Common gateway which allows JAVA applets to make program calls to OLTP applications executing on an enterprise server reference to co-pending applications

1. Field of the Invention Method and apparatus for an application program running on a Web browser to make service requests to a service routine running on an On-Line Transaction Processing (OLTP) system. When the application program requests a service on the OLTP system, the input data format required for the requested service is passed to the application program. The application program submits a service request to the service routine in the input data format, and receives a result of the service routine processing the service request in the output data format. The input and output data formats allow the application program to complete additional processing of the result in the output data format and make subsequent service requests to the OLTP system.