JPH07120274B2 - How to determine the compatibility of user assets - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is a processing procedure for generating and using user assets, which is a method of recording a processing procedure that is scheduled to be updated in sequence and a processing procedure in each stage of updating. The present invention relates to a recorded user asset recording method and a method for determining whether or not a user asset generated in a certain development stage processing procedure is available in a certain development stage processing procedure being used.

As an example, in the case of office processing software, general-purpose office processing software that can support various industries and business contents is supplied from the manufacturer. On the user side, this software is used to create information that specifies the input format according to the business content of each user, information that specifies the format of the arithmetic processing on the input data, and information that specifies the output format of the result. Is created. This information is commonly called user assets and is valuable to the user. In addition, such general-purpose software has the property that it should be successively improved and updated according to the needs of the time.

The present invention refers to a method for recording general-purpose software of this type, a method for recording user assets, and a method for determining whether or not the user assets currently held by general-purpose software at a certain development stage can be used.

[Conventional technology]

Generally, when updating this kind of general purpose software,
In order to effectively utilize the valuable user assets created previously, a so-called upper compatible version upgrade format is adopted. In other words, the functions that can use the user assets created in the old development stage are used as they are and the functions are upgraded or added. Then, a number that increases each time the development stage progresses is attached as a version number, and the same version number as the created software is also attached to the user asset created by the software of each version number. When using user assets with software, the version number attached to the software is compared with the version number attached to the user assets, and it is determined that the version can be used only when both are the same or the version number of the software is large. It

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, conventionally, when the version number of the user asset is large, that is, when the version number is new, it is inevitable that it is unusable. However, there are some cases in which it is actually available even if it is uniformly determined to be unavailable by the conventional method.

One of them is a case in which it is determined that there is incompatibility although it is functionally compatible. For example, there is a case where the software is updated so that the function of creating a table of up to 60 columns can be created up to 90 columns. Despite using the updated software, it was clear that the user assets created as 60 horizontal columns could be used with the software before the update, since it was not necessary to have more than 60 horizontal columns. However, even in that case, it is uniformly determined to be unusable.

Second, if the software has two or more functions, some of which were not updated when the software was updated, it was created by the unupdated functions of the updated software. This is a case where it is determined that the user assets are incompatible even though the user assets can be used with the software before the update.

In this way, if it is determined that there is no compatibility even though it is actually available, the range of use of valuable user assets will be significantly narrowed, and effective use of user assets will not be possible. There is.

In addition, this type of software is often changed to a form that can be operated on another model or another operating system (OS) for the purpose of expanding its application range. After that, when the software is updated for each of them, there is a problem that the centralized management by the version number can no longer manage.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above problems,
It is possible to easily and instantly determine whether or not there is an essential compatibility based on the function, and it is possible to manage even when the software evolution system is branched and diversified. How to record assets,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of determining compatibility between processing means and user assets.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

According to the recording method of the processing means of the present invention, a processing procedure for realizing at least two or more functions for performing generation and / or use of user assets of different formats for each function is updated, created, coded, and recorded. A development number determined according to the temporal order of update creation is recorded in association with the processing procedure, and a user asset in which another processing procedure already created or updated is generated or used and the update created processing It is determined whether or not the procedure occurs or is compatible with the user asset to be used, and the compatibility is recorded for each function and for each development number of the other processing procedure in association with the processing procedure. It is characterized by including each step.

A user asset recording method of the present invention is a method of recording a user asset in which a processing procedure occurs in the above-described processing procedure recording method, in which the generated user asset is recorded and the user asset is generated in the processing procedure. And records the development number of the user asset in association with the user asset, and determines whether or not the user asset is compatible with the user asset having the same function of another processing procedure that has already been created or updated. Then, each step is provided for recording the presence or absence of compatibility for each development number of the other processing procedure in association with the processing procedure.

Furthermore, the method for determining compatibility between the processing procedure and the user asset according to the present invention determines whether the user asset recorded by the recording method described above can be used in the processing procedure recorded by the recording method described above. And a development number recorded in association with the processing procedure is compared with a development number recorded in association with the user asset, and i) it can be used if both match. Ii) When it is determined that the development number on the side of the processing procedure is newer, a) Refer to the compatibility recorded in association with the processing procedure for the function and development number of the user asset. B) If it is compatible, it is determined that it is available, and if it is not compatible, it is determined that it is not available, and iii) When the development number on the side of the user asset is determined to be newer, a) Corresponding to the user asset Whether or not the compatibility has been recorded is referred to for the development number of the processing procedure, and b) if compatible, it is determined to be usable, and if it is not compatible, it is determined to be unavailable. It is characterized by including.

[Action]

When updating the processing procedure, it is possible to know the compatibility of each function of the already created version.Therefore, in the processing procedure, all the versions existing at the time of creating the update are compatible for each function. The presence or absence of sex can be recorded. When creating a user asset, it is possible to know the compatibility information that the processing procedure that generated it has, and it is also possible to know the substantive function of the created user asset. The presence or absence can be recorded. Then, when the determination is made, the newer information among them is adopted to make the determination, whereby the essential compatibility determination focusing on the function is immediately achieved. Also, regardless of the evolution of the processing procedure, such information is added in the order of occurrence each time the processing procedure is updated, so even if it is ported to another model or OS, it can be managed in multiple ways. can do.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be described below by taking office processing software as an example.

This software mainly has the following four functions.

1. Data input 2. Data storage 3. Data output 4. Automatic execution of a series of processing Figures 6 to 9 are created as user assets to realize functions 1 to 4, respectively, and registered as a film. It is a figure showing the information carried out.

FIG. 1 shows information added to a film in which office processing software for realizing such a function is coded and stored. The development number V _i is a development number assigned to the i-th developed software in the form of a serial number,
It is not directly related to the computer model, OS model, or software development stage. The function numbers K _{1 to} K _m are the function numbers assigned to the functions 1 to 4, respectively. F _{x, y}
(X = 1 ... m, y = 1 ... i-1) is that the user asset created by the function of the function number x is compatible with the user asset created by the function number x of the y-th developed software. It is a flag indicating whether or not all the software already existing when this software was developed are compatible or incompatible. For example, an input screen created by newly developed software (6th
If (Figure) is compatible with the input screen output by the third developed software, F _1,3 will be “0”, and if not compatible, F _1,3 will be “1”.

FIG. 2 shows information added to a file in which user assets are stored. The development number V _j is the development number of the software that generated this user asset. The function number K _k is a function number assigned to the function corresponding to this user property. _{F'k, y} (y = 1 ... j-1) has this user asset y
The second flag is a flag indicating whether or not it is compatible with the user asset created by the function of the function number K _k of the developed software. This _{F'k, y} is usually the same as the flag _{Fk, y} attached to the software that generated it, but it is not always the same. Development number
The number of columns in the horizontal direction of the product purchase register (Fig. 8 (b)) generated by the V ₃ software is limited to 60 columns, and the software of the development number V ₅ functions so that it can be up to 90 columns. Shall be extended. In this case, development number V ₅
The flag _F3,3 attached to the software of is "1" as incompatibility. Although the form of the product purchase ledger created using the software becomes "1" and F _'3,3 long horizontal 61 column above, also used in the software development number V ₃ if 60 columns or less Since it is possible, _F'3,3 becomes "0".

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure for adding the information shown in FIG. This is done when a new version of the software is developed,
In general, information will be manually input according to this flow.

First, the development number V _{i of} newly developed software is written in the form of a serial number (step a). First, the function number K ₁ is set as the function number K to be processed (step b), and the function number is written (step c). Next, the development numbers of all software developed in the past
The processes of steps e to g are performed for V _{1 to} V _i-1 . That is, the compatibility of the function number K being processed and the development number V with the newly developed software is examined (step e), the result is written to a predetermined position (step f), and V is updated. (Step g). When the above processing is performed for all function numbers (step j), the processing is ended.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a processing procedure when the information shown in FIG. 2 is added to the user property. Ideally, this process should be automatically executed at the same time as the user asset is generated by incorporating it into the part that generates the user asset in the office software, but it may be executed separately as separate software, or according to this flow. Of course, it is also possible to execute it manually.

First, the software development number V _j that generated this user asset is written (step a), and the function number K _k is written (step b). The first development number V ₁ is assigned to the parameter V representing the development number being processed (step c), and the function number
It is determined whether or not this user property is compatible with K _k and development number V (step d), the result, that is, F ′ _{k, 1} is written (step e), and V is updated (step f). ). When the above processing is performed for all of V _{1 to} V _j-1 (step g), the processing is ended.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing for determining whether or not there is compatibility with the software used based on the information shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 when using the created user asset. is there. Ideally, this processing should be incorporated into the part that uses the user asset in the office software and automatically executed before using the user asset, but it is also possible to execute it separately as separate software. It is possible.

First, it is determined whether or not the function number K _k added to the user property exists within the function numbers K _{1 to} K _m added to the software (step a). If it does not exist, it is determined that it cannot be used because it is a user asset generated by a function that this software does not have.

If K _k exists within K _{1 to} K _m , the development number V _i added to the software next and the development number V _j added to the user asset side.
And are compared (step b). If the two are equal, the development stage of the software and the user asset are the same, so it is determined that the software can be used.

If the V _i side is newer, it means that the software was developed later in time, and the compatibility with the user property to be used must be written in F _xy . . Therefore, the compatibility is determined (step d) by referring to the flags for K _k and V _j in F _xy (step c).

If V _j is newer, it means that the user asset was developed later, and the flag F ′ _ky on the user asset side is always written with the compatibility with the software used. Should be. Therefore, within _F'ky
The compatibility is determined by referring to the flag corresponding to V _i (step e) (step f).

Although the office processing software has been described above as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and any software that has two or more functions for generating user assets can be applied. For example, in the case of word processor software, word processor software having a function of registering words and phrases frequently used by a specific user in the form of a dictionary as a user asset, or a function of registering information regarding the format of an output document as a user asset. Can also be applied to.

〔The invention's effect〕

This method is easy to use and permanent, so it can be used by any software,
It is most suitable as the version management method for distributed software whose version is upgraded on the OS. Further, since it is possible to determine compatibility or incompatibility for each function, it is possible to reduce the trouble of using a converter and recreating an asset each time the version changes.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 shows the format of information added to the software side, FIG. 2 shows the format of information added to the user property side, and FIG. 3 shows the information shown in FIG. 1 to the software side. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a process for adding the information, FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a process for adding the information shown in FIG. 2 to the user property side, and FIG. FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 are flowcharts of a process for determining whether or not the present invention is applied, and FIGS.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for determining whether or not a user asset recorded in a recorded processing procedure can be used, wherein the processing procedure is for generating and using a user asset of a different format for each function. At least two functions for performing at least one of them are realized, and the record of the processing procedure includes a record of a development number determined according to a temporal order of update creation of the processing procedure, and the processing procedure. Information on whether or not the generated or used user asset can be used in another processing procedure that has already been created or updated is recorded for each function and for each development number of the other processing procedure. The record of the user asset is a record of the function and development number of the processing procedure that generated the user asset, and the record of the user asset created or updated before the processing procedure that generated the user asset. other With the recording of compatibility information indicating whether or not it can be used even in the same function of the processing procedure for each development number of the other processing procedure, the determination method is to record the processing procedure. The accompanying development number is compared with the development number accompanying the record of the user asset, i) it is determined that it is available if they match, ii) that the development number on the side of the processing procedure is newer When it is determined, a) the compatibility information accompanying the recording of the processing procedure,
With reference to the function and development number of the user asset, b) it is determined that it is available if it is compatible, it is determined that it is not usable if it is not compatible, iii) the development number of the user asset is When it is determined that it is newer, a) refer to the compatibility information accompanying the recording of the user asset for the development number of the processing procedure, and b) determine that it is available if compatible and compatible. A method for determining compatibility between a processing procedure and user assets, which is characterized by including each step of determining that it cannot be used if there is no property.