JPH07192041A - Design data management equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent no correspondence of tool execution against correction revision of design data or execution of tool based on design data in erroneous combination by sending execution history information to a design data management routine and storing and retrieving the execution history information. CONSTITUTION:A tool execution script 12 gives an execution history information record comprising fields of execution tool name, user name and execution start date and time as execution information and input data and output data to a design data management routine 15. The routine 15 has plural CAD tools such as function simulator automatic logic synthesis and a data conversion tool. And, a CAD tool 10 and the script 12 are read in by a central processing unit 3 and execution information obtained by the result is stored to a data storage area 6 of an external storage device or a main storage device based on a proper address of an execution history information section 19 read to an external storage device by the CPU 3 according to an execution history information retrieval section 16 being a program of the routine 15. And, the information is retrieved depending on the designation of the user.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a design support system used when designing and developing a logic circuit system, and more particularly to a design data management device therein.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a design data and version management device, a configuration management for managing which other design data (input data of CAD tool) the design data (output data) generated by a CAD tool is generated. ,
There is also version management that manages the version (version number) of design data in response to repeated correction of design data or generation of design data. In the configuration management of design data, the generated design data retains information as to which other design data was generated, and by using this information, the input used for the generation of the certain design data It is considered that the data is sequentially traced back, or conversely, the design data generated based on certain design data is sequentially traced and displayed as a flow chart. In the version management of design data, it is considered to hold information about the version number of each design data and display the version relationship in a tree diagram. (For example,
As a reference, NIKKEI ELECTRONIC
S 1992.9.14 p. 131 EDA framework, support the work of the entire design team, or 28t
hACM / IEEE Design Automati
on Conference p. 704 Design
n Version Management in t
See he GARDEN Framework. In the data holding device of the conventional computer related to the second invention, a system for performing revision management (version management, version number management) of the same type of data is realized as a mechanism for managing each data file. It has been. This is an effective tool for managing the history of corrections and changes of data such as source files of programs.

However, in a CAD system such as an LSI design support system today, the number of tools to be handled has increased and a design target has become large in scale, so that the entire design work is complicated and diversified. I'm doing it. In such a CAD system, it is not enough to manage revisions for the same type of files, and it is necessary to manage the relationship between files and execution processes, and the relationship between files with a certain execution process as an intermediary. .

Further, in the process of designing, various tools are combined to proceed with the work. However, there are various ways to combine the tools depending on the purpose of the design, and the tools work intricately entangled with each other. Progresses. At present, the designer determines the optimum execution sequence of tools for each design target, and the designer needs a great deal of effort to manage the execution sequence of the tools.

In order to clarify the input / output relationship between a process and a file, a system has been realized in which a process flow indicating the execution order of the process is created and an input / output file of each process is allocated. Information about whether it was created or used in connection with is not stored, it merely relates the process to individual files. Therefore, the user himself must manage the information such as which project each file is related to, and which file is to be used in combination with which file as an input file for executing a certain tool. Therefore, as the number of data files increases, the user has to spend a lot of effort to manage the above information.

Further, in various LSI design support devices according to the prior art related to the third invention, the design data generated every time the design data of the circuit that realizes a certain function is modified to the original specifications. A version is treated as an identification name assigned to identify the modified specification, or various design data are created based on the multi-version version that expands the concept of the version as shown in FIG. 21, for example. They were roughly classified and each version number was managed. FIG. 21 shows a concept for identifying design data designed in the functional diagram. A revision (Revision) for identifying an update result of design data,
A view (View) that identifies expressions of specifications having different abstractions such as a difference in design data expressions such as a functional block diagram and a hardware description language. For example, in the case of an adder, ripple carry, carry look ahead, etc.
It is roughly classified into three types called Alternate that identify different realization results for one specification, and a linear sequence in which a parent version and a child correspond to each other in a one-to-one correspondence A tree structure in which there are multiple children and this parent is uniquely determined, a graph structure in which there are multiple children for one parent, and multiple parents for children, etc. The history of version numbers that represent parent-child relationships within was managed. As described above, the purpose is to save the history of each data without losing it.

[0007]

In the conventional structure management and version management of design data, the structure of individual design data (relationship between the source of the data / the data on which the data is based) and the individual design Although it is possible to know the version of the data, in the actual design verification work, the design data is frequently modified and the tool is executed, and it is not enough to simply know the configuration and version of each design data. Furthermore, in the actual design verification work, each designer not only repeats the modification of his / her design data and the execution of the tool using the design data, but also performs the design / verification jointly by a plurality of designers. Usually, the tool is frequently executed by using the data designed and modified by other designers in addition to the data designed and modified by oneself. In such a situation, for changes in the design data created / modified by me and the design data created / modified by other designers,
It often happens that the execution of tools is not supported. In addition, it is very difficult to know exactly what kind of modification and tool execution has been done by myself or other designers in the past. Forgetting some modification and modification of design data and tool execution. However, the design verification work is confused.

Therefore, the first invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation, and the purpose thereof is to make any correction change or tool execution by oneself or another designer in the past. A design data management device that makes it easy to grasp what has happened, prevents the execution of tools in response to corrections and changes in design data, prevents tool execution due to design data with an incorrect combination, and easily grasps tool execution. To provide.

In the second aspect of the invention, in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technique, the management information of the file stores information such as which project the file was created in or associated with, and It also saves information about the type. Furthermore, by making it possible to easily know the relationship between files and processes and between files, and easily extract the execution sequence required for the purpose of the project from the past execution path and show it to the user, for example, a CAD system. It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for reducing the work load on the user in such cases.

In the problem to be solved by the third invention,
As described above, using a conventional design support device, for example, R
Only for Evison, version number management (hereinafter, referred to as the number of versions, not the number assigned to identify the version number) was performed using a method of saving only the corrections and additional differences. Even so, the number of corrections made by each designer is
Generally, since the number of times exceeds several tens, the amount of data to be stored is very large. In addition, when the design is divided into labor, there are generally many designers.
A huge amount must be saved, even with only the additional differences. However, in reality, the designer does not need all the editions in designing, and at most, only the data of a few generations or earlier are needed. Therefore, there is a problem in that an unnecessarily large amount of data is stored due to the above function. In addition, there is also a problem that the capacity of the design data storage device for the design data often exceeds the permissible capacity with the increase in the scale of the design object.

In order to solve the above problem, for example, a design support device having a function of previously limiting the version number and automatically deleting old design data from the data base when the designated version number is exceeded. Also existed. However, in the above-mentioned design support device, when a plurality of designers divide the work into designing, even if a certain designer does not create certain design data, the design data may not be created in some design process. When it becomes necessary to refer to the design data, the design data to be referenced is deleted during the process.

Therefore, the third invention has been made in view of the conventional problems as described above, and has a function of managing design data on the assumption that LSI design performed by a plurality of people is supported. In a design support device having a design, a shared database, a personal database, and design data to be deleted from the shared database are designed to be deleted at the request of one or more designers involved in the design. Divided into 3 types of data bases consisting of a temporary placement data base for temporarily placing data temporarily,
As a general rule, the version number is limited so as not to save the version number that exceeds a preset natural number N in the shared database, and the amount of design data is suppressed, but the design data is automatically ignored by the designer. It is to provide a design support device intended to prevent deletion.

[0013]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, each CAD tool used for designing and verifying or a start program such as a shell script for starting each CAD tool is executed. The design data management routine has means for sending history information to the design data management routine, and the design data management routine has means for accumulating and retrieving execution history information. It is provided with a display function for organizing and displaying data used in the past and a data management means for displaying.

Further, in a preferred embodiment, each CAD tool used for designing and verifying or a start program such as a shell script for starting each CAD tool is used as the execution history information as an execution tool name, a user name, an execution start date and time. , The execution end date / time, the execution CPU time, the input data, etc. are transmitted as generated data (output data), management information of the generated data or information data corresponding to the generated data, and the design data management routine It has a means to retrieve information, and has a display function to organize and display the data used in the past and a data management means to display it in response to the designer's designation of tools, data type, period, etc. Is.

Furthermore, regarding the design data used corresponding to the tool, data type, period, etc. designated by the designer, design data information such as its file name or design data name and its version number is displayed for each period. A means for doing so may be provided.

The design data used corresponding to the tool, data type, period, etc. designated by the designer are
A means for displaying the file name or design data name and its version number in correspondence with the date and time when the design data is used or the number of times of use (the number of times the tool has been executed), and in the display, the design There may be provided means for changing the line type (point type) or the color type of the display when the design data version is first used for each data version.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in a data holding device of a computer or the like, a file domain setting means for setting an attribute value for the purpose of a project requiring a file as an attribute of each file for managing each file. , File category setting means for setting the attributes of the usage of the file.

Further, the above file domain setting means is provided with a super file domain setting means for setting a file domain in which several file domains are put together and a sub file domain setting means for dividing a certain file domain into several file domains. May be.

In the file category setting means,
It is also possible to provide a super file category setting means for setting a file category that is a collection of several file categories and a sub file category setting means for dividing a certain file category into several file categories.

Further, a process execution sequence extraction means for extracting the execution sequence of each process from the management information of each file may be provided.

A file allocation support means for automatically allocating input / output files or displaying file candidates at the time of execution of each process may be provided based on management information of each file and file allocation information at the time of execution of the process.

In order to achieve the above object, in the LSI design support apparatus according to the third aspect of the invention, addition, update, and deletion of design data can be performed only for those who have a registration right. The reference is a storage device that stores a shared database as is possible for all designers involved in the design, and design data to be deleted from the shared database, one or more designs involved in the design. If there is a request from a designer, the storage device that stores the temporary storage database that suspends the deletion and temporarily stores the design data to be deleted, and the personal design data of each designer involved in the design A storage device for storing a personal data base to be stored, registration of the three types of data bases, control of the version number of design data, and the shared data base in advance Although the version number exceeding the defined natural number N is not stored in the shared database and the version number is limited, it is necessary to prevent the designer from ignoring and automatically deleting the design data. It consists of

[0023]

According to the first invention, the file name or the design data name of the design data used corresponding to the tool, the data type, the period, etc. designated by the designer,
And design data information such as its version number for each period, or for the file name or design data name and its version number, the date and time when the design data was used or the number of times of use (of the tool). The number of executions), and in the display, the line type (point type) or the color type of the display when the design data version is first used is changed for each version of the design data. By displaying the above, it is possible to prevent the tool from being executed in response to the modification and change of the design data, to prevent the tool from being executed due to an incorrect combination of the design data, and to easily grasp the execution of the tool.

The file domain setting means, the file category setting means, the super file domain setting means, the sub file domain setting means, the super file category setting means, and the sub file category setting means according to the second aspect of the invention are respectively provided. By effectively saving the information about the project related to the file and the usage of each file, and presenting the information to the user, it is possible to perform more detailed file management than before and facilitate the relationship between the files. In addition to making it possible to know, it becomes easy to judge whether each file is necessary or unnecessary, which leads to efficient use of resources such as a disk area. In addition, the process execution sequence extracting means for extracting the execution sequence of each process from the management information of each file described above traces the execution sequence of the tool for developing the same type of project based on the execution sequence of the process executed in the past. As a result, even a user who is not familiar with such a project can execute the tool in an appropriate sequence. By presenting the correct combination of input / output files to the user when the tool is executed by the file allocation support means, the allocation of the input / output files when the tool is executed can be easily set.

According to the third invention, a shared database, a temporary database and a personal database are used.
Permission to save the version number of design data and the version number of design data, especially the version number for the shared data base, which exceeds a pre-specified natural number N, in the shared data base. The design support apparatus includes a design data base control unit having a control structure that does not perform the above. Therefore, the version number of the design data in the shared data base can be limited, and the amount of unnecessary design data can be suppressed.

[0026]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a system configuration diagram of a design data management device according to the first invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a data processing device, and is a program storage area of a main storage device that stores a CAD tool 10, a tool execution shell script 12, and a CAD tool n read from an external storage device (not shown) such as a hard disk. Have two.
This CAD tool 10 is one CA used in a design verification system used when designing and developing a logic circuit system.
It is a D tool. In the CAD tool 10, the CAD tool program itself designs an execution history information record including input tool name, user name, execution start date / time, execution end date / time, execution CPU time, etc. as execution information, and input data and output data. It has the function of sending to the data management routine. The tool execution shell script of reference numeral 12 and the CAD tool n are also stored in the external storage device and are one CAD tool used in the design verification system. In the CAD tool n, the CAD tool program itself does not have the function of sending the execution information to the design data management routine, and the tool execution shell script uses the execution tool name, user name, execution start date and time, execution The function of sending the execution history information record including fields such as end date and time, execution CPU time, etc., input data, and output data to the design data management routine (unit) 15 is realized.

The design data management routine 15 includes a function simulator, automatic logic synthesis, a data conversion tool, etc.
I have multiple CAD tools. Then, the CAD tool 10 and the tool execution shell script 12 are read into the central processing unit (CPU) 3, and the execution information obtained as a result is executed by the execution history information retrieval unit 16 which is a program of the design data management routine 15 as described later. CPU3
Is stored in an appropriate address of the execution history information section 19 read in the external storage device or the data storage area 6 of the main storage device. Reference numeral 13 is an input device including a keyboard and a mouse, and is connected to the CPU 3 via an interface (not shown). The input device 13 allows the user to specify the display of the usage data.
The display of reference numeral 14 is an output device and displays usage data to the user. The design data management routine 15 is stored from an external storage device (not shown) in the program storage area 5 shown separately from the program storage area 2 for convenience of illustration. The command of each part of the design data management routine 15 is executed by the CPU 3, and the code 16
Of the execution history information storage and retrieval unit, the user designated interpretation unit 17 and the usage data display unit 18. The execution history information storage / retrieval unit 16 has a program for receiving the execution information sent from each CAD tool (reference numerals 10 and 12) and accumulating it in the execution history information unit 19 as execution history information. Also, the accumulated execution history information is searched according to the user's designation. In order to display the usage design data, the user-specified interpretation unit 17
It has a routine for checking and interpreting the selection contents designated by the user and supporting the execution history information searching unit 16 for the search. The usage data display unit 18 has a program for receiving the usage design data information searched by the execution history information storage / search unit 16 and displaying the content on the display 14. In order to deal with a plurality of users, the processing of the design data management routine 15 is performed by the CP of the processing of the plurality of users via another bus with another data processing device 22 (only one is shown).
Perform at U3. The execution history information unit 19 stores the execution information sent from each CAD tool to the execution history information storage / retrieval unit 16, and is stored in the designated address of the data storage area 6.

Embodiment 2 FIG. 2 is a system configuration diagram relating to a design data management apparatus of another aspect of the first invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 is a data processing device, which has a program storage area 2 for storing a CAD tool 10, a tool execution shell script 12 and a CAD tool n read from an external storage device (not shown) such as a hard disk. The CAD tool 10 is one CAD tool used in a design verification system used when designing and developing a logic circuit system. In the CAD tool 10, the CAD tool program itself generates a record including execution tool name, user name, execution start date / time, execution end date / time, execution CPU time, and input data as execution information. It has a function of sending to the design data management routine as management information or information data corresponding to generated data. One tool used in the design verification system, in which the tool execution shell script of reference numeral 12 and the CAD tool n are also stored in the program storage area 2 as needed.
Is a tool. In the CAD tool n, the CAD tool program itself does not have the function of sending the execution information to the design data management routine, and the tool execution shell script uses the execution tool name, user name, execution start date and time, execution The function of sending the end date / time, execution CPU time, input data, etc. to the design data management routine 15 as generated data (output data), management information of generated data, or information data corresponding to the generated data is realized. This design data management device has a plurality of CAD tools such as a function simulator, automatic logic synthesis, and data conversion tool. Reference numeral 13 is an input device including a keyboard and a mouse, and is connected to the central processing unit (CPU) 3 via an interface (not shown). The input device 13 allows the user to specify the display of the usage data. The display of reference numeral 14 is an output device and displays usage data to the user. Reference numeral 15 denotes a design data management routine, which is stored in the program area 5 shown separately from the program storage area 2 for convenience of illustration. An execution history information storage / retrieval unit 16 is provided, a user specification interpretation unit 17 is provided, and a usage data display unit 18 is provided. The execution history information storage / retrieval unit indicated by reference numeral 16 has a program that receives the execution information transmitted from each CAD tool (reference numerals 10 and 12) and stores the execution information as design data in the design data unit 20.
In addition, the accumulated design data is searched according to the user's designation. The user-designated interpretation unit of reference numeral 17 checks and interprets the selection contents designated by the user in order to display the usage design data, and the execution history information storage / retrieval unit 1
6 has a routine for supporting search. . The usage data display unit 18 has a program for receiving the usage design data information searched by the execution history information storage / search unit 16 and displaying the contents on the display 14.
The processing of the design data management routine 15 is performed by the CPU 3 via the bus by another data processing device 22 (only one is shown) for a plurality of input devices and output devices, that is, a plurality of users. The design data section 20 is for each C
The execution information sent from the AD tool to the execution information storage / retrieval unit 16 and the generated data of each CAD tool or the data edited by the user are stored.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the data name of the design data of the first invention and the display screen in the version number display system. In FIG. 3, reference numerals 31 to 34 are search items input by the user when searching the used design data. These are designated by the input device 13 or the processing device 22 of FIG. 1 or 2, and are displayed on the display of the display 14 or the device 22.

The search item 31 is a user name designation item, and designates which user the design data used is to be displayed. In the example of FIG. 3, the keyword all for all users is input as the user. The search item 32 is a designation item of a CAD tool name, and designates which CAD tool is used to display the design data. In the example of FIG. 3, a simulator named SIM1 is designated as the CAD tool. In this designation item, such as design data commonly used by a plurality of CAD tools or design data used by any of a plurality of CAD tools, a logical product or a logical sum expression of the CAD tools is used. You can also specify. Search item 3
A data type designation item 3 designates which type of design data among the used design data is to be displayed. In the example of FIG. 3, design data of a type called HDL and which is the input (keyword input) of the simulator SIM1 is designated. The search item 34 is a period designation item, and designates when the design data used is displayed as a target. In the example of FIG. 3, the entire period is specified, and the design data used over the entire period of this design development project is targeted.

These search items 31-3 which are input data
Upon receipt of 4, the CPU 3 checks and interprets the selection contents designated by the user in accordance with the program of the designation interpretation unit 17 of the user, and judges each search item of the search information. C
The PU 3 sequentially searches each search item of this search information according to the search subroutine of the execution history information storage / search unit 16 and sets the corresponding field of each execution history information record stored in the appropriate address of the execution history information unit 19 of the data storage area 6. Search for. The search result is sent to the display 14 by executing the subroutine of the usage data display unit 18, and the search result is displayed in a predetermined format in the corresponding portion of the search items 36 to 38 described below.

The search item 35 is a part for displaying design data corresponding to the items specified by the search items 31-34. The search item 36 is a user name display area, the search item 37 is a design data information display area such as a design data name and a version number, and the search item 38 is a date and time display area. Here, the information of the used design data is displayed for each user and for each period divided by the date and time. In the example shown in FIG. 3, AA and BB are visible as the user names, and the period is from 6/15 to 7/1 and before 6/15 (6/1 to 6/15). I can see it. The design data information includes MODC as a design data name and a version number for each user and for each period.
T1: v. 1.0, MODCT2: v. It displays 1.0 etc.

FIG. 4 is an example of a utility display screen before the design data information display shown in FIG. 3 is performed.
The name of the CAD tool executed for each period and each user can be displayed. In the example shown in FIG. 4, CA executed for each period
D tool name and sub CAD tool name (sub tool name when one CAD tool consists of several sub tools) is displayed for the entire design and development project without being classified for each executing user. In this case, the simulator CL1 and its sub tool, the compiler CL1
And that the elaborator EL1 and the simulator SM1 have been executed. In addition, it shows that the compiler CL2, the logic synthesis SYN1, and the output conversion routine TR1 are executed by the logic synthesis SYN1 and its sub tool. Such an auxiliary display function facilitates management of execution history and design data.

FIG. 5 shows another example of the data of the design data of the present invention and the display screen of the usage status display device of the version. Similar to the case of FIG. 3, reference numerals 31 to 34 in FIG. 5 are search items input by the user when searching the used design data. These are designated by the input device 13 of FIG. 1 or 2. The search item 31 is a user name designation item, and designates which user the design data used is to be displayed. In this example, the keyword a11 for all users is input as the user. The search item 32 is a designated item of the CAD tool name, and which CAD
Specify whether to display the design data used by the tool. In the example, a simulator named SIM1 is designated as the CAD tool. In this specification item, such as design data commonly used by a plurality of CAD tools or specification of a plurality of data used by any of a plurality of CAD tools, a logical product or a logical sum expression of the CAD tools is used. You can also specify. The search item 33 is a data type designation item, and designates which type of design data among the used design data is to be displayed. In the example, HD
Design data of a type called L, which is also the input (keyword input) of the simulator SIM1, is designated. The search item 34 is a period designation item, and designates when the design data used is displayed as a target. In the example, the entire period is specified, and the design data used over the entire period of this design and development project is targeted. Search item 35
Is a part for displaying design data corresponding to those specified in the search items 1-4. The search item 36 is a user name display area, and the search item 37 is a design data information display area such as a design data name and a version number. The search item 39 is a line display of the usage status of the design data with respect to the period. The search item 38 is a date / time display area. Here, for each user, for each period separated by date and time,
Lines are used for the design data used. In the example shown in the figure, AA is seen as the user name, and the period is seen as a partial from 6/15 to 7/1 and before 6/15 (from 6/1 to 6/15). . As the design data information, the design data name and the version number are MODCT1: v. 1.0, MODCT2: v.
1.0 etc. is displayed. Where MODCT1:
v. 1.0, MODCT2: v. 1.0 is the period 6/1
5 to 7/1 part and before 6/15 (6/1 to 6/1
It is shown that it is used in both of 5).
MODCT3: v. 1.0 is before 6/15 (6 /
1 to 6/15), and MODCT3: v. 1.1 indicates that it is used during the period from 6/15 to 7/1.

FIG. 6 shows another example of the design data of the present invention and the display screen of the version usage display device. The search items 31 to 37 and the search item 38 are exactly the same as in the case of FIG. The search item 39 is a line or dot indicating the use status of the design data with respect to the date and time. Here, the period displayed as a set of lines or points corresponds to the period during which the CAD tool is actually executed. However, when the actual execution time of the CAD tool is very short, it is displayed with the minimum resolution that can be displayed and recognized. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the design data MOD
DP1: v. 1.0 is used at the end of 6/15, and immediately after that, the design data MODDP1: v. 1.1 is used, and then the design data MODDP1: v.
1.0 is used, then design data MIDDP
1: v. 1.1 shows the situation where it is used.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a display screen similar to that of FIG. 6, but in FIG. 7, the design data (data and its When the version) is first used, the line type or point type is changed and displayed. In the example shown in the figure, the design data MODCT3: v. 1.1 was first used, and design data MODDP1: v.v. 1.0
Used for the first time and design data MODDP
1: v. The parts where 1.1 was first used are:
It is painted in black.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a display screen similar to that of FIGS. 6 and 7, but in FIG. 8, the version of the design data is displayed in the portion for displaying the use status of the design data with a line or a dot with respect to the date and time. The line type or the point type is changed and displayed each time. Looking at the design data MODCT3 and the design data MODDP1, v. The part corresponding to 1.0 is white, and v. The part corresponding to 1.1 is shaded.

FIG. 9 shows an example in which details of the usage status of individual design data are displayed for the designated design data in the example of FIG. Design data MODDP1
As the detailed information of the usage status, the design data name, version number, usage start date / time (CAD tool execution start date / time), usage end date / time (CAD tool execution end date / time), creator or changer, creation date / time or modification date / time, etc. it's shown.

Embodiment 3 An embodiment of the second invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 10 is a system configuration diagram for constructing a file / process management system according to the method of the present invention. An external storage device 102 such as a magnetic disk device that stores a database that holds various management information for managing each file 101 and definition information of input / output files of each execution process, and the management information is specified by a user. A management information processing unit 103 including a processor that retrieves related information between files and a file required at the time of executing each process based on the information and the management information processing unit 103 by the user. Data input device 1 including keyboard and mouse for inputting
04 and a data output device 105 such as a CRT display device that displays information obtained from the management information processing unit 103. A program for controlling the file / process management system is stored in the external storage device 102, and the program and the database are read from here into the program storage area and the data storage area of the main storage device (not shown) of the management information processing unit 103.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of the internal structure of the database stored in the external storage device 102. This database has a file management table 201, a file domain table 202, a file category table 203, a process execution definition table 204, etc. as main data tables.

All data files 101 are managed from both the file domain to which the file belongs and the file category. The file domain is an attribute for managing a related file group among different types of files. On the other hand, the file category is an attribute for managing files of the same type. As a method of explicitly expressing the category of a file, there are a method in which a directory in which a file exists is associated with one category, a method in which an extension of a file name is associated with a category, and the like. Here, it is assumed that each directory corresponds to a particular category.

In the file management table 201, a directory path name management table 205 in which a file exists
Pointer 2011, a file name string pointer 2012, and a domain ID 2013 of the file domain table 202 that defines the domain to which the file belongs.
A category ID 2014 of the file category table 203 that defines the type to which the file belongs, a pointer 2015 of the process execution definition table 204 that defines the process that generated the file, and a process that defines the process that uses the file as an input. A domain link for holding a pointer 2016 of a file input execution process management table 206 for pointing to the execution definition table 204, a file revision number 2017, and the like, and for connecting file management tables of files belonging to the same file domain with a link chain It has a pointer 2018 and a category link pointer 2019 for connecting the file management tables 201 belonging to the same file category with a link chain. The file input process management table 206 has a pointer 2061 of the process execution definition table 204 defining a process using the file as an input, and a link chain pointer 2062. By following this link chain, you can see all the processes that used that file as input. The file name of the file actually stored on the disc is given by adding the revision number as an extension to the file name obtained by the file name string pointer 2012. In the following, the file name refers to the part that does not include these extensions.

The directory path name management table 205 has a pointer 2051 of the path name string of the directory and an ID 2052 of the file category to which the directory corresponds. The directory path name management table 205 is the directory path name hash table 2
12 is searched.

A file domain obtained by dividing a certain file domain into several domains can be defined as a sub file domain. Also, a file domain in which several file domains are put together can be defined as a super file domain. Multiple super file domains can be defined for a file domain. In order to realize these structures, the file domain table 202 has a domain ID 20
21, the domain level 2022, the pointer 2023 of the super file domain management table 207 ′,
It has a pointer 2024 of the sub file domain management table 207 ″ and a pointer 2025 of the pointer 201 of the file management table 201. The super file domain management table 207 'and the sub file domain management table 207''are structurally the same (they are collectively referred to as the file domain management table 207).
Pointer 2071 of file domain table 202 of super file domain or sub file domain
And a link chain pointer 2072 of the file domain management table. The domain ID 2021 is the identification number of the file domain, and each file domain is identified using this domain ID 2021 as a key. The domain level 2022 is a value indicating the hierarchical label of the domain formed by the hierarchical relationship between the super file domain, the file domain main, and the sub file domain.

Regarding the file category, it is possible to define a sub file category which is further divided into some file categories, or a super file category which is a combination of some file categories. This super file category can also be defined multiple times for a certain file category. To realize these structures,
The file category table 203 has a category ID of 20.
31 and the domain level management table pointer 2032
And a pointer 2033 of the super file category management table 209 ′, a pointer 2034 of the sub file category management table 209 ″, and a pointer 2035 of the file management table 201. Category ID 2
031 is an identification number of the file category, and each file category is identified by using the category ID 2031 as a key. Super file category management table 20
9'and subfile category management table 209 ''
Are structurally the same (both are collectively referred to as a file category management table 209) and have a pointer 2091 of the file category table 203 of the super file category or the sub file category and a link chain pointer 2092 of the file category management table. .

The domain level management table 208 is used to associate the domain level with the file category. The domain level management table 208 has a domain level value 2081, a pointer 2082 of the file category table 203, and a link pointer 2083. Domain level management table 208 so that multiple domain levels corresponding to a certain file category can be set
Links multiple.

The process execution definition table 204 includes an execution process ID 2041, a pointer 2042 for each string of execution modules, and an input file definition table 210 '.
Pointer 2043 and output file definition table 21
0 ″ pointer 2044 and preprocessing definition table 21
1'pointer 2045 and post-processing definition table 21
It has a 1 ″ pointer 2046. Input file definition table 210 'and output file definition table 210''
Are structurally identical (they are collectively referred to as the input file definition table 210). The input / output file definition table 210 has a fixed / variable flag 2101 indicating whether a file to be accessed is fixed or variable, an access file definition area 2102, and a file allocation definition area 2
103 and a link chain pointer 2104. When the file to be accessed is fixed (FIG. 16A), the directory path name management table 2 of the directory in which the file exists in the file definition area 2102.
The pointer 2105 of 05 and the pointer 2106 of the string of the file name are stored. When the file to be accessed is variable (FIG. 16B), the domain level 2107 and the file category ID 21 of the file to be accessed are stored in the access file definition area 2102.
08 is stored. The file storage definition area 2103 defines in what format the file is allocated to the execution process. For example, information such as whether it is defined as an argument of an execution command, automatically assigned in a program, or assigned depending on an input file is stored together with a flag and specific information of each format. The link chain pointer 2104 is used to form a link chain by the number of input files and the number of output files for each of the input side and the output side. The pre-processing definition table 211 ′ and the post-processing definition table 211 ″ are structurally the same (these are collectively referred to as the pre-processing definition table 211), and the pointer 2111 of the process execution definition table 204 and the link chain pointer 2112 are To have. When the pre-processing or the post-processing consists of a plurality of processes, the pre / post-processing definition tables are linked by that number. Post-processing definition table 21
In the final table 211 ′ ″ of the link chain of 1 ″, the attribute value of whether or not to automatically execute the next tool is stored in the link chain pointer area 2112.

Next, a display example of various panels displayed during execution of this system execution method will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 12A shows the process activation management panel 3
It is a display example of the display of the data output device 01.
The process activation management panel 301 controls activation of various tools, manages processes in execution, and manages information after termination. Therefore, this panel is a portion for displaying various information on the data output device 105 under the control of the management information processing unit 103 and for fetching information input from the data input device 104. When executing a certain tool, first, the process activation management panel 301 is opened. Then, the already registered tools are displayed as icons 302, and a list of file domains 303 registered up to that point is displayed for a certain default domain level.
Is displayed. When a file domain is selected with the mouse, for example, files belonging to all domain series (hereinafter referred to as the same series) searched from that file domain as a super file domain in the upper hierarchy direction or as a sub file domain in the lower hierarchy direction Is displayed in the form of a flowchart 304 in which each icon 302 is rearranged as a box based on the execution sequence of the processes executed up to that point and the icons are connected by arrows. However, tools that are not used in this flowchart are arranged and displayed on the side of the flowchart 304.

The processing for searching the file domains of the same series is performed by the management information processing unit 103 as follows (FIG. 17). First, the super file domain management table pointer 202 of a certain file domain table 202
First, the super file domain management table pointed from 3 is searched. The file domain pointer 207 of the super file domain management table 207
The file specified by the directory path name management table pointer 2011 and the file name string pointer 2012 of the file management table 201 pointed to by the file management table pointer 2025 of the file domain table 202 pointed to by 1 is extracted. Further, the same processing is performed for the file domain table 202 pointed to by the file domain table pointer 2071 of the super file domain management table 207 pointed to by the super file domain management table pointer 2023 of this file domain table 202. 202
Repeat until you reach. When you reach the highest level,
A file is extracted from the super file domain management table 207 following the link chain of the super file domain management table 207 pointing to the file domain in the same manner as the above procedure. Also, for the subfile domain direction, the file is extracted in the same manner as the above procedure. With the above processing, all files existing in the same series can be extracted.

Information for generating the above flow chart is obtained by the following procedure (FIG. 18). File domain table 20 that defines the file domain specified in the file domain with the default domain level
2, the process execution management table 204 of the process that generated the file 201 in the file management table traced from the file management table pointer 2025 in FIG.
Of the tool that generated the file from the pointer 2015 of the file input execution process management table 206, and sequentially searches the link chain based on the file input execution process management table 206 pointed to by the file input execution process management table pointer 2016 By sequentially extracting the tools searched from the process execution definition table pointer 2061 in each file input execution process management table 206, all the tools using the file as an input are extracted. Candidates for accessing the process execution definition table 204 of each tool extracted by the above procedure based on the information in all the input / output definition tables 210 searched from the input file definition table pointer 2043 and the output file definition table pointer 2044. Extract the file. For example, when the file to be accessed is fixed, the directory path name management table 205 in the access file definition area
A file specified by the pointer 2105 of the file and the pointer 2106 of the string of the file name is extracted. When the file to be accessed is variable, the file having the domain level 2107 in the access file definition area is included in the file belonging to the file domain to which the file being processed belongs or belongs to the file domain of the same series of the file domain. Files that belong to the file category indicated by the file category ID 2108 are extracted from the file domain table. For all the files extracted in this way, extract the tools that generated the files by repeating the above procedure, the tools that were used as input, and the input / output file candidates for executing those tools, The execution sequence of the tool is obtained by sequentially searching the executed tools based on the process in which each file is generated and the input tool information.

The algorithm for actually displaying the flowchart 304 is as follows (FIG. 16). First,
For each execution stage, the total number of processes included in that stage is counted. Next, determine the vertical placement position of the tool icon that represents each process so that the distance between each step is equal,
After that, the horizontal placement positions of the icons are determined so that the left and right placement positions are even for each stage. Next, a flow chart is obtained by wiring an arrow line between those icons.

The user can instruct activation of the tool by selecting the icon 302 of the arbitrary tool on the flowchart 304 with the mouse. Flow chart 30
When an arbitrary icon 302 on 4 is selected with a mouse, an input / output file definition panel 305 for the tool is displayed (FIG. 12 (b)). If there is a previously executed file name or a file name designated as a default, each input file definition column 306 of this panel is displayed. When those columns 306 are selected with the mouse, the files in the same series as the file domain currently being processed are based on the contents defined in the input file definition table 210 'corresponding to the selected input file definition column 306. Files in the domain are extracted as candidate files and displayed in the file candidate list display field 308. By selecting the desired file from these displayed files with the mouse, the file can be set in the file definition field. If the file you want to specify is not in the file candidate list selected from the file domains of the same series as the current file domain domain_a, and it is known that it exists in the series of another file domain domain_b, the file domain to display is set. It is possible to switch, display a list of files existing in the sequence of the switched file domain and matching the contents of the input file definition table, and select from the list. Here is another domain domain
If a file that exists in the super file domain domain_c of _b is specified, domain_c
Is registered as a super file domain of domain_a, and domain_a is registered as domain_
Register as a subfile domain of c. Subdomain of other domain domain_b domain domain
If you specify a file that exists in n_d, dom
Ain_d is registered as a subfile domain of domain_a, and domain a is registered as domain.
Register as n_d super file domain.

The file name can also be directly input from the keyboard. In this case, specify the file name together with the directory path name where the file exists.
The directory path name can be specified as a relative path name or an absolute path name from the directory currently being processed. It can be omitted if it exists in the directory currently being processed. In this case, the domain ID of the designated file is determined from the contents defined in the input file definition table 210 ′ corresponding to the designated input file definition column 306 among the file domains in the same series as the file domain currently being processed. , Set various attributes of the file. For example, when the domain level is specified, the file domain of the same series of the file domain currently being processed is searched for the one having the same value at the domain level. If the file domain at the domain level is unique, the file domain is set as the file domain to which the file belongs. When there are a plurality of file domains, a list of those file domains is displayed and the file domain selected by the user with the mouse is set as the file domain to which the file belongs. However, if there is no designation by the user, the first file domain or the last file domain of the displayed ones, the first created file domain, or the last created file domain, etc. As the default file domain. When there is no file domain having the same domain level, a file domain of the domain level is newly generated and the file domain is set as the file domain to which the file belongs. If the file category is specified, the domain level value of the file category table is extracted and the file domain is set by the same processing as above. In principle, the domain level name of the newly generated file domain is automatically generated, but the user can also specify it. When specified by the user, it is checked whether there is any overlap with the existing file domain, and if there is an overlap, a warning is issued and the user is prompted to make corrections. Input / output file definition panel 3
In the output file definition field 307 of 05, a default file name determined from the contents of the input / output file definition table corresponding to the file domain currently being processed and the output file definition field is set. By inputting a file name from the keyboard, the user can change this file name to any file name.
If there are already several files with the same file name as the file name automatically generated or specified by the user, all revision numbers of the files are referenced and the The file with the highest revision number is searched, and the revision number obtained by incrementing the number by 1 is added. At this time, the file domain of this file is set based on the contents of the output file definition table 210 ″ corresponding to the output file definition field 307, as in the case of the input file.

If the tool to be executed is not registered, the "newtool" button 3 on the process start panel
Select 09 with the mouse. Then, the new tool execution process activation panel 310 appears. (FIG. 13A). The new tool execution process activation panel 310 has a tool activation name definition column 311, an input file number definition column 312, and an output file number definition column 313. When data is set in these fields, input / output file allocation definition panel 314
Appears. (FIG.13 (b)). The input / output file allocation definition panel 314 has a selection button 315 for each file, which indicates whether the file is fixed or variable. When fixed is selected here, a file name input panel 316 appears (FIG. 13C), and the file name is input in the file name input field 317. When the variable is selected, the variable file designation panel 318 appears. (FIG. 14A). The variable file designation panel 318 includes an assignment designation field 319, a domain level input field 320, and a file category ID input field 3
21 is displayed. The file allocation designation field 319 shows information such as how the file is allocated to the execution process, for example, whether it depends on the argument of the execution command or the contents of a certain file, for example, L
It is specified by a command in the form of a language such as isp or by a file name of a file storing those commands.
When the cursor is moved to the domain level input field 320, a domain level list 322 (FIG. 14B) appears, and when the cursor is moved to the category ID input field 321, a file category list 323 (FIG. 14C) appears. The user selects with a mouse from each attribute list or directly inputs from the keyboard.

Here, by taking the LSI design support system as an example, how the file / process management system manages the data files in the system and the management at the time of starting the process or at the time of executing the process, and the load of the design is reduced. Explain if it is reduced.

First, using this system, several LS
Consider the case of designing an I-chip. Various data files related to a chip are managed in the same file domain. On the other hand, design description data, test data for design verification, verification result data, etc. belong to different file categories. It is assumed that this chip is designed hierarchically and the design data of each layer or module is saved in a file. These individual modules are managed in their respective file domains. Consider one of these modules. First, open the process activation management panel and specify dm_a as the file domain of this module. It is assumed that this domain level is d1_0. If the file that saves the design data is module_a, first the module_
To create a, a design data input support tool tool_A such as a circuit diagram editor or a text editor is used.
When this tool_A is registered in the process activation management panel, the icon 302 of the tool_A is selected with the mouse, and file_a is specified in the output file definition field together with its directory path. If tool_A is not registered, the tool is registered by the method described above. When the execution of the tool_A is completed, each related data table such as the file management table 201, the file domain table 202, and the file category table 203 is created. When starting tool_A again to modify this file, specify module_a for both the input file and the output file. Then, an extension obtained by automatically incrementing the revision number of the input module_a by 1 is added, a new file management table 201 is generated, and the revision number is set to the same value as the number given to the extension.

After the design data is generated in this way, the design data is verified by the verification tool tool_B using this design data. tool_B is assumed to verify the design data by simulation. In that case, as the input file of the tool_B, the test data data_a1 for simulation and the control command data command_x for simulation are used in addition to the design data file module_a. Generally, there are a plurality of test data for a certain design data. Therefore, the file domain dmc of data_a1
1 is defined as a sub-file domain of the file domain dm_a of module_a, and domain level d
lc1 becomes a level lower than dm_a. Further, the simulation control command data is generally used in common for some design data. Therefore, the file domain dmp1 of command_x is mo
It is defined as a super file domain of the file domain dm_a of the dule_a, and the domain level dlp1 is defined as a level higher than the dm_a. Also, since the simulation result file sim_a1 that outputs the result of executing tool_B is generated corresponding to the test data, the same file domain and domain level as the test data are used.
Different attribute values are set for each file category. In order to make these settings, the input / output file definition table 21 for each input / output file traced from the process execution definition table 204 of tool_B.
For example, the contents of the access file definition area of 0 are set as follows, respectively. In the input / output file definition table 210 for module_a, the fixed / variable flag 2101 is made variable, the domain level 2107 of the access file definition area is set to "dl_a", and the file category ID 2108 is set to "design". comm
In the input / output file definition table for and_x,
The fixed / variable flag 2101 is made variable, the domain level 2107 of the access file definition area is set to “dlp1”, and the file category ID 2108 is set to “contro”.
In the input / output file definition table 210 for data_a1, the fixed / variable flag 2101 is made variable, and the domain level 2 of the access file definition area is set.
107 is set to "dlc1" and the file category ID is 21.
08 is designated as "testdata". In the input / output file definition table for sim_a1, the fixed / variable flag 2101 is variable, the access file definition area domain level 2107 is “dlc1”, and the file category ID 2108 is sim_result.

When there are a plurality of simulation control command files and the combinations of design data shared by them are different, different file domains are specified for each control command file, and each file domain is a super file of module_a. Must be set to the domain.

Normally, file categories are managed for each type of data such as design data, control command file, and test data. You may want to divide In this case, the original file category is managed by dividing it into several sub-file categories. Moreover, even if one tool recognizes the files as different types of files, another tool may recognize them as the same type of files. In this case, it is necessary to define and manage a super file category that is originally a collection of different file categories. The category management panel 324 is used to manage the hierarchical relationship between such categories.

As shown in FIG. 15A, when the category management panel 324 is opened, a category ID input field 325 and a sub file category selection field 326 are displayed.

In the subfile category selection field 326,
If the file category of the category ID specified in the file category ID input field 325 already has sub-file categories, a list 327 of them is displayed. When the cursor is placed on the category ID input field, a list 327 of the category IDs of the file categories defined so far is displayed (FIG. 15B). The category ID is designated by selecting one of these with a mouse or directly inputting from a keyboard. Next, when the cursor is placed on the sub-file category selection field 326, a list 327 of category IDs defined so far is also displayed (FIG. 15 (c)). Select an arbitrary number of category IDs from the category list or use the keyboard to enter 328
Specify the subfile category by directly entering it. When setting a super file category ct_s for a certain file category ct_a, ct_a is set as a sub file category from the ct_s.
Should be set. Therefore, by the above operation, the super file category and the sub file category can be set for any file category.

Embodiment 4 An embodiment of the third invention will be described below. First, FIG. 20 shows an example of the hardware configuration of the embodiment. The input unit 401 includes a keyboard, a pen, etc.
Inputs a command such as an instruction to the design support apparatus of the present invention, and this input is sent to the central processing unit (CPU) 403 via an input / output interface (not shown).

The command analysis unit 402 analyzes the command read from the external storage device (not shown) into the program storage area of the main storage device and input to the input unit 401.

The central processing unit 403 has a command analysis unit 4
In accordance with the command analyzed by the program No. 02, for example, various control units such as requesting the design data control unit 405 to register the design data input from the design data input unit 404 in the shared data base. , Manage various data bases and design tools as a whole.

The design data input unit 404 is a keyboard and a mouse that the designer inputs, and inputs the design data via the central processing unit 403.

The data base control unit 405 is a program read from an external storage device (not shown) into the program storage area of the main storage device, and is a shared data of the design data input from the design data input unit 404 described later. Data control such as version number control and registration control is performed on the base 407, the personal data base 408, and the temporary storage data base 409.

The version number control unit 451 is a routine for controlling the version number of the data base so that the version number registered in the shared data base 407 does not always exceed the predesignated version number.

The registration control unit 452 holds registration information of design data for the shared data base 407, the personal data base 408, and the temporary storage data base 409, and stores each of the design data stored in the design data input unit 404. This is a routine for controlling registration and deletion of the database.

The design tool group 406 is the central processing unit 40.
3 is a group of tools responsible for various processes executed, and is read from the external storage device into the program storage area as needed.

The shared data base 407, the temporary storage data base 408, and the personal data base 408 are stored in an external storage device such as a magnetic storage device. Of the shared data base 407, design data is not frequently changed by additions and updates, and new design data can be registered by additions and updates only by a designer who has the registration right. It is a database that can be referenced only by all designers involved in the design.

The personal data base 409 is a data base that stores design data of each designer who is involved in designing.

The temporary data base 408 temporarily stores the design data to be deleted from the shared data base 407, the design data whose deletion is suspended at the request of one or more designers involved in the design. It is a database. The design data temporarily stored in the temporary data base 408 is the temporary data base 408.
The designer who requested to store the data in the temporary storage specifies a temporary storage period.
Shall be deleted with the consent of the designer who requested the preservation of

Data Usage Storage Database 110
Is also stored in the external storage device, and various data
Database name, design data name, version number, execution tool name, how the design data stored in the base was used for each tool in the design tool group,
User name, execution start date / time, execution end date / time, execution CPU
A data usage record consisting of fields such as time is stored as data usage information.

FIG. 22 is an example of a flow chart showing the processing procedure of design data control using the present invention. Hereinafter, an example of the hardware configuration diagram of the present invention according to FIG. 20 will be used, with reference to FIG.

From designer A, shared database 407
The central processing unit 403 receives a request from the input unit 401 to register the data designed by itself, and registers the design data designed by the designer A in the shared data base 407 according to the analysis by the command analysis unit 402. Transmit (STEP 1).

The central processing unit 403 executes the following processing so as to register the design data designed by the designer A in any of the data bases 407-409. According to the registration control unit 452 of the subroutine of the data base control unit 405, each record of the data usage status storage data base 110 is accessed within a predetermined period.
The usage status of the design data is checked, such as whether some processing has been performed in the past by using the past version of the design data that the designer A is currently trying to register, or from which the processing is being executed ( STEP 2, 3).

By using the past version of the design data which the designer A is going to register, the designer who has performed some processing in the past or is executing the processing within a limited period in advance. If it exists, the central processing unit 403 according to the registration control unit 452 uses the past version of the design data that the designer A is currently trying to register, and performs some processing in the past, or performs some processing. The update of the design data is transmitted to another designer who is executing (1) via the bus (step 4).

Next, according to the version number control unit 451 which is a sub-routine of the data base control unit 405, the central processing unit 403 determines that the data usage status storage data base 110
To access records in the current shared database 40
Check the version number of the data registered by Designer A in 7 (ST
EP5).

If the version number of the design data registered by the designer A is less than the preset natural number N, the central processing unit 403 follows the program of the registration control unit 452.
Newly registers the design data that the designer A is going to register in the shared database 407 (STEP 6).

If the version number of the design data registered by the designer A is a preset natural number N, the central processing unit 403 executes the program of the version number control unit 451 to save the data use status. Referring to the database 110,
The designer A who has performed some process in the past using the past version of the design data that the designer A is currently trying to register within the designated period. Check which version the design data used by is (STPE7, 8).

When the above-mentioned confirmation is carried out, if some process has been performed in the past or the process has been executed within the designated period using the past version which the designer A is going to register. If all the designers in the middle do not use the latest version or the version currently in use, the central processing unit 403 uses the registration control unit 452 to set the oldest design data to the shared data.・ Base 407
, And the latest data is newly registered in the database-407 (STEP 17).

If a designer who is not currently performing any process uses the design data of the oldest version among the past versions that the designer is trying to register within a designated period, the design data will be used. The designer who has performed the above process but has not performed the same process using the design data of other versions,
If even one person exists, the design data of the oldest version is stored in the temporary storage data base 408, and the design data of the latest version that the designer is currently trying to register is stored in the data sharing data base 407. (STEP 16).

When the data is saved in the temporary data base 408, if the designer A who is not performing any process at present has the oldest data to be registered by the designer A within a predetermined period. If there are multiple designers who have performed some processing using the design data of the version but have not performed the same processing using the design data of other versions, the version of this design data is The data processing device 412. ． ．
To be displayed on the display. All the designers are allowed to specify the storage period, and the design data of the oldest version that the designer intends to register is stored in the temporary storage data base 409 for the longest period of the specified storage period. The storage period data is stored in the data usage storage database 110.

At present, if there is a designer who is executing some process using the oldest version of the design data that the designer A is going to register, the central processing unit 403 follows the registration control unit 452. Confirm with the designer who is currently executing some process using the oldest version of the design data that the designer A is trying to register, which version is to be used to execute the process currently being performed. Then, the data is transmitted to the corresponding data processing device 412. (STEP 11, 1
2).

If the designer A who is currently executing some process using the oldest version of the design data that the designer A is trying to register now uses the oldest version of the design data as before, If it is desired to continue the processing being performed, the central processing unit 403 confirms by the registration control unit 452 that the oldest design data is stored in the temporary storage data base 408 (STEPs 13 and 14).

When the oldest version is not registered in the temporary storage database 408, the registration control unit 452 causes the central processing unit 403 to notify the designer who wants to continue the process using the design data of the oldest version. , And requests the designation of the storage period of the oldest design data (STEP 15).

In this case, when there are a plurality of designers who want to continue the process using the oldest version of the design data, the designated longest storage period is set as the storage period.

Next, the registration control unit 452 causes the central processing unit 403 to set the oldest design data to the temporary storage data base 1-9 and the latest design data to the shared data base 1
Register at -7 (STEP 16, 17).

Here, as shown in FIG. 23, various data bases of the shared data base, the personal data base, and the temporary storage data base are stored in the shared data base.
It is assumed that the version number of IV is 3 and the version number of FALU is 2. Further, it is assumed that the designer A is the person in charge of designing the design data of the FDIV and FALU.

Using the above assumptions, the processing procedure of the design support apparatus according to the present invention will be described below according to the present invention when the designer A newly registers design data according to the flowchart shown in FIG. Will be described in detail.

As a first example, the designer A selects shared data
The processing procedure will be described on the assumption that the base 407 makes a request to the central processing unit 403 to newly register the design data FALU designed by the designer A. In order to avoid confusion, the newly registered data that Designer A is currently trying to register in the shared database is FAUL-New.
And Further, it is assumed that the maximum version number that can be registered in the shared database 407 is 3.

Upon receiving the request, the central processing unit 403 transmits the data base control unit 405 so that the designer A registers the design data FALU-New designed by the designer A in the shared data base 407 ( STEP 1).

Upon receiving the design data base FALU-New transmitted to the shared data base 407, the data base control unit 405 accesses the design data usage status storage data base 110, and the designer A will now register. By using the past version of the design data FALU, the usage status of the design data is checked to see if any processing has been performed in the past, or whether any processing is being executed (STEPs 2 and 3).

For example, while the designer B is in the process of verifying using the design data FALU-old1, the designer C is currently not performing any process, but the designer C specifies a predetermined period. When some processing is executed by using the FDIV-old1, the central processing unit 403 controls the designer B and the designer C by the design data control unit 405.
The update of the design data is transmitted (STEP 4).

Next, the central processing unit 403 is controlled by the version number control unit 451 of the data base control unit 405 to FAL the design data currently registered in the shared data base 407.
Check the number of U data (STEPs 5 and 6).

Shared data base The number of design data of design data FALU registered by designer A is currently FAL.
U and FALU-old are two, and the version number does not exceed the limited number 3 designated in advance by new registration, and the central processing unit 403 causes the designer A The design data is registered in the shared database 407 (STEP 17).

Next, the central processing unit 403 by the registration control unit 452 uses which version of the design data for the designer B,
It is confirmed whether to continue the processing (STPE1, 12).

If the designer B receives the latest data FALU-N
If processing is performed using ew, the current verification processing is FA
Although the LU-old 1 is used, if the registration control unit 452 requests the registration control unit 452 to replace the FALU and continue the process, the registration control unit 452 causes the central processing unit 4 to perform the processing.
03 replaces FALU-old1 used in the verification work performed by designer B with FALU. Designer B uses FALU to continue the verification process.

As a second example, the designer A uses the shared data
It is assumed that the designer A requests the central processing unit 403 to register the FDIV designed by the designer A. Similarly to the first example, the design data that the designer A newly registers in the shared data base 407 is FDIV-New, shared data.
It is assumed that the maximum version number that can be registered in the base 407 is 3.

Upon receipt of the request, the central processing unit 403 transmits the data base control unit 405 so that the designer A registers the design data designed by the designer A in the shared data base 407 (STEP 1).

The central processing unit 403 accesses the design data use status storage data base 110 by the data base control unit 405 which has received the transmission of the design data registration to the shared data base 1-7, and the designer A Using the past version of the design data to be registered, check the usage status of the design data such that some processing has been performed in the past or some processing is being executed (STEP).
2, 3).

Currently, the designer B uses the oldest version of the design data FDIV-old2 to perform the verification process, and the designer C does not perform any process at present, but within the preset period, the FDIV- It is assumed that some processing is executed using old2 and no processing is executed using design data newer than FDIV-old2.

In the case of the above assumption, the central processing unit 403 notifies the designers B and C that the design data FDIV has been updated by the registration control unit 452 (STEP).
4).

Next, the central processing unit 403 confirms the number of FDIV design data of the design data registered by the designer A in the current shared data base 407 by the version number control unit 451 (STEPs 5 and 6).

At present, the design data FDIV registered by the designer A has a version number stored in the data base 407 of three, which is equal to the limited number.

Since the designer C is not currently performing any processing, the registration control unit 452 causes the central processing unit 403 to
The oldest design data FDIV-old2 is automatically registered in the temporary storage database 408, and the latest design data FDIV-New that the designer A is currently trying to register.
Is stored in the shared database 407 (STEP1
7).

In the case of the above assumption, the designer C selects FDIV-o.
The FDIV-old2 is stored in the temporary storage data base 408 until a certain period of time until the storage period of the ld2 in the temporary storage data base is designated. The registration control unit 452 causes the central processing unit 403 to change the design C to FDIV-old.
After specifying the retention period in the temporary storage database of 2,
Retention period of FDVI-old2 in the temporary storage database specified by designer C and FDI specified by designer B
Compare the storage period of V-olod2 in the temporary storage database and select whichever is longer, FDIV-ol
The storage period in the temporary storage database 408 of d2 is set.

Then, the central processing unit 403 causes the designer B to execute the process currently being executed by the designer B with the latest design data FDIV-New or FDIV-old.
It is confirmed whether the design data other than 2 is to be redone, or whether the design data FDIV-old2 currently in the specification is used as it is to continue the process, and whether the process currently performed with the designated design data is continued (STEP 11). , 12).

If the designer B selects the design data FDIV-
If it is desired to continue the processing currently performed using the old2, the FDIV-old2 is stored in the temporary storage database 408 according to the above-mentioned assumption. -Specify the temporary storage period in the temporary storage database 408 of old2 (ST
EP15).

After designating the temporary placement period of the FDIV-olld2 in the temporary placement database 408, the designer B continues the verification work currently being performed.

[0114]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, not only when each designer repeats the modification of his / her design data and the execution of the tool using the design data in the design work, , In the situation where the tool is frequently executed by using the data designed and modified by other designers in addition to the data designed and modified by oneself, the design data created and modified by oneself and created by another designer -It is easy to grasp what kind of modification or tool execution has been done by yourself or other designers in the past for the modification of the modified design data. It is possible to prevent unexecutable execution or tool execution due to incorrect combination of design data, and to easily understand tool execution.

By the file / process management system according to the method of the second invention, the execution sequence of the process for the purpose of each project is extracted from the management information of each file, and on the flowchart displayed based on the extracted execution sequence. It is possible to specify the process to be executed again from, to easily extract the files required when a certain process is executed, and to perform more detailed management of the purpose of each file, which was previously managed by the user. Information such as the execution procedure of processes, management of input / output files of each process, and correspondence between input / output files centered on a certain process can be managed on a computer.
The load on the user is reduced. The efficiency of work such as design using a CAD tool can be improved. Further, since the purpose of use of each file is managed in detail, it is not necessary to know whether a certain file is necessary or unnecessary. For example, a useless area of a storage holding device such as a magnetic disk device is reduced, and resources are reduced. Leads to efficient operation of.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the shared database is designed so that the version number of the design data is not left in the shared spin design base without the version number exceeding the prespecified natural number N. It is possible to limit the amount of unnecessary design data. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the situation where the design data exceeds the allowable capacity of the design data storage device, and the processing is simpler than that of the conventional version control mechanism of the design support apparatus having the version control unit. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the system of the design support apparatus from becoming too large.

Furthermore, it is possible to greatly improve the design efficiency by preventing the designer from being ignored and automatically deleting the design data.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a system configuration diagram relating to a design data management device of the first invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a system configuration diagram relating to a design data management device according to another aspect of the first invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of a data name of design data of the first invention and a display screen of its version number display device.

4 is a diagram showing the design data information display shown in FIG.
It is an example of a display screen of the utility.

FIG. 5 is an example of data of design data according to a modification of the first aspect of the present invention and a display screen of the usage status display device of the version.

FIG. 6 is another example of the display screen of the design data of FIG. 5 and the usage status display device of the version.

FIG. 7 is another example of the display data of the design data of FIG. 5 and the usage status display device of the version.

FIG. 8 is another example of the design data of FIG. 5 and the display screen of the usage status display device of the version.

FIG. 9 is another example of the display screen of the design data of FIG. 5 and the usage status display device of the version.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system for realizing the method of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the structure of a database for implementing the method of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a display example of various panels. a is a display example of the process activation management panel. b is a display example of the input / output file definition panel.

13A is a display example of a new tool execution process start panel. FIG. b is a display example of the input / output file allocation definition panel. c is a display example of the file name input panel.

FIG. 14A is a display example of a variable file designation panel. b is a display example of a variable file designation panel that displays a list at the domain level. c is a display example of the variable file specification panel in which the file category list is displayed.

FIG. 15A is a display example of a category management panel. b is a display example of the category management panel displaying a list of category IDs of file categories when the cursor is placed on the category ID input field. c is the sub file category selection field The category ID of the file category when the cursor is moved over
An example of the category management panel displaying a list of.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of an input / output file definition table. a is an explanatory diagram of an input / output file definition table when a file to be accessed is fixed. FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram of an input / output file definition table when a file to be accessed is variable.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of a processing procedure for extracting files existing in the same series.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a procedure for searching a process execution sequence.

FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram of an algorithm for generating a flowchart diagram.

FIG. 20 is an example of a hardware configuration of the third invention.

FIG. 21 is an example of a conceptual diagram of various version numbers.

FIG. 22 is an example of a flowchart of a processing procedure at the time of startup of the third invention.

FIG. 23 is a database controller according to the third invention;
It is an example of a hardware configuration of various shared data bases.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Data Processing Device 3 CPU 10 CAD Tool 12 CAD Tool 13 Input Device 14 Display 15 Design Data Management Routine 16 Execution History Information Storage and Retrieval Unit 17 User Specification Interpretation Unit 18 Usage Data Display Unit 19 Execution History Information Unit 102 External Storage Device 103 Management information processing unit 104 Data input device 401 Input unit 402 Command analysis unit 403 Central processing unit 404 Design data input unit 405 Data base control unit 451 Version number control unit 452 Registration control unit 406 Design tool group 407 Shared data base 408 Individual Data base 409 Temporary data base

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A means for sending execution history information to a design data management unit when designing or verifying a circuit, a means for accumulating and retrieving the sent execution history information, a tool and a data type by a designer. Or for the designation of the period,
A design data management device having a display function of displaying data used in the past and a data management means for displaying the data. 2. Storage means for storing a shared data base that can be changed and referred to, and design data to be deleted, holding deletion of the design data to be deleted from the shared data base. Storage means for temporarily storing the temporary storage data base, a storage device for storing a personal data base for storing the designer's personal design data, registration of the three types of data bases, and design data A design data management device comprising a data base control unit for controlling the version number.