JP2004005483A - Medium for recording installing program, installing device and installing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem in having occasionally installed a device driver on the basis of old information, and being unable to excellently install the device driver. <P>SOLUTION: A database is reconstructed (Step S150) after previously deleting an original information file (Step S140) when old installation information is included in the database constructed by installation information so as to prevent the device driver from being installed on the basis of the old information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[Claims]
When a device driver is installed in a computer, an installer is started on the computer, and while compiling a text type information file describing installation information into an intermediate file, the intermediate file is rearranged and combined. And a medium recording an installation program for rebuilding the driver information database,
When the installer is started, the driver information database is searched using the information on the device driver to be installed determined by the installer, and as a result of the search, the device driver is found in the driver information database. If determined, the version of the installation information of the device driver to be installed stored in the driver information database is compared with the version of the installation information in the information file to be installed by the installer to determine which is older. A determining step of determining;
If it is determined that the existing version, which is the installation information of the device driver to be installed, stored in the driver information database is older, the source of the driver information database stored in a predetermined directory and A deletion step of deleting the original information file corresponding to the installation information determined to be old from the information file
A step of compiling the information file stored in the directory into an intermediate file, rearranging and combining the intermediate file, and reconstructing the driver information database when the information file is deleted. A medium on which an installation program characterized by being executed by a computer is recorded.
2. A medium on which the installation program according to claim 1 is recorded.
The rebuilding step includes, when the information file is deleted, reading installation information from an information file supplied by a flexible disk or the like, writing the information file to the directory, and rebuilding the driver information database. A medium on which a characteristic installation program is recorded.
3. When installing a device driver on a computer, an installer is started on the computer, and while compiling a text-type information file describing installation information into an intermediate file, the intermediate file is rearranged and combined. An installation device for rebuilding the driver information database by performing
When the installer is started, the driver information database is searched using the information on the device driver to be installed determined by the installer, and as a result of the search, the device driver is found in the driver information database. When it is determined, the version of the installation information stored in the driver information database and the version of the installation information in the information file that the installer is trying to install, comparing the version of the installation information, to determine which is older,
If it is determined that the existing version, which is the installation information stored in the driver information database, is older, it is determined from the information file used to construct the driver information database stored in a predetermined directory that the driver information is older. Deleting means for deleting the original information file corresponding to the determined installation information;
Rebuilding means for rearranging and combining the intermediate files while compiling the information files stored in the directory into intermediate files when the information files are deleted, and rebuilding the driver information database. An installation device, comprising:
4. When installing a device driver on a computer, an installer is started on the computer, and while compiling a text-type information file describing installation information into an intermediate file, the intermediate file is rearranged and combined. Installation method to rebuild the driver information database
When the installer is started, the driver information database is searched using the information on the device driver to be installed determined by the installer, and as a result of the search, the device driver is found in the driver information database. When determined, a step of comparing the version of the installation information stored in the driver information database with the version of the installation information in the information file that the installer is about to install, and determining which is older,
If it is determined that the existing version, which is the installation information stored in the driver information database, is older, it is determined from the information file used to construct the driver information database stored in a predetermined directory that the driver information is older. A deletion step of deleting the original information file corresponding to the determined installation information;
A step of compiling the information file stored in the directory into an intermediate file, rearranging and combining the intermediate file, and reconstructing the driver information database when the information file is deleted. An installation method, comprising:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a medium recording an installation program, an installation device, and an installation method.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent computers, device drivers are used in order to control various types of hardware. The device drivers are installed in the computers and can be used. In order to install this device driver, a device driver information database is used.
[0003]
The device driver information database is compiled (formatted) into a system-specific structure based on information files of device device drivers that have been prepared in the computer system or that have been installed in the past, and are combined. It is.
[0004]
When using the device driver information database, the device driver installed in advance is displayed as a list of corresponding hardware so that it can be selected, and if it is not included, it is supplied together with the hardware Information files can be imported from flexible disks and the like. Then, based on the installation information described in the specified information file, a necessary device driver file is fetched into the computer, and the installation operation is completed.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Although the device driver has a property that can be appropriately improved, in the above-described conventional computer, if old installation information about the device driver to be installed is incorporated in the database, the device driver is updated based on the old information. Had to be installed, or the installation was not successful.
[0006]
SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to provide a medium, an installation device, and an installation method that record an installation program capable of preventing a device driver from being installed based on old installation information. With the goal.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when a device driver is installed in a computer, an installer is started on the computer, and a text-type information file describing installation information is compiled into an intermediate file. A medium that records an installation program for rearranging and combining the intermediate files and reconstructing a driver information database, and when the installer is started, the device driver to be installed determined by the installer is The device information is searched using the driver information database. If the device driver is found to be in the driver information database as a result of the search, the data to be installed stored in the driver information database is stored. A step of comparing the version of the installation information of the chair driver with the version of the installation information in the information file to be installed by the installer to determine which is older, and the step of installing the driver stored in the driver information database. If it is determined that the existing version, which is the installation information of the device driver to be used, is older, the installation information determined to be older is obtained from the information file from which the driver information database is stored and stored in a predetermined directory. Deleting the original information file corresponding to the above, and, when the information file is deleted, rearranging the intermediate file while compiling the information file stored in the directory into an intermediate file Bound, it is constituted to execute a reconstruction step of reconstructing the driver information database on the computer.
[0008]
In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, at the time of installation, it is determined in a first determination step whether old installation information of the corresponding device driver is incorporated in the driver information database. If it is determined that the driver information database is incorporated, the corresponding installation information is deleted in the rebuilding step and the driver information database is reconfigured.
[0009]
As a result, before the installation wizard is started, if there is an old information file for the device driver to be installed, it is deleted from the driver information database. Therefore, in such a case, the device driver to be installed is not displayed in the display field of the installation wizard, and the command button of “USE DISK” must be executed. This means that a device driver can be prevented from being erroneously installed based on an old information file.
[0010]
Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the medium on which the installation program according to the first aspect is recorded, when the information file is deleted, the installation is performed from an information file supplied by a flexible disk or the like. The information is read, the information file is written in the directory, and the driver information database is reconstructed.
[0011]
In the invention according to claim 2 configured as described above, when the information file is deleted in the deleting step, the information file supplied to the flexible disk or the like is read and written in the above-mentioned predetermined directory. . Then, the rebuilding step rebuilds the driver information database based on the information files stored in this directory.
[0012]
Of course, such a recording medium may be a magnetic recording medium or a magneto-optical recording medium, and can be considered in the same manner in any recording medium to be developed in the future. Further, the duplication stages of the primary duplicated product, the secondary duplicated product and the like are equivalent without any question. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the case where the present invention is used even when the supply is performed using a communication line.
[0013]
Further, even when a part is implemented by software and a part is implemented by hardware, the concept of the present invention is not completely different, and a part is stored on a recording medium and appropriately It may be in a form that can be read.
[0014]
As described above, the method of removing old installation information from the database in advance is realized in a substantial computer, and in that sense, the present invention can be applied to a substantial device including such a computer. Easy to understand. Therefore, according to the invention according to claim 3, when the device driver is installed in the computer, the installer is started on the computer, and a text-type information file describing the installation information is compiled into an intermediate file. An installation apparatus for rearranging and combining files to reconstruct a driver information database, wherein when the installer is started, the driver information is used by using information of a device driver to be installed determined by the installer. The database is searched, and as a result of the search, if it is determined that the device driver is in the driver information database, the version of the installation information stored in the driver information database and the installer are installed. When comparing with the version of the installation information in the information file to be updated to determine which is older, and when it is determined that the existing version which is the installation information stored in the driver information database is older. Deleting means for deleting the original information file corresponding to the installation information determined to be old from the information file from which the driver information database stored in the predetermined directory is built, and the information file is deleted. In this case, the information file stored in the directory is compiled into an intermediate file, and the intermediate files are rearranged and combined to reconstruct the driver information database. .
[0015]
That is, there is no difference that the present invention is effective as a substantial device controlled by a computer. Of course, such an installation device may be implemented alone, or may be implemented together with another method in a state of being incorporated in a certain device, and the idea of the invention is not limited to this. It includes embodiments and can be changed as appropriate.
[0016]
In addition, when the medium on which such an installation program is recorded proceeds in accordance with such control, it is natural that the invention exists in the procedure at the root thereof, and that the method can be applied as a method. Easy to understand. For this reason, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that when installing a device driver on a computer, the installer is started on the computer, and a text-type information file describing installation information is compiled into an intermediate file. An installation method for rearranging and combining files to rebuild a driver information database. When the installer is started, the driver information is used by using information of a device driver to be installed determined by the installer. The database is searched, and as a result of the search, if it is determined that the device driver is in the driver information database, the version of the installation information stored in the driver information database and the installer are installed. When comparing the version of the installation information in the information file to be updated to determine which is older, and when it is determined that the existing version which is the installation information stored in the driver information database is older. A deletion step of deleting an original information file corresponding to the installation information determined to be old from an information file which is stored in a predetermined directory and which is used to construct the driver information database; and In this case, the information file stored in the directory is compiled into an intermediate file, the intermediate files are rearranged and combined, and a rebuilding step of rebuilding the driver information database is provided. .
[0017]
In other words, there is no difference that the method is not necessarily limited to a tangible medium or the like but is effective as a method.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the present invention can provide a medium recording an installation program capable of preventing a device driver from being installed based on old information.
Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, a device driver to be installed can always be found by the installation wizard.
Further, according to the invention according to claim 4, it is possible to provide an installation device having the same effect, and according to the invention according to claim 5, it is possible to provide an installation method.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic flow of an installation program (installer) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a typical personal computer 10. Here, the configuration of the personal computer 10 as hardware will be described first.
[0020]
The personal computer 10 includes a CPU 11 which is a center of the arithmetic processing. The CPU 11 is connected to a secondary cache 13, a data bus unit 14, and a system controller 15 via a CPU bus 12. In recent personal computers, the clock speed of the CPU bus 12 is increased in order to improve processing efficiency, and the slow memory 16 is accessed by the CPU 11 via the data bus unit 14 and the system controller 15. The memory 16 includes a ROM area such as a BIOS area and a RAM area.
[0021]
Similarly, interfaces cannot be directly connected to the fast CPU bus 12, and the data bus unit 14 and the system controller 15 provide a PCI bus 17 which is a general-purpose high-speed bus. The PCI bus 17 is connected to a common interface 18 for connecting a floppy disk together with a communication interface such as a PS / 2 port, a parallel port, or a serial port, which the personal computer 10 itself has directly. A bus master 19 for connecting a hard disk or a CD-ROM for DMA transfer is also connected.
[0022]
A PCI device 21 can be directly connected to the PCI bus, and an ISA bus 23 which is an old general-purpose bus having a small data width is provided via an ISA bridge 22. An ISA device 24 is connected via the ISA bus 23. You can connect.
[0023]
FIG. 3 shows peripheral devices for the personal computer 10. A keyboard 25 and a mouse 26 are connected to the common interface 18 via a PS / 2 port, a printer 27 is connected via a parallel port, and a modem 28 is connected via a serial port. It is connected. The scanner 29 is connected to the PCI bus 17 via a SCSI card 21a serving as the PCI device 21. Various external devices can be connected to the SCSI card 21a, and the scanner 29 connects the magneto-optical storage device 32 and the like. be able to. The display 31 is connected via the display controller card 21b, and the hard disk 19a and the CD-ROM drive 19b are connected to the PCI bus 17 via the bus master 19.
[0024]
Various devices are provided as the ISA device 24. If a PCMCIA card 24a is used, a PCMCIA card socket 33 can be connected, and a memory card 34 on which image data is recorded is mounted to easily input and output data. Become. The memory card 34 is a digital still camera 35, and it is easy to input data from another mobile personal computer.
[0025]
In addition to the above, an external display can be connected to the personal computer 10 via a video card, or a LAN card can be connected to a network, or connected to another external device via an infrared communication device. It is also possible to do.
[0026]
The above is the schematic configuration of the hardware of the personal computer system. On the premise of such hardware, software is executed on the personal computer 10 in the manner shown in FIG. That is, the BIOS 42 is executed on the basis of the hardware 41, and the operating system 43 and the application 44 are executed at an upper layer. Basically, the operating system 43 accesses the hardware 41 directly or via the BIOS 42, and the application 44 exchanges data with the hardware 41 via the operating system 43. For example, to read data from the hard disk 19a, access the hardware 41 via the operating system 43. In addition, various device drivers for controlling the hardware 41 can be incorporated in the operating system 43, and the incorporated device drivers execute various controls as a part of the operating system 43. .
[0027]
Some of these device drivers are pre-installed in the system, while others need to be installed when new hardware is connected. The former class includes a display driver for controlling display on an external display 31 via a video card, and the latter class includes a printer driver for executing printing control to the printer 27. There is no need to distinguish between them. When adding a device driver, an installation operation is performed with reference to a driver information database.
[0028]
FIG. 5 shows the structure of this driver information database. Taking a printer driver for controlling the printer 27 as an example, a manufacturer or the like of the printer 27 ships a device driver for controlling the printer 27 under various operating systems 43 together with a product. Since a device driver usually differs for each operating system 43, an information file (inf file) in which installation information is described to install an appropriate device driver is also provided.
[0029]
The right column of the figure shows the contents of the information file described in text type. The format required for this information file is
1. Line breaks for each piece of information
2. Predetermined classification items must be enclosed in []
3. Following the category item line enclosed in [], describe information related to the category item
Although there is a rule, the order of description of the classification items is arbitrary. Therefore, if the installation work is always performed with reference to this information file, the processing may be complicated. However, if the rules are made too fine at this point, there is a problem that even if the order of description is simply incorrect, it cannot be used for installation, and the degree of freedom is intentionally increased. In addition, the description of the text type is provided because there is an advantage that addition and correction can be easily performed.
[0030]
In consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of such a text type information file, based on this information file, it is compiled into a binary type intermediate file as shown in the column in the same figure, and a plurality of binary type intermediate files are combined. To build and use a binary type drive information database.
[0031]
FIG. 6 shows a simplified process of generating an intermediate file from a plurality of information files and combining it into one database, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an outline of the process. All information files are compiled into intermediate files in a predetermined directory for the inf file (step S210), the intermediate files are rearranged in a predetermined order (step S220), and the intermediate files are rearranged according to the rearranged order. Are combined (step S230). At the time of this connection, allocation information for enabling the file contents to be searched is also generated.
[0032]
Here, processing when a new device driver is installed will be described. When the installer shown in FIG. 1 is started, first, in step S100, it is determined whether a corresponding device driver (hereinafter, referred to as a driver) is installed in the driver information database. Since each installer determines a driver to be installed, the installer searches the driver information database using the information. Of course, it is also possible to prepare a data file for specifying the driver itself to be installed, and to adopt a general-purpose configuration for reading the data file and specifying the driver to be installed.
[0033]
If the result of the search is that there is no corresponding driver, the driver will not be installed based on the old information. For this reason, the installation wizard of step S160, which will be described later, is activated after the determination of step S110. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S110 that there is a driver, the versions are compared in step S120. The database stores the installation information compiled into a binary type in the form of an intermediate file, and which version is older than the version of the installation information in the information file that the installer is trying to install. Judge.
[0034]
However, version data does not always exist, and its name is free. In the example shown in FIG. 1, there is a classification item "[LastUpdate]", and the date "Nov. 30, 1998" of the last update date is recorded there. Although one database has been compiled, information "LastUpdate = 1998/01/01" is incorporated therein.
[0035]
Therefore, in step S130, it is determined that the existing version is older, and the corresponding information file is deleted in step S140. As described above, the information files from which the database is constructed are all stored as inf files in a predetermined directory. Therefore, the corresponding original information file in this directory is deleted.
[0036]
After the deletion, in step S150, the above-described driver information database construction module is started. Then, as described above, while compiling all information files into intermediate files, the intermediate files are rearranged and combined to reconstruct the database. Of course, the database reconstructed in this way does not include the information file of the corresponding driver. This process is shown in FIG. Since the corresponding information file (inf3) is deleted and reconstructed, only the installation information of the other information files (inf1, inf2) is incorporated into the database.
[0037]
The above flow can be summarized as follows.
1. If the driver is not originally in the database, the installation information of the driver is not incorporated in the database when the installation wizard is executed. No changes have been made to this database.
[0038]
2. If there is a corresponding driver but new installation information is in the database, no change is made to the database, and the installation information of the driver is incorporated in the database when the installation wizard is executed.
[0039]
3. If the relevant driver was in the database but was an old information file, the database did not include the driver's installation information when the installation wizard was run, and the database itself was rebuilt. It has become.
[0040]
In this state, the installation wizard is executed in step S160. FIG. 9 shows a process of the installation wizard by a flowchart, and FIG. 10 shows an example of a display / selection screen.
[0041]
When the installation wizard is started, first, the driver incorporated in the driver information database is displayed in step S300, and the selection by the keyboard 25 and the mouse 26 is awaited. The screen shown in FIG. 10 shows a wizard screen when a printer driver is added. When a manufacturer is displayed in the left display column W11 and any manufacturer is selected, an individual printer corresponding to the manufacturer is displayed. Since it is displayed in the right display field W12, the printer to be installed is selected and inverted. At the bottom of the display screen, command buttons W21, W22, and W23 for "return", "next", and "cancel" are arranged. When the printer to be installed is displayed and selected, "next" is displayed. The command button W22 is executed. Then, in step S310, it is determined that an existing driver has been selected. In step S320, installation information incorporated in the database is extracted, and in step S350, the corresponding driver file is installed in the system.
[0042]
On the other hand, if the printer to be installed is not displayed in the display columns W11 and W12, the information file can be supplied from a flexible disk or the like by executing the command button W31 of "USE DISK". In this case, it is determined in step S310 that the existing driver has not been selected, and the installation information is read from the information file of the flexible disk in step S340 while setting the flag in step S330.
[0043]
Before the installation wizard was started, if there was an old information file for the driver to be installed, it has been deleted from the database. Therefore, in such a case, the printer to be installed is not displayed in the display fields W11 and W12, and the command button W31 of "USE DISK" must be executed. This means that it is possible to prevent the driver from being erroneously installed based on the old information file.
[0044]
If the corresponding driver file can be successfully installed in step S350, the state of the flag set in step S330 is determined in step S360. Here, when the installation information is read by using the disk, a process of reflecting the installation information in the database is performed. First, in step S370, the information file is copied to the predetermined directory, and in step S380, the driver information database construction module is started. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, the database including the newly copied information file (inf31) is reconstructed.
[0045]
In this example, the information file of the corresponding driver is deleted in advance, and the database is reconstructed. If there is no driver in this database, the information file is copied again to reconstruct the database. Therefore, the rebuilding operation is repeated twice. This has the advantage of reducing the load on the installation program by using the normal processing procedure as much as possible, but is not efficient in terms of work time. On the other hand, after the corresponding information file is deleted in step S140, the information file of the flexible disk is read (the same processing as in step S340), and the information file is written in the predetermined directory (the same processing as in step S370). ), It is also possible to reconstruct the database in step S150.
[0046]
In this way, when the installation wizard is executed in step S160, the installation information included in the information file is displayed in the display fields W11 and W12, so that the printer to be installed can be always found. become. Therefore, the process of setting the flag in step S330 is not executed, and the database is not reconstructed in step S380.
[0047]
Further, in the above-described example, in order to delete old installation information from the database, a method of deleting the original information file and reconstructing the database is executed. However, since the database is a combination of intermediate files, the old information is also used by deleting the relevant part and reconnecting it, or by rewriting the driver name displayed in the database so that it can not be selected Can be prevented. Of course, in the latter case, unused information will remain, so it is not the best mode but can be used depending on the system.
[0048]
As described above, when the database constructed by the installation information includes old installation information, the original information file is deleted in advance (step S140), and then the database is reconstructed (step S150). Therefore, it is possible to prevent a device driver from being installed based on old information.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an installation program according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a personal computer.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a connection status of a peripheral device to a personal computer.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of software of a personal computer.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a database of driver information.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a process of constructing a database from information files.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a driver information database construction module.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a process of deleting an old information file and reconstructing a database.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an installation wizard.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a display screen of an installation wizard.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a process of rebuilding a database by adding a new information file to an information file.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... PC
11 CPU
12 CPU bus
13 ... Secondary cache
14 Data bus unit
15 System controller
16 ... Memory
17… PCI bus
18 Common interface
19 ... Bus master
19a ... Hard disk
19b ... CD-ROM drive
21 ... PCI device
21a ... SCSI card
22… ISA bridge
23 ... ISA bus
24… ISA device
24a PCMCIA card
25 ... Keyboard
26 ... Mouse
27 ... Printer
28 ... Modem
29 ... Scanner
31 ... Digital video camera
32 ... Magneto-optical storage device
33 ... PCMCIA card socket
34… Memory card
35 ... Digital still camera
41 ... Hardware
42 ... Bios
43… Operating system
43a: Printer driver
44… Application

Claims (7)

Providing a database that captures device driver installation information, displays the captured device driver, waits for selection, and executes the installation using the existing installation information if a device driver is selected during this selection. However, if the device driver is not selected, while performing the installation work using the new installation information, the computer that incorporates the installation information into the database,
A determining step of determining whether or not old installation information of the corresponding device driver is incorporated in the database when installing;
If it is determined that the program is incorporated, the installation program deletes the corresponding installation information, reconfigures the database, and executes a rebuilding step of executing the selection operation. Medium. 2. A medium recording the installation program according to claim 1, wherein the database is generated as a binary type database from a plurality of text type information files. 3. The medium recording the installation program according to claim 2, wherein in the reconstructing step, the database is reconstructed from the remaining information files after the corresponding text type information file is deleted. Medium on which the installation program is recorded. In the medium on which the installation program according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is recorded, in the determination step, the version of the existing installation information is compared with the version of the latest installation information, and A medium recording an installation program characterized by determining that old installation information is not incorporated in the database if it is not old. 5. The recording medium according to claim 1, wherein the rebuilding step includes rebuilding the database including the latest installation information. Medium. Providing a database that captures device driver installation information, displays the captured device driver, waits for selection, and executes the installation using the existing installation information if a device driver is selected during this selection. However, if the device driver is not selected, while performing the installation work using the new installation information, the computer that incorporates the installation information into the database,
Determining means for determining whether or not old installation information of the corresponding device driver is incorporated in the database when installing;
An installation apparatus comprising: a reconstructing unit that deletes the corresponding installation information when it is determined to be incorporated, reconfigures the database, and executes the selection operation. Providing a database that captures device driver installation information, displays the captured device driver, waits for selection, and executes the installation using the existing installation information if a device driver is selected during this selection. However, when the device driver is not selected, while performing the installation work using the new installation information, when incorporating the installation information into the database,
At the time of installation, it is determined whether the old installation information of the corresponding device driver is included in the database. If it is determined that the installation information is included, delete the corresponding installation information and reconfigure the database. An installation method characterized by causing the above-mentioned selection work to be executed.

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