JPH07319674A - Method and system for supporting update of information file - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically report the update of an affected-side information file as to a method and system for supporting the update of the information file. CONSTITUTION:This system is provided with an information data base 2 and plural information update processing systems 14i and 14j which are constituted by having controllers 10i and 10j connected to an input means 11i, information update processing means 6i and 6j, and message processing means 8i and 8j, and connected to the information data base through communication interfaces 12i and 12j, and, the controller which responds to the update of the information file by the input means 11i is related with the link file of the information file updated by actuating the information processing means and retrieves discrimination information on the person in charge of the generation of the affected information in the information data base. When the information on the person in charge is sent back to the controller, the controller transfers it to the message processing means 8i and 8j of an information update processing system specified with the person-in-charge discrimination information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention automatically updates an information file to another creator who is affected by the update when an information file is updated by a creator who participates in the joint development of software. The present invention relates to an information file update support method that can be notified.

In an information processing system, software for operating the system is indispensable. Since the software is quite large depending on the information processing system, a joint development method by a plurality of creators is used.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional software development environment, when software is developed by a plurality of creators, the functions of an information database, the update of information files, and the exchange of information by the creators are related. ,
It was done separately.

[0004]

Therefore, in the case of a situation in which the person in charge of updating the information file tries to update the information file in the joint development of software, the means that can be taken are individual means. Even if the update of the information file by a person affects the information files handled by other persons in charge of creation, the effect cannot be taken as quickly as possible. In addition, it is impossible to perform an error-free process for the ripple that occurs as described above, and it is difficult to avoid inconsistency in the software created by the update as described above.

The present invention was created in view of such technical problems, and an information file update support method and an information file update support method capable of automatically notifying the update of another information file affected by the update of a certain information file. Its purpose is to provide an information file update support method.

[0006]

FIG. 1 shows a principle block diagram of the invention according to claims 2 to 5. According to the first aspect of the present invention, when an information file is updated by a certain information update processing system, an information file affected by the information file related to the update is created in response to a link file in the information file. Obtain the person in charge identification information,
The update message for the information file affected by the information file related to the update is transferred to another information update processing system specified by the acquired creation person identification information, and the information file of the other information update processing system is transferred. Characterized by updating.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, an information database 2 for storing a link file as file contents and identification information of a person in charge of creation designated by the link file in a table format; Input means 4 for updating the file and inputting the updated information file
_i (i is one of 1, 2, ..., N), information update processing means 6 _i for searching the information file in the information database 2, and message processing means 8 _i is configured to have a that controller 10 _i, a communication interface 12 _i via the provided and a plurality of information updating processing system 14 _i connected to the information data base over scan 2, certain information update processing system 14 _i the control device 10 _i in response to the updating of the input means 4 _i by the information file has been performed in
Activates the information update processing means 6 _i to input the input means 4 _i.
The information database 2 is searched for the identification information of the person in charge of creating the information file affected by the updated information file, which is associated with the link file of the information file updated and input by the communication interface 12 _i.
When the creation person identification information is returned to the control device 10 _i via the communication device, the control device 10 _i sends an update message for the information file that needs to be updated in association with the update via the communication interface 12 _i . The information update processing system 14 _j (j is 1,
It is characterized in that it is transferred to the message processing means 8 _i via the communication interface 12 _i (one other than i of 2, ..., N) and the control device 10 _j .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in the information file update processing support method according to the second aspect, an update message is input from the input means 4 _i and an update message is created. Person identification information. The information file is updated by the update-destination information update processing system 14 _j after notifying the update-destination information update processing system 14 _j designated by.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in the information file update processing support method of the second aspect, updating is performed in response to the creation person identification information being returned to the control device 10i. After the difference between the information file before the update and the information file after the update is taken and the difference is notified to the update destination information update processing system specified by the creation person in charge identification information as an update message, the update destination information It is characterized in that the information file is updated by the update processing system 14 _j .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, in the information file update processing support system, the update message display means 16 is displayed on the update destination information update processing system.
The provided _j, upon reading the update message displayed on the display unit 16 _j, and performs the update processing of the update target information updating processing system 14 _j.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, in an information update processing system, when an information file is updated, when a link file in the information file has an information file affected by the update of the information file, Acquiring the identification information of the person in charge of creating the affected information file in response to the link file indicating that the information is affected.

[0012] An update message about an information file affected by the update is transferred to another information update processing system specified by the acquired creation person identification information, and the information file affected by the update is transferred. Update.

By doing so, it is possible to eliminate the contradiction between the information files, reduce the amount of work involved in updating the information files, and contribute to the smooth development of software.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the information file is updated by the input means 4 _i , the control device 10 _i which responds to the update activates the information update processing means 6 _i to update the updated information. The identification information of the person in charge of creating the information file affected by the file is retrieved from the information database 2 and the identification information of the person in charge of creation is returned to the control device 2.

The control unit 10 _i specifies an update message for an information file that needs to be updated in accordance with the update, via the communication interface 12 _i , by the information update processing system 14 _j designated by the identification information of the person in charge of creation. Then, the data file is transferred to the message processing means 8 _j via the communication interface 12 _j and the control device 10 _j to update the information file of the update destination which needs to be updated in accordance with the update.

Therefore, also in the invention described in claim 2, the same operational effect as that of the invention described in claim 1 can be enjoyed. The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that in the invention described in claim 2, the update message to be transferred to the information update processing system 14 _j is created by the input means 4 _i . The function and effect are almost the same as those of the invention according to claim 2.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the difference between the information file before the update and the information file after the update is obtained at the update source, and the difference is sent as an update message to the update information updating system and the update destination. The information file of is updated. The function and effect are almost the same as those of the invention according to claim 2.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the update message is displayed on the update destination display means 16 _j and the information file at the update destination is updated after the completion of reading.
The function and effect are almost the same as those of the invention according to claim 2.

[0019]

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention described in claims 1 to 5. The display terminal device 50 shown in this figure is connected to an information update processing system 52, and the information update processing system 52 is connected to an information database server 54. There are a plurality of information update processing systems 52, and two of them are shown as a representative. These information update processing systems 52 are designated as reference numbers 5 in the drawings.
Although 2 _i and 52 _j are used, the subscripts i and j are omitted in the following description to avoid complication.

The display terminal device 50 has a display function for displaying an information file to a person in charge of creation and an input function for inputting a message. The display terminal device 50 is provided for each person in charge of creation.

The information update processing system 52 includes a controller 5
6, a memory device 58, a communication interface 68, and a file device 64. Memory device 5
8 includes an information update processing unit 60 and a message processing unit 62.
Is configured. This information update processing system 5
2 is provided for each person in charge of creation.

The information database server 54 comprises an information database 70. One is provided in the plurality of information update processing systems 52. The file device 64 of each person in charge of preparation has a message file in which an update message addressed to itself or from another person in charge of preparation is stored.

In the memory device 58 of each creator, a message processing unit having a function of searching the message file and a UNIX mail function of transferring to a message file of another creator via the communication interface 68. 62 and displaying the information file on the display terminal device 50 so that the person in charge of creation can update the information file,
A function for inputting a message to another person in charge of creation, and the message processing unit 62 is searched for a corresponding information file from the name of the file structure of the information database 70 in the information database server 54. The information update processing unit 60 sends an update message to the function / communication interface 68, transfers the update message to the person in charge of creating the affected side information file, and requests the update processing. Both the information update processing unit 60 and the message processing unit 62 are composed of programs. The program is written in the memory provided in the memory device 58 (not shown), and the program is executed by the CPU in the memory device 58 (not shown) to be executed by the information update processing unit 60 and the message processing unit 62. The memory device 58 is configured to perform the processing performed.

The information database server 54 has 198
ISO (International Standard Organization)
) (International Standards Organization) is an international standard for document description (ISO 8879: 1986), SGML (Standard).
Information database 7 for storing the structure of the information database shown in FIG. 4 using the Generalized Markup Language)
0 and a search and update means for searching and updating the information database 70. The structure of this information database is obtained by structuring the contents of the document instance (information file) in SGML illustrated in FIG. 3 and reconstructing it into a table format. The contents of the information file, the person in charge of creating the information file, and the name of the information file (link file) affected by updating the information file. The information file is composed of required specifications, design specifications, programs, test information, names, addresses of creators, update dates, link files, and contents. In SGML, a mark called a "tag" is embedded in each part of the document to distinguish the part from other character strings. As shown in FIG. 3, the tag includes a start tag (indicated by <name> in the example of FIG. 3) and an end tag (indicated by </ name> in the example of FIG. 3), which is a start tag. The part enclosed by the end tag is called an element. A document instance is a collection of multiple elements.

In FIG. 2, the information database 70 is
The display terminal device 50 corresponds to the information database 2 of FIG.
Corresponds to the input means 4 in FIG. Information update processing unit 60
1 corresponds to the information update processing means 6 in FIG. 1, and the message processing unit 62 corresponds to the message processing unit 8 in FIG. The control device 56 corresponds to the control device 10 in FIG. 1, and the communication interface 68 corresponds to the communication interface 12 in FIG. The information update processing system 52 corresponds to the information update processing system 14 of FIG.

The operation of the invention according to claims 1 to 5 configured as described above will be described below. The person in charge of creation uses the display terminal device 50 of his own to update the information processing system 52
When an information file in the information database 70 in the information database server 54 is read into the display terminal device 50 via the and the attempt is made to update the information file (FIG. 5).
S1), the person in charge of creation, for example, the person in charge of creation (na
kasawa) creates an updated information file using the display terminal device 50 (see S2 in FIG. 5 and A in FIG. 10). It is assumed that the name of the updated information file is a requirement specification (RA) information file, as shown in FIG.
The updated information file is transferred from the display terminal device 50 to the information update processing unit 60 via the control device 56 (FIG. 5).
See S3).

When the updated information file is input to the information update processing unit 60 (see S1 in FIG. 6), it is determined whether or not the information file has a link file. If there is no link file (see F in S2 of FIG. 6), the control device 56 does nothing and the process ends (see S3 in FIG. 6 and F in S4 in FIG. 4).

If there is a link file (T in S2 of FIG. 6)
), Information database 7 using the link file
The address of the person in charge of creating the link file is searched from 0 (see S4 in FIG. 6), and the value (hereinafter, referred to as an address) of the found person in charge of the search is returned from the information update processing unit 60 to the control device 56 ( (See S5 in FIG. 6). For example, in FIG.
In this example, the link files are design specifications (DA) and test documents (EA), and the information database 70 is searched by using these link file names, and Addresses yamasaki and yamamoto to control device 5
Return to 6.

If it is not necessary to transfer the update message to another person in charge of creation corresponding to the retrieved address (see F in S4 of FIG. 5), the update process ends. When necessary (see T in S4 of FIG. 5), after creating an update message as follows, the update message is sent to the person in charge of creation specified by the link file information of the updated information file. Forward. The link file is
If it is as shown in FIG. 4, the update message for each is transferred from the message processing unit 62 to the message files of yamasaki and yamamoto in the file device 64 (see B and C in FIG. 10).

This will be further described as follows (S5 and S6 in FIG. 5: see S1 and S2 in FIG. 7). The first method of transferring is to transfer the information file to the information database 70.
Is read into the display terminal device 50 via the communication interface 60 and the control device 68, the information file is updated, and the update message is input. Then, the control device 56 that receives the updated information file transfers the update message from the information update processing unit 60 via the communication interface 68 to the information update processing system 52 of the transfer destination (for example, yamasaki, yamamoto), and the information is updated. In the update processing system 52, the data is written to the file device 64 under the control of the message processing unit 62 via the communication interface 68 and the control device 56, and is transferred to the person in charge of making the transfer destination. This first method corresponds to the invention of claim 3. The second method of transferring is to take a difference between the information file before being updated and the information file after being updated, and transfer the difference as an update message to the transfer destination (for example, yamasa
ki, yamamoto). The transfer to the person in charge of creating the transfer destination by the second method is the same as in the case of the first method. This second method corresponds to the invention of claim 4.

When the transfer of the update message to the transfer destination is completed, the information update processing unit 60 notifies the control device 5 of that fact.
6 and the update process ends (S7 in FIG. 5: S3 and S4 in FIG. 7).

The above is the search for the information file affected by the updated update message and its transfer. Next, the processing in the information update processing system 52 on the updated side affected by the update will be described below.

In the information update processing system 52 on the updated side, a person in charge of software development in the information update processing system 52, such as yamasaki, processes a message via the display terminal device 50 and the control device 56. An inquiry is made to the unit 62 (see S1 and S2 in FIG. 9).
This inquiry is an inquiry for a person in charge of creation, for example, yamasaki, to update the design specification (DA). In the above description example, by the time the search is performed, there is an update [requirement specification (RA)] of the information file that affects the design specification (DA), and the updated file is created. The person in charge has sent the update message to the file device 64 as described above. When there is no update message (see F in S3 of FIG. 9), the information update processing unit 60 notifies the control device 56 of that fact and ends the update processing (see S4 of FIG. 9).

When there is an update message (S in FIG. 9)
3 T), the information update processing unit 6
The data is returned from 0 to the control device 56 (see S5 in FIG. 9). When there is no update message in the returned update message regarding the person in charge of creation in the information update processing system 52, for example, yamasaki, the control device 56 determines that there is no update message (S3 in FIG. 8). F
(Refer), and the update process ends.

On the contrary, if there is an update message (S in FIG. 8).
3), the update message is displayed on the display terminal device 50 operated by the creator in charge of developing the software, for example, yamasaki (see S4 in FIG. 8).

When the creator in charge, for example, yamasaki, has read the displayed update message, the update corresponding to the update message is performed on the information file corresponding to the creator (see S5 in FIG. 8).

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the person in charge of creation nakasa
When the required specifications (RA) are updated by wa,
As described above, the person in charge of creation yamasaki updates the contents of its own information file, and the person in charge of preparation yamamoto updates his own test document (EA).
The update process similar to that performed for ki is performed by the creator ya
It is also held at mamoto.

In the above embodiment, the case where the updating side and the updated side are performed by a series of operations has been described.
When there is an update message transferred from the updating side in the updating process on the updated side, the person in charge of creation may be informed of this and the update message search process on the updated side may be eliminated.

Also, the case where one information database 70 is provided for a plurality of information update processing systems 52 has been described, but two or more information databases 70 having a configuration that can be commonly used by a plurality of persons in charge of creation. It may be configured.

[0040]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a person in charge of creating or updating software creates or updates software in a software development environment in which a plurality of people collaborate, the information file of each person in charge of creation is created. Since the influence that has reached is automatically transmitted from the update side to the updated side, means for automatically eliminating the influence can be provided, which is useful for eliminating the contradiction between the information files. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the work involved in updating the information file and promote smooth development of software development.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the principle of the invention according to claims 2 to 5.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the invention described in claims 1 to 5;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a document instance.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an information database.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an update processing flow in a control device of the information update processing system of the update source.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a first processing flow in the information update processing unit of the information update processing system of the update source.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second processing flow in the information update processing unit of the update source information update processing system.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing flow in the control device of the update destination information update processing system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing flow in an information update processing unit of an update destination information update processing system.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a structural example of an information database.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 information database 4 input means 6 information update processing means 8 message processing means 10 control device 12 communication interface 14 information update processing system 50 display terminal device 52 information update processing system 56 control device 60 information update processing means 62 message processing means 68 communication interface 70 Information Database

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. When a certain information update processing system attempts to update an information file, in response to a link file in the information file, identification of a person in charge of creating the information file affected by the information file related to the update The information is acquired, the update message for the information file affected by the information file related to the update is transferred to the other information update processing system specified by the acquired creation person identification information, and the other information update processing is performed. An information file update support method characterized by updating an information file of a system. 2. A link file and a file content
The identification information of the person in charge of creation specified in the link file is
Information database (2) to be stored in the bull format and the information file are updated, and the updated information file is input.
Input means (4_i) (I is 1, 2, ..., out of n
1), the information file in the information database (2)
Information update processing means (6)_i), And a message
Processing means (8 _i) Connected to the control device (10_i)
Configured to have a communication interface (12_i) Through
Information connected to the information database (2)
Update processing system (14_i) And a certain information update processing system (14_i) Input means
(4_i) Update the information file
The control device (10_i) Is the information update processing means
(6_i) To activate the input means (4_i) Updated by
Link to the input information file link file
Information affected by the updated information file
The information database that identifies the person in charge of creating the file
Search from (2), and use the communication interface (12_i) Through
Then, the identification information of the person in charge of creation is the control device (10_i) Return to
Control device (10_i) Is updated with the above update.
Update messages for information files that need new
Communication interface (12_i) Through the person in charge of making
Information update processing system specified by identification information (14_j)
(J is one of i out of 1, 2, ..., N)
Communication interface (12_i), The control device (10_j)
Message processing means (8_i) Transfer to
Information file update support method. 3. The information file update processing support system according to claim 2, wherein the update message is input from the input means (4 _i ) and the update message is created. after notification to (14 _j), update destination information update processing system (14 _j) information, characterized in that updating the information file by file update processing support scheme. 4. The information file update processing support method according to claim 2, wherein the information file before being updated and the information after being updated in response to the creation person identification information being returned to the control device (10i). After taking the difference from the file and notifying the difference to the update destination information update processing system specified by the creation person in charge identification information as an update message, the update destination information update processing system (14 _j ) An information file update processing support method characterized by updating. 5. The information file update processing support system is provided with a display means (16 _j ) connected to a control device (10 _j ) of the update destination information update processing system, and displayed on the display means (16 _j ). The information file update processing method characterized in that the update processing is performed by the information update processing system (14 _j ) of the update destination after the completion of reading the update message.