name space instance using a name; and identifying the referencable symbol instance that corresponds to the identified name instance to resolve the symbol.