JP3303464B2 - Software program linked startup method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for associating software programs, and more particularly, to a method for starting related software from a data file.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a procedure for starting a conventional software program. In FIG. 6 (1),
When the device is started up, the main program 10 is stored in the RAM in the device by a BIOS (basic input / output system) not shown.
Etc. are read into the working memory. Main program 10
Has a driving program 30 in the form of a normal subroutine.

[0003] The driving program 30 includes a data file 2
This is a program that reads 0 and executes it. FIG.
(2) illustrates a storage state of a working memory (MA) such as a RAM in the apparatus. The memory (MA) stores a main body program 10, a driving program 30, and a data file 20 together.

[0004]

Here, the RA in the apparatus is described.
The size of the working memory (MA) such as M is finite as a system resource. Therefore, when the data file 20 becomes large, it becomes difficult to store all of them in the working memory (MA).

According to the present invention, there is provided a software for automatically starting a program for processing a data file by starting a required data file with a small amount of system resources in order to solve the conventional problem. It is an object of the present invention to provide an associative activation method of a wear program.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for associating and starting a software program, wherein a data file is read into a storage medium by starting a main body program.
At the same time, the main program is deleted from the storage medium.

Next, a driving program is started by a starting program stored in a header portion of the read data file, and the data file is processed by the driving program.

In the header of the data file,
Further, when the main body program is deleted from the storage medium, the fact is recorded.

Further, the data file read into the storage medium is compressed and binarized.

[0010] The storage medium may be an RA of the game machine main body.
M, and the data file is read from the CDROM under the control of the CPU of the game machine main body and stored in the RAM of the game machine main body.

[0011]

According to the present invention, an activation program is additionally stored in the header of a data file. Further, when the main body program reads this data file into the working memory, it is deleted from the working memory.

Therefore, the memory area from which the main program has been erased becomes free, and it becomes possible to further store a data file in the free area. Further, since the data file further stores a start-up program in its header portion, the drive program for processing the data file can be started even after the main program is deleted .

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the activation procedure of a program in association starting the software program of the present invention.

In the following description of the embodiments, the same or similar items are given the same symbols or numbers.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a main body program which is read into a working memory (MA) when the apparatus is started up. Next, the data file 20 is similarly read into the memory (MA) by the main program 10.

As shown in FIG. 1B, when the data file 20 is read into the memory (MA), the main program 10 is deleted from the memory (MA). In FIG. 1 (2), the main program 10 is shaded because
This is indicated.

Therefore, the data file 20 can be further stored in an empty area by erasing the main program 10. Therefore, even in a system having a large data file 20, a program can be executed with a small amount of system resources (a small memory capacity of the apparatus main body).

Here, the data file 20 has a header portion 21 at the head position. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining this. Headers (H1 to Hn) are provided at the head positions of the plurality of data areas (D1 to Dn).

In the headers (H1 to Hn), associated startup programs are stored in accordance with the flow described in FIG. That is, FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the present invention. When outputting a data file from the main body program (step S1), the main body start-up program is additionally stored in the headers (H1 to Hn) (step S2). .

The start program is a program that only reads the main body, and specifically, is a program for starting the drive program 30 in FIG.

The data portion of the data file is binarized and compressed as needed (step S3). This compression is efficient, although not necessary, because the data portion is binarized.

Further, in the data file, data relating to the driving program is added to its header (H1 to Hn) (step S4). This association data is an argument (data) for informing the drive program of the file name of the data file.

As described above, the data file is written and stored in the medium, that is, the memory (MA), in a format in which the startup program and the associated data are added to the headers (H1 to Hn) (step S5).

Returning to FIG. 1, the description will be continued. When the data file 20 is read into the memory (MA) by the main body program 10, the drive program 30 is subsequently activated by the activation program added to the header section 21 of the data file 20.

The data file 20 is processed by the driving program 30. In the processing of the data file 20, the contents of the data file 20 are modified or used as data in executing the program.

When the execution of the driving program 30 is completed,
The main program 10 is read again based on the information in the header section 21 of the data file 20.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example in which the present invention is applied to a game device. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a game machine main body, and 2 denotes a CDROM suitable for storing a large amount of game program data.

The game machine body 1 includes a CPU 11, a RAM,
12 and a ROM 13. The ROM 13 has a BIO
S14 is fixedly stored. For convenience of use, this BIOS 14 is used by the CPU 1 when starting up the game device.
The data is transferred and stored in the RAM 12 under the control of 1.

Further, the BIOS 14 controls the CDRO.
From M2, a main program 10 and a drive program 30 usually included as a subroutine in the main program 10.
Is transferred and stored in the RAM 12. This state is shown in FIG.
Is shown in

Next, the CDR is executed by the main program 10.
The data file 20 is read from the OM2,
2 is written. At this time, the main program 10 stored in the RAM 12 is erased, and the data file 20 is written in the empty area (FIG. 5 (2)).

The data file 20 written in the RAM 12 is stored in the header 21 as described above.
(See FIG. 1), a startup program is additionally stored. Therefore, the driving program 30 is started by this starting program.

The activated drive program 30 processes the data file 20. In accordance with the processing of the data file 20, characters and the like are displayed on a monitor (not shown), and the game proceeds.

Further, when the processing of the drive program 30 is completed, the main program 10 refers to the header section 21 of the data file 20 again, and
2 is read.

Then, the main program 10 executes the CDR
The data file 20 is read from the OM2,
2 is stored. At this time, the main body program 10
12 is erased . Thereafter, the contents described above are repeated.

[0035]

As described above according to the embodiment,
According to the present invention, the application program has an associated startup system of the software program, not the system side (hardware side). As a result, it is possible to automatically start a program for processing a required data file with a small amount of system resources.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a program starting procedure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a data configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the addition of a startup program and associated data in the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an application example of the present invention to a game machine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating data transfer to RAM 12 according to the present invention in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a conventional program starting procedure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Main body program 20 Data file 21 Header part 30 Drive program 40 BIOS 1 Game console main body 2 CDROM 11 CPU 12 RAM 13 ROM 14 BIOS

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A data file of a game program is read from an external storage medium into a memory of a game machine main body by a main body program, and upon reading the data file, the main body program is deleted from the memory. of
The data file is written into a free area of the memory generated by the erasure , and then a corresponding drive program is started by a start program added to a header portion of the data file read into the memory, and wherein the argument by association data added to the header portion, the program associated start side of the software in the gaming machine, wherein the processing of the data file is performed in the game program
Law . 2. A game machine according to claim 1, wherein said header portion of said data file is further recorded when said main body program is erased from said memory. How to start the software program in the program. 3. The method of claim 1, the data file to be read into the memory is compressed, the software program associated activation method in the game machine, characterized by being binarized. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the memory is a RAM of the game machine main body, wherein the external storage medium is a CDROM, wherein the data file is controlled by the CPU of the game machine main body, wherein child read from the CDROM, is stored in the RAM
And an associated activation method of a software program in a game machine. 5. The driving program according to claim 2, further comprising:
Processing of the data file of the game program by the system
Is completed, the data is recorded in the header of the data file.
Based on the body program before Read into memory again
Of software programs characterized by
Movement method. 6. Read from the external storage medium by the main body program
Stores game program data files
Memory and C for processing the data file of the game program
Having a PU, When reading the data file into the memory,
The main program is erased from the memory and the book is deleted.
Free space in the memory caused by erasing the body program
The data file is written to A data file of the game program by the CPU.
File processing is performed by the data file read into the memory.
By the startup program added to the header part of
Start the corresponding driving program, and
The link added to the header section by the drive program
Process data file specified by related data Yo
In a game machine characterized in that
Software program linked startup system.