U.S. patent application number 10/066946 was filed with the patent office on 2002-06-13 for code server.
Invention is credited to Pickett, Stephen F.B..
Application Number | 20020073246 10/066946 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22314787 |
Filed Date | 2002-06-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020073246 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pickett, Stephen F.B. |
June 13, 2002 |
Code server
Abstract
A code server operates in a data processing system having an
operating system or environment, such as OS/2 or Windows, which
processes coded programs in discrete code modules. The code server
maintains linkage information between the various code modules
forming an association representing all the linkage data for the
entire program. This information is gathered by way of searching
through the files of the computer network or by direct insertion
into the code module information table. Once the associative data
has been gathered, a coded program may be retrieved quickly and
efficiently without the need for repetitive on-line searching
because the user need refer only to the code server which contains
a look-up tables storing the data representing the associative
information.
Inventors: |
Pickett, Stephen F.B.;
(Vancouver, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KevinL. Russell of Chernoff, Vilhauer,
McClung & Stenzel, LLP
Suite 1600
601 SW Second Ave.
Portland
OR
97204-3157
US
|
Family ID: |
22314787 |
Appl. No.: |
10/066946 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10066946 |
Feb 4, 2002 |
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09107092 |
Jun 29, 1998 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
719/332 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 27/102 20130101;
G06F 9/445 20130101; G11B 27/031 20130101; G11B 27/28 20130101;
G06F 9/44521 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/332 |
International
Class: |
G06F 009/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of processing data on a computer system, said computer
system having an operating system for managing coded programs in
discrete modules, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving a request
from a user specifying a particular coded program module to be run
on the computer system; (b) searching in a code module information
table for associative data linking said particular coded program
module with related program modules; (c) in the event that the
association data is incomplete, initiating a search subprogram to
locate linkage information between coded modules to complete said
associative data; (d) updating the code module information table
with linkage information found as the result of step (c); and (e)
providing said linkage information to said user.
2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of translating
the code modules located as a result of the search subprogram to an
intermediate code and updating the code module information table to
indicate that said code modules have been translated.
3. In a computer system having an operating system for processing
coded programs in discrete modules, a code server comprising a code
module information table containing linkage information between
modules of a particular coded program, and means for generating
said linkage information from said information table in response to
a request from a user for a module of a particular coded
program.
4. The code server of claim 3, further including search means for
locating code module linkage information and means for updating the
code module information table when such information is found, to
form a complete set of associative data for a particular coded
program module.
5. The code server of claim 4, further including means for
subsequently loading new linkage information directly into the code
module information table.
6. The code server of claim 3, further including means for
overseeing the translation of code modules of said particular coded
program from an intermediate code and for updating said code module
information table to indicate as part of said association that said
code modules have been translated.
7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of
transferring said coded program module to said user.
8. The method of claim 1, further providing a transaction-oriented
protocol between said user and said operating system.
Description
[0001] The following invention relates to a code server operating
in a multi-module operating system and more particularly to a code
server which can efficiently identify and provide modules of
program code quickly and efficiently to a user.
[0002] A multi-module operating system includes programs consisting
of dynamically linked code modules that contain embedded references
to other modules. The resolution of these external references
occurs at run time under control of the operating system. The code
modules can act as individual entities having knowledge of
existence of other modules and frequently possess the ability to
call into, or jump into, or otherwise pass program control to
external code modules.
[0003] When an operating system, such as OS/2 or an environment
such as Windows, is resolving these external references, the code
module information is gathered. This information may contain
anything that a user needs such as location, length, format,
translated file information and a list of external references for
each code module. Associative information may be defined as the
intermodule relationship for a particular code module.
[0004] Multi-module systems such as OS/2 and Windows have a set
rule for locating the required code modules by searching through
local directories and directories attached through a network to
locate the code modules and extract the needed code module
information. Under OS/2 this is called LIBPATH and is called PATH
under both Windows and DOS. The time needed to associate code
modules in this way remains constant and in the absence of
sufficient disk caching does not change irrespective of the number
of times the same program is called, either for the same or for a
different user. This is an inefficient method for associating
programs.
[0005] Moreover, when code files such as applications programs are
stored at locations that are remote from the ultimate program user,
the operating system must view any remote file server as a storage
device that contains executable files. This is in fact no different
from a local storage device such as a hard or floppy disk. There
are, however, numerous disadvantages to this arrangement. For
example, multiple copies of code files can become scattered between
a user work station and the server which makes it extremely
difficult to maintain with current program updates. Also, network
traffic can become dominated by remote requests for file access
during association. This tends to slow down the network, and,
frequently, users simply copy all of the code files onto a local
hard disk to solve the problem. In the latter case coordinated
updates become difficult and often storage space is wasted. Also,
the file server must have one copy of the code file for each and
every configuration of target machine. Finally, in a single
computer multi-tasking system, so much swapping can be caused by
the action of reading and rereading the code file data that the
process of association completely dominates the useful work being
done by the machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to the present invention a code server is provided
which stores the information generated when code modules are
associated. This information is stored in a table form at the code
server, and when the program is requested by a user, the code
server queries its tables to see if the information for that
program or module is already stored. This greatly reduces the
search time required to locate the same information as a result of
subsequent requests which would normally occur by searching in
various directories. As a result, the network is less loaded. There
is less traffic generated by needless search requests. Code files
can be maintained efficiently because there will be no need to have
multiple copies of the same code stored in local storage devices
where it may be difficult to locate in the event that updates are
necessary.
[0007] The code server of the present invention operates in a data
processing system having an operating system which processes coded
programs in discrete modules. The code server, which provides
information to users of the data processing system, includes an
information storage table containing linkage information needed to
form an association between discrete modules of code forming at
least parts of a coded program, and includes the capability for
updating the information storage table as a result of search
requests for coded programs whose association data was not
previously included in the information storage table.
[0008] The code server may also include a translation function for
translating from an intermediate code so that the resultant, final
code may be used on different types of machines. Information
relating to the translated or nontranslated status of code modules
may also be stored in the code server tables.
[0009] It is a principal object of this invention to provide a code
server in a multi-module operating system which can provide
information linking coded modules to a requesting user in a fast
and efficient manner.
[0010] It is a further object of this invention to provide a code
server for users of a multi-module operating system which maintains
a status information look-up table containing association data
pertaining to modules of code thus lessening the need for local
storage of coded programs.
[0011] Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a code
server which can maintain coded programs in a centralized
fashion.
[0012] Still a further object of this invention is to provide a
code server in a multi-module operating system or environment which
includes a storage information table which automatically learns
association data linking various coded modules together as modules
are requested by a user.
[0013] The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages
of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration
of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block schematic diagram of a computer system
employing the code server of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a coded program divided
into modules where the modules include associative data linking the
modules together.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the manner in
which the code server of the present invention develops an
information storage table containing associative data linking
various coded modules.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the way in which
the information storage table in the code server is updated with
new associative information.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a flow chart diagram illustrating the interaction
of a code translator in the code server with the information
storage table.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A computer system employing the present invention includes a
computer network 10 coupled to a number of users 12, 14 and 16. The
users may be computer terminals coupled to the network or may be
other computer systems. The present invention works in the
environment of a multi-module operating system or environment such
as OS/2 or Windows, in which programs that run on the system are
configured in modules. A multi-module environment may also be
created for systems such as MS DOS by the use of overlays which
provide the functionality of a multi-module system. As will be
explained below with reference to FIG. 2, these modules contain
linkage information which point to additional modules and which
collectively forms an association linking together at least parts
of a complete program.
[0020] A code server 18 is coupled to the network 10. The code
server 18 may be a separate outboard piece of hardware or may be
built into the network or may also be a part of the operating
system itself. The code server 18 is embodied in a transaction
oriented protocol for communication between the user and the code
server 18 which allows the users 12, 14, and 16 and the code server
18 to be on two remote computer systems or to be configured as
separate disjoined tasks in a multi-processing system on a single
computer. As such, the code server 18 includes a protocol receiver
20 and a protocol sender 22. An advantage of the protocol receiver
and the protocol sender is that the server is relieved, as in all
protocol-based systems, of the obligation to know the details of
its ultimate client. This allows for effective and relatively easy
communication between the code server 18 and the users 12, 14, and
16 which can be on the same type or on different types of machines
because the data file contained in the protocol receiver 20 or the
protocol sender 22 is the only concern. In essence, no user needs
to know anything about the operation of the code server 18 apart
from what data to include in the protocol. The protocol may contain
anything needed for effective communication between the code server
and the user. Examples may include, but are not limited to, the
following request types: code module request, code server
responses, unresolved references list, information on the user's
setup such as screen type, drives, color, numeric processor,
communication device, network card, memory type and amount,
processor and printer. In response to further protocol requests the
code server 18 can send code modules via the protocol sender 22 or
by other means to a user 12, 14, 16.
[0021] The code server 18 includes a code module information table
24 which stores information that links modules of coded programs
together. The output of the code module information table 24 is
connected to a comparator 26 which can be any device or software
sub-routine used for comparing the output of the code module
information table 24 to the received protocol. The output of the
comparator is coupled to both the protocol sender 22 and to a code
module searcher 28. The code module searcher 28 is connected to a
translator 30 and to local storage 32. Yet another output of the
code module searcher 28 is coupled to a wholly separate computer
network 34 which consists of its own disk drive 36, users,
generally designated at 38, or other storage devices 40.
[0022] The code module searcher also has an output coupled to an
updater 42 which is coupled, in turn, back to the code module
information table 24. The importance of the update function will be
explained below in connection with system operation. Other users
may access the code server such as those who would perform
maintenance on existing code or who would install new programs
and/or modules. In such cases a new user 44 provides a new module
or code module information 46 to a comparator 48. The comparator 48
compares the new module or module information with that which is
already stored in the code module information table 24. If the
information is new or different, it is provided to the updater 42
which inserts the new information at its proper place in the
information table 24.
[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates the way in which a typical program might
be configured in modules in order to run in a multi-module
operating system or environment such as OS/2 or Windows. The main
code module 50 includes linkage information linking it with code
module A, code module B and code module C. Code module A designated
at 52 contains linkage information to the main code module 50, code
module D 54 and code module E 56. Code module D 54 stands alone
while code module E 56 links back to the main code module 50. Code
module B 58 contains linkage information to code module E and code
module C 60 is linked to code module B. Code module F 62 is linked
to two other code modules not shown and is not part of the program
formed by code modules A through E and the main module, although it
exists in a file in the same memory, or in another location in the
computer network. Collectively the linkage information referred to
above forms an associative set for the main code module and code
modules A through E. However, there is no association with code
module F or its linked modules, code module Z and code module W. It
is this type of associative information that is stored in the code
module information table 24 in FIG. 1. A request by a user for a
particular code module will immediately locate all of the
associative information pertaining to that module in the code
module information table 24 if it has been previously stored
there.
[0024] An illustration of how the system operates is illustrates in
FIG. 3. A user 1 places a request on the network which is received
by the protocol receiver 20 at block 3. The protocol receiver 20
queries the code module information table at block 5 to determine
if the requested information is already in the information table.
If the answer is yes, the code server 18 at block 7 sends the code
module information to the user. It does this by comparing the
request with the information in the code module information table
24 in the comparator 26 to make sure that the information being
sent is the information requested as interpreted by the protocol
receiver 20. The user may then receive the information at block 9.
If the requested information is not stored in the code module
information table the answer at block 5 is "no" and a search
indicated at block 11 is conducted for the module information. The
search is performed by the code module searcher 28 which looks for
the information in local storage 32 or in the computer network 34
which may include a user 38, hard storage devices 40 or a local
drive or storage unit indicated at 36. The searcher 28 may also
query users 12, 14 and 16. The method for searching for code module
linkage information is the conventional method that would
ordinarily be undertaken by the operating system in the absence of
a code server. Also, within the protocol the user may at any time
send variations in the search order for locating files. For
example, the user may send an entire list of places to search for
the code modules, tell the code server a file containing a list of
places to search, or insert an additional search location into an
existing search list.
[0025] The insertion of a new search location can be at any place
in the search list. Placing the additional search location at the
beginning of the list provides the opportunity to selectively
change to a new location to find a first code module that one may
wish to use in preference to a second code module that would be
located elsewhere under a search location placed later in the
search list. In essence, this allows the user to selectively decide
on which code module, if two or more exist, he would prefer
associated at any particular time.
[0026] When the code module searcher 28 determines at block 13
whether the code module information was located, it copies the code
module information into the code module information table 24 as
indicated at block 15. After this, as indicated at block 17, the
code module information is transferred to the user. If not enough
information on the module is found, or in the case that translation
is necessary and translation cannot for any reason be completed, an
error message with codes and subcodes to indicate the precise
source and type of failure is returned to the user as indicated at
block 4.
[0027] The user then adds this code module information to his
internal association table. This function is indicated at block 19
in FIG. 2. The user then determines if there are any unresolved
references at block 21. If the answer is "no" the association of
code modules is complete as indicated in block 23 but if the answer
is "yes" as indicated at block 25, a request is sent to the code
server 18 as previously described.
[0028] As the code module association is being formed the
information is stored in the code module information table 24 so
that the next user who needs to associate the same code module will
be able to locate it quickly without the time consuming effort of
searching for this information directly. With the information
stored in the look-up tables, the server's response time is very
much faster than conventional methods.
[0029] A particular advantage of the present system is the ease in
which coded programs may be maintained. Because the system spends
less time searching for blocks of code in response to a user
request, files may be stored in their expected locations and
multiple copies of those files at local storage locations are no
longer necessary.
[0030] When a code module is changed, such as by a user 44, the
system automatically updates the code module information table as
shown at block 63 of FIG. 4. To update, several options exist such
as simply deleting the old data from the information table,
clearing the total information table or by some means such as
turning off and on the code server. In the latter case the
information table will completely regenerate itself as code module
information is requested from users. This code management is done
in real time to replace old code module information with new code
module information. Each time a code module is changed (block 64),
the old code module information in the information storage table 24
is examined by comparator 48. The change either requires no change
in the module linkage information (block 66) or requires an update
(block 67). If no change is necessary (because upon request the
code server will locate the desired modules), the information may
be added to the information table by use of updater 42. This will
result in no search being required upon the first request for code
module information. In either case the code module information
table 24 is maintained as current (block 68).
[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, Block 23 reflects the current status of
the code module information table 24. The information table 24
preferably contains code module information on both untranslated
and translated code modules because the storage space needed for
such an information table is relatively small.
[0032] Generally referring to FIG. 5, a further application of the
code server is to manage the translation of code from one form to
another. The preparation of code for execution of a particular
system may involve a translation of code. Some examples include,
source to object code, one machine format to another machine
format, compilation from one operating system to another operating
system, and, preferably, a machine independent format to a machine
specific format. Though the code server could do the translations,
it is preferable that the code server simply oversee the
translations done by other programs.
[0033] Referring to FIG. 5, a user requests a code module from the
code server as indicated at Block 27. The current state of the
information table is indicated at Block 26. Assuming that the code
module is known to the code server 18 and has translated and/or
untranslated code module information in the code module information
table 24, then the code server 18 determines at Block 28 whether
the requested code module is translated. This is a check to
determine if the requested translated code module information is in
an appropriate form for the particular users' system. If the
information table 24 contains information on translation indicating
a program which would be transportable to the user system, then
this translated information is transferred to the user as
illustrated in Block 29. It should also be noted that code module
information for an untranslated code module could be sent to the
user if it was usable in its then current form. If the information
table 24 does not contain code module information as to translation
status and if the user requires translated code, at Block 30 the
module is translated. At Block 31 the translated information is
returned to the user and in addition; the translation information
is transferred to the updater 42 so that the code module
information table may be updated to now show a translated code
module. The end result is that the information table 24 is
maintained in a current condition with the latest update of module
association information regardless of whether the code modules are
to be translated to p-code, some other code, or remain in their
original format.
[0034] The process of translating files upon request, however,
drastically reduces the required storage because there is no longer
any need for servers to store all executable files for all possible
systems and configurations that might be needed. The best
distribution format for code is in an intermediate form such as
P-Code (pseudo code) or a compiler-generated parse tree as they are
relatively portable and generally more compact than executable
code. Preferably the user-developer transforms this source code to
intermediate code and the code server 18 controls the
transformation of intermediate code to executable code.
[0035] For example, in an office setting with 20 word processors
connected to a network, all starting up the same word processing
program from the network, the server response time is slow. With
the code server and code in an intermediate form, once the first
translation has occurred, then the access for the remaining users
is almost instantaneous because the need for retranslation has been
eliminated, This speed enhancement is equally applicable when the
translating of code is not required but only the forming of the
association is needed because the information table will contain
all the needed code module information. For added flexibility for
different user systems, machine dependent modules can also be used.
It is apparent that in addition to a considerable time savings in
performing association, another significant time savings will be
realized by only having to translate code modules once for a
particular user configuration.
[0036] An added advantage of the code server is the ability to use
the information table on a per user basis. This can be done with
several information tables or one information table with fields
denoting which code module information goes to which user or users.
A limitation in prior multi-module systems such as OS/2, is that
the LIBPATH instructions to tell the machine where to search for
code modules were not changeable without restarting the system. The
code server's information table is functionally equivalent to
LIBPATH and can be changed at any time, in real time, which is an
added advantage.
[0037] With the server environment and changeable information
tables, there is no assumption that all users have the same
information table. For example, two developers can be writing
different versions of the same program with the same module name
and the code server can keep track of each file separately for each
developer. Multiple information tables can provide user-specific
association.
[0038] After completing the association the server then enables the
user to execute the program by some means such as sending the files
in response for each request for a piece of code, notifying the
system that the user already has the code, transferring the files
asynchronously, sending each module as the computer accesses it,
sending code as needed, executing code via remote procedure calls,
or informing the user as to other locations where the required code
modules can be located. Another added feature involves using a
Cyclic Redundancy (or similar) Checksum (CRC) that embeds specifics
of the user system placed with the information table for comparison
of the new user's system to determine if the files need to be
retranslated. For example, if the old CRC and a new request from a
user sending his CRC do not match, then the previous files may not
be compatible and require retranslation.
[0039] The terms and expressions which have been employed in the
foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description
and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of
such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the
features shown and described or portions thereof, it being
recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited
on by the claims which follow.
* * * * *