JPH0926881A - Client server system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a true cooperative processing for which the intervention of a user is not required for the start of an end user program in a client server system. SOLUTION: A hot link HL is established between a client C and a server S and a message exchange is performed between the client C and the server S. When the client C receives an update processing notification message from the server S, the actuating means 4 of the client actuates an end user program 3, the prescribed processing described in a macro language according to the update processing by the server is executed, and processings that the update history of the data updated by the server S is preserved, etc., are performed by the end user program 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a client / server which automatically starts an end user program provided on the client side to execute various processes due to updating processing of data on the server side. Regarding the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In data processing using a computer, an end user program (or customized program) created in a macro language may be set in order to prepare an environment that is easy for the user to use and to perform special data processing. is there. For example, in the document processing apparatus described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-195458, an end user who generates data to be input for a special item portion in the document in the document processing apparatus which creates a document with the input character symbols. A program is provided so that when a user inputs a request from the keyboard, the end-user program is executed based on this request, and data such as the date to be input is generated and stored in a special item part in the document. I have to.

Such end user programs are also used in client / server systems.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-68046 discloses a client / server system that uses an end user program for building an application system. This client / server system is a system in which an end user program is provided in a server, an end user program of the server executes a predetermined process in response to a request from the client, and the result is returned to the client. And the server are linked.

[0004]

However, in the prior art, even if the client and the server are made to cooperate with each other, the end user program executes a predetermined process in response to a request from the user or the client. The end user program on the client side could not automatically execute a predetermined process based on the data processing result.

For example, in Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) supported by Windows (trademark of Microsoft Corporation, USA), hot link (hot li) is used.
There is an inter-process communication function called nk), and this hot link automatically notifies the client of the result of the data update processing performed by the server. The data notified in this way is stored by overwriting the memory in the client. For example, when it is necessary to retain the update history of the data, an end user program that saves the updated data as separate files. Should be provided in the client.

However, in the past, the end user program could not be automatically executed as described above. Therefore, when attempting to keep an update history, the user makes a request every time there is an update notification from the server. I had to input it, start the end user program, and save the update data. This situation is the same when an end-user program that performs totaling and saving processing is installed on the client, and the results of data update processing on the server are totaled on the client side and saved as a separate file each time. , True cooperation using the end user program has not been realized between the client and the server.

The present invention has been made in view of the above conventional circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to realize a true cooperation process in a client / server system that does not require the intervention of a user to start an end user program.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a client / server system according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a server for performing data processing, and a client for performing predetermined processing based on the data processed by the server. In a client / server system that comprises a link for exchanging messages between the server and the client based on a request from the client, the server includes a communication unit that sends and receives a message via the link, and a processing target. The client includes a storage unit that stores data and a processing unit that performs an update process on the data stored in the storage unit, and the client has a communication unit that sends and receives a message via a link and an end that performs a predetermined process on the data. Based on the user program and the update processing notification message from the server, the end user program Characterized by comprising a starting means for starting grams, the.

The client according to claim 2
The server system is the client-server system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means of the server stores a plurality of data identified by the items, and the activation means of the client selects the items based on the update processing notification message. It is characterized by activating a corresponding end user program.

Further, the client according to claim 3
3. The server system according to claim 2, wherein the link is established based on a link establishment request message specifying an item from the client, and the server specifies a link for transmitting a data message of the specified item. The link establishment response message is sent to the client and the update processing notification message is sent by including the identifier of the link, and the client sends the link identifier corresponding to the item specified by the management means based on the link establishment response message and the relevant link identifier. The item data is managed by associating it with an end user program that performs a predetermined process, and the managing unit uses the end user program corresponding to the item designated based on the link identifier included in the update processing notification message as the starting unit. Start the update process Characterized in that for performing predetermined processing on data contained in the informational message.

[0011]

In the client / server system according to the first aspect, an inter-process communication link such as a hot link is established between the client and the server, and messages are exchanged between the client and the server. Then, in this message exchange, when the client receives the update processing notification message from the server, the starting means of the client starts the end user program based on this notification. As a result, the end user program is automatically started from the server based on the update processing notification message,
It executes the specified processing described in the macro language.

Further, in the client-server system according to the second aspect, when there are a plurality of pieces of data to be updated by the server, these are distinguished by items, and the starting means is based on the update processing notification message from the server. The end user program corresponding to is automatically started. Further, in the client / server system according to claim 3, a link is established for each item designated by the client, and the management means of the client uses the identifier of this link to execute the end user program corresponding to the item updated by the server. The end user program is specified and started by the starting means to execute a predetermined process such as a process of storing the update history.

According to the present invention, not only a client / server system configured by a client application program and a server application program installed in the same machine such as a personal computer but also a separate machine such as a workstation is connected by a network. Also, it can be applied to a client / server system including a client machine and a server machine.

[0014]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, an example of a mode for implementing the client / server system according to the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows an example implemented on the same machine, and a hot link HL is established between a client application and a server application to perform inter-process communication. That is, the user inputs a link type such as a hot link, a server side application name, a server side data item, a client side object name, and an end user program name to be started on the client side, and the client application and server Establish a hotlink HL with the application.

When the server application program updates the data object SD (for example, table data) of the specified item, the update notification is notified to the client application via the hot link HL and specified by the user. The client-side object (for example, tabular data) is reflected on the CD. Then, on the client side, based on the update notification, the end user program designated by the user is automatically started, and the update history saving process is executed.

FIG. 2 shows an example implemented on separate machines connected by a network. A hot link HL is established between a client machine and a server machine via a network NT to perform inter-process communication. ing. In this mode, the user inputs the above items together with the server machine name from the client machine, and the hot link H is entered between the client machine and the server machine.
Establish L. Then, when the server machine updates the data object SD of the specified item, this update notification is notified to the client machine via the hot link HL and is reflected in the client-side object CD specified by the user. . Then, on the client side, based on the update notification, the end user program designated by the user is automatically started, and the update history saving process is executed.

FIG. 3 shows a client / server system including a client machine C and a server machine S connected by a network NT. In the client C, a communication means 1 for exchanging messages via the network NT, a memory 2 for storing the received message and an object on the client side, and a predetermined processing procedure such as history storage processing are described in a macro language. A plurality of end user programs 3, a starting means 4 for starting the end user program 3, a program managing means 5 for specifying the end user program 3 to be started, and each functional means of the client C such as message exchange and message storage. And a control unit 6 that controls the processing as a whole. Program management means 5
Has a table 7 in which a link identifier (link ID) and an end user program name are described in association with each other, and the end user program 3 to be started is specified based on the description in the table 7.

In the server S, communication means 11 for exchanging messages via the network NT and establishing a hot link HL on the network NT, a memory 12 for storing a data object SD to be processed, and a memory 12 for storing the data object SD are stored. A processing means 13 for performing update processing such as editing on the created data object SD, and a notification means 14 for creating a message for notifying the client C of the update processing by the processing means 13 are provided. It should be noted that each data object SD is given a unique item, and each data object S is designated by these items.
D is specified.

The above-mentioned communication means 1 and 11, start-up means 4,
The program management unit 5, the control unit 6, the processing unit 13, and the notification unit 14 are programs and CPs that control their respective functions.
It is composed of hardware such as U and RAM, and the end user program 3 executes designated processing described in a macro language by using these hardware. The memories 2 and 12 are composed of readable and writable storage means such as RAM, and have means for reading and writing data.

The operation of the client / server system having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition,
FIG. 5 shows the processing procedure on the client C side, FIG. 6 shows the processing procedure on the server S side when establishing a link, and FIG. 7 shows the processing procedure on the server S side when updating data.

First, when the hot link HL is established between the client C and the server S, the client C
A predetermined process for the server name (server ID) of the partner to whom the hot link is made, the hot link that is the type of the link, the item of the data SD on the server side, and the data SD of the item from the input means such as a keyboard provided in The user inputs a link establishment request together with the name of the end user program that executes As a result, as shown in FIG. 4A, a link establishment request message including a client ID indicating a transmission source, a server ID indicating a transmission destination, an item ID indicating a designated item, a link type indicating a hot link, and the like. Is transmitted from the communication means 1 to the communication means 11 of the server via the network NT (step S1).

On the server S side, a link establishment process is performed as described later in response to the link establishment request message, and when a hot link is established, as shown in FIG. , A client ID indicating the destination, an item ID indicating the designated item, a link ID indicating the established hot link HL, and the like are returned from the communication means 11 to the client C via the network NT. . Client C
Monitors the reception of this link establishment response message (step S2), and if the link establishment response message cannot be received within a predetermined time after transmitting the link establishment request message (step S3), the hot link is established. If not, an error process is performed and the process ends (step S4).

On the other hand, when the link establishment response message is received within the predetermined time, this message is received by the communication means (step S5), and the program management means 5 is executed.
Writes the link ID included in this message in the table 7 in association with the end user program name designated and input by the user (step S6). Here, since the hot link HL is established for each item, in Table 7, the established hot link I
By D, the end user program corresponding to the designated item is associated.

Then, when the processing means 13 of the server performs the update processing on the data SD of the designated item, the update notification message is transmitted to the client C as described later. As shown in (c) of FIG. 4, this update notification message includes a server ID indicating the transmission source, a client ID indicating the transmission destination, a link ID for the designated item, updated data SD, and the like. , Is transmitted from the communication means 11 to the client C via the hot link HL.
The client C monitors the reception of this update notification message (step S7), and if the update notification message cannot be received within a preset predetermined time (step S8), it is determined that some failure has occurred and error processing is performed. And the process ends (step S4).

On the other hand, when the update notification message is received within the predetermined time, this message is stored in the memory 2 and the program management means 5 searches the table 7 by the link ID included in this message (step S9). If the end user program name corresponding to the link ID does not exist in the table 7, normal processing is performed without starting the program described later, while if the corresponding end user program name exists (step S10). The starting means 4 starts the end user program 3 specified by the program name (step S11).

As a result, the end user program 3 executes a predetermined process and ends the process (step S1).
2). If the end user program 3 cannot finish the process within a preset time, it is determined that some kind of failure has occurred, and error processing is performed to finish the process (step S4). Therefore, the corresponding end user program 3 is automatically started based on the update notification message transmitted from the server S, and the history of the updated data SD stored in the memory 2 included in the update notification message is recorded. The end user program 3 executes a predetermined process such as saving the.

In the above-described link establishing process on the server S side, the server S monitors whether or not the link establishing request message is received (step S21), and when this message is received, the item ID included in the message is checked. The processing means 13 searches whether or not the data SD of the corresponding item is stored in the memory 12 (step S22).
As a result, when the data SD of the corresponding item is not stored (step S23), the error process is performed and the process is ended (step S24), while when the data SD of the corresponding item is stored. The communication means 11 establishes the hot link HL for the data SD of the item via the network NT (step S25).

If this link establishment process fails, error process is performed and the process is terminated (step S2).
(6, S24), if the link establishing process is successful, the link establishing response message is returned to the client C via the hot link HL and the process is terminated (step S2).
6, S27). That is, the hot link HL for each designated item is established on the network NT, and the process communication between the client C and the server S is performed via this hot link HL.

The processing means 13 of the server is the memory 1
When data SD stored in 2 is subjected to update processing such as editing and the data SD of the item for which the hot link HL is established is updated in this update processing (step S31), the notification means 14 notifies the update notification message. And sends this message to the communication means 11, transmits it from the communication means 11 of the server to the client C via the hot link HL of the corresponding link ID, and ends the processing (step S32).

In the above embodiment, the hot link has been described as an example, but any link having a function of notifying the client side of the result of the update processing performed on the server side regardless of the name of the link may be used. Therefore, the present invention can be applied. Further, in the above embodiment, the correspondence between the designated item and the end user program is related by the link ID, but if the server manages the correspondence between the item and the link, the update notification message and the table 7 are displayed.
In, the item ID can be associated with the end user program.

Further, in the above embodiment, since a plurality of end user programs and data objects are set, the correspondence management by the program management means is necessary. However, as a simple system configuration, the end user programs and data objects are If the number is singular, such management can be omitted.

[0032]

As described above in detail, according to the client / server system of the present invention, the activation means automatically activates the end user program on the client side in response to the update processing notification from the server. Therefore, the cooperation process such as saving the update history of the updated data can be executed on the client side without the user operation. Therefore, when controlling the system where the data is updated momentarily on the server by the end user program, etc.
It is possible to execute a predetermined process according to the data change without requiring a user operation or a special monitoring means, and it is possible to construct a flexible system according to the purpose or use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an aspect in which the present invention is implemented on the same machine.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an aspect in which the present invention is implemented by a pair of machines.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the contents of a message, (a) is a link establishment request message, (b) is a link establishment response message, and (c) is an update notification message.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the client side.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the server side when establishing a link.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure on the server side when updating data.

[Description of Reference Signs] 1, 11 ... Communication means, 3 ... End user program, 4 ... Start-up means, 5 ... Program management means, 13 ... Processing means, C ... Client,
S ... server, HL ... hot link, SD ...
..Data objects,

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A link that includes a server that performs data processing and a client that performs predetermined processing based on data processed by the server, and that exchanges messages between the server and the client based on a request from the client. In the client-server system for establishing a server, the server includes: a communication unit that sends and receives a message via a link; a storage unit that stores data to be processed; and a processing unit that performs an update process on the data stored in the storage unit. ,
The client comprises a communication means for transmitting and receiving a message via a link, an end user program for performing a predetermined process on data, a starting means for starting the end user program based on an update processing notification message from the server, A client / server system comprising: 2. The client / server system according to claim 1, wherein the storage means of the server stores a plurality of data identified by the items, and the activation means of the client uses the items based on the update processing notification message. A client / server system characterized by starting an end user program corresponding to. 3. The client / server system according to claim 2, wherein a link is established based on a link establishment request message specifying an item from the client, and the server establishes a link for transmitting a data message of the specified item. The specified link establishment response message is sent to the client, the update processing notification message is sent by including the identifier of the link, and the client uses the link identifier corresponding to the item specified based on the link establishment response message by the management means. The data of the item is managed in association with the end user program that performs a predetermined process, and the managing unit starts the end user program corresponding to the item specified based on the link identifier included in the update processing notification message. And update notification A client / server system characterized by subjecting data contained in a message to predetermined processing.