JPH09330249A - Device for developing computer system for process control - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for developing computer system for process control with which a program for enabling the verification of function and performance can be prepared on UNIX even when a programmer has no knowledge concerning the UNIX. SOLUTION: This developing device is provided with a process 202 on the UNIX for executing the program, communication part for performing the transmission of command and the exchange of data from the process 202 without depending on the UNIX, job managing/task managing subsystem 102 for converting the command, which is transmitted by the communication part, not depending on the UNIX to the command of the UNIX and issuing it, and computer resource 104 of which the data are accessed by the converted command of the UNIX.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a development device for creating a program for a computer system for process control and preliminarily verifying its function and performance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a process control computer system has been used to control a process plant, and a program running on the system is required to have extremely high reliability. Therefore, there is a high demand for a test device for the purpose of verifying the function and performance of the created program before actually operating it.

This test device for a computer system for process control is specialized for the computer system for process control so that the result obtained when a program is actually run on the computer system for process control can be simulated as faithfully as possible. It has hardware and software configuration.

Further, the price of computers equipped with UNIX has been significantly reduced in recent years, and the level of performance has reached almost the same level as that of the above-mentioned test machine. Furthermore, U
Since the standardization of UNIX is progressing worldwide and the application software with high versatility developed based on the standard can be used, the program of the process control computer system is created on UNIX, and its function and performance are obtained. Verifies that there is a great advantage over using the above tester.

[0005]

Since the above-described test device for the process control computer system has the hardware and software configuration specialized for the process control computer system, it becomes expensive, compatible, and expandable. Poor.

[0006] In addition, a program is created on UNIX,
If the function and performance are verified in advance and then the program is ported to the process control computer system for actual operation, the merit will be great.

However, UNIX is a highly versatile computer system, but has a large-scale and complicated structure for the purpose of supporting a wide range of applications and fields. Therefore, UNI
When developing a program on X, the programmer needs to understand the large-scale and complicated structure and UNIX commands to write the program. This work places a great burden on the programmer as compared with the case of developing a program using a test device.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing procedure for accessing data from a conventional process to a computer resource.

The process 701 is a process in which a program created by a programmer operates, and the process 70
For example, when writing data from 1 to a computer resource (explained here as a shared memory in particular) 706,
After setting the table in process 701, U
It issues shmget which is a command of NIX702. When this command is issued to acquire the computer resource identifier (shared memory segment ID) 704, the computer resource access authority acquisition key 703, the shared memory size,
And flags. In particular, setting this flag is time consuming for the programmer.

Next, in order to add the area of the shared memory to the address space of the process 701 itself, the command shmat is issued by designating the acquired shared memory segment ID 704, the address on the shared memory, and the flag. . The setting of addresses and flags on this shared memory also puts a heavy burden on the programmer. In FIG. 7, an address, a flag, etc. on the shared memory are represented as the setting parameter 705.

In UNIX, the process authority is assigned to each process almost evenly in a time-sharing manner, whereas in the process control computer system, the process authority of a process is given by message delivery from another process. It realizes task cooperation processing. Generally, a program that runs on a computer system for process control has a larger scale than programs in many fields.
In order to improve the efficiency of investigating the cause of trouble, it is necessary to provisionally verify the function and performance of each program of each process (before the completion of multitask cooperative processing by message delivery). However, it is not suitable for verifying the function and performance of the program for each process due to the UNIX processing form. Also, although UNIX has an interprocess communication function, the procedure is complicated, and even if the function is used, it is necessary to externally provide data such as parameters to the program of the process to be verified. Some kind of mechanism is required.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and provides a process control computer system capable of creating a program capable of verifying functions and performance on UNIX without the programmer having knowledge of UNIX. The purpose is to provide development equipment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a process control computer system development apparatus capable of verifying the function and performance of each process program.

[0014]

In order to solve the above problems, the process control computer system development apparatus according to claim 1 is provided with a communication means for transmitting a command that does not depend on UNIX in the program. , And a conversion unit for converting a UNIX-independent command transmitted by the communication unit into a UNIX command and issuing the command.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process control computer system development apparatus, a process means on UNIX for executing a program, and communication for performing command transmission and data transmission / reception from the process means without depending on UNIX. Means, a conversion means for converting a UNIX-independent command transmitted by the communication means into a UNIX command and issuing the UNIX command, and a computer resource means for accessing data by the converted UNIX command.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process control computer system development apparatus comprising: a first process means on UNIX for executing a program; and a UNI for executing the program.
Second process means on X, first communication means for sending UNIX-independent commands and data from the first process means, and for sending said data to the second process means The second communication means and the UNIX-independent command transmitted by the first communication means are converted into UNIX commands and issued, the data transmitted by the first communication means is received, and the data is transmitted by the first communication means. Conversion means for transmitting to the second communication means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process control computer system development device, wherein terminal device for receiving data and displaying the data and UNI for executing the program.
A process means on X, a communication means for transmitting a command and data that do not depend on UNIX from the process means, and a command that does not depend on UNIX transmitted by the communication means are converted into a UNIX command and issued.
Conversion means for receiving the data transmitted by the communication means and transmitting it to the terminal means.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process control computer system development apparatus, wherein terminal means for editing and transmitting data, UNIX process means for executing a program, and process means are messages from other processes. Maintenance means for transmitting the data transmitted from the terminal means to the process means as a message when waiting for reception.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A development apparatus for a process control computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
A detailed description will be given with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a process control computer system development apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Development equipment for process control computer system 1
01 is a job management / task management subsystem 102,
A maintenance subsystem 103, a file management subsystem 104, a printer management subsystem 105, and a device management subsystem group 106 are included. These subsystems are provided as processes on UNIX.

Job management / task management subsystem 10
2 is UN for access to computer resources, inter-process communication, etc. when running a program created by a programmer.
The process of issuing a command to IX is performed instead of the program created by the programmer. That is, when a program created by a programmer accesses a computer resource, etc., a command (UN
(Different from IX command) is transmitted to the job management / task management subsystem 102, and the job management / task management subsystem 102 converts the received command into a UNIX command and issues it. Process and job management / task management subsystem 102 in which this program operates
The transmission and reception of commands, data, etc. between are performed by UNIX message communication, the details of which will be described later.

The maintenance subsystem 103 makes it possible to verify the function and performance of each process by transmitting a message for each program of each process in the middle of program development. That is, a programmer normally inputs a message transmitted / received between processes via the maintenance subsystem 103 from a keyboard or the like, the details of which will be described later.

When the program created by the programmer is run, the file management subsystem 104 performs the processing such as file input / output by issuing a command to UNIX, instead of the program created by the programmer. The file management subsystem 104 has substantially the same processing procedure as the job management / task management subsystem 102.

The printer management subsystem 105 is a process that is mainly started when printing on a printer, but since it is not particularly related to the present invention, its detailed description is omitted.

The device management subsystem group 106 is a system for managing digital and analog signal input / output devices such as a sequencer.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of the job management / task management subsystem 102. Hereinafter, the case of accessing the computer resource 104 will be described. The process 202 is one of the processes on UNIX in which a program created by a programmer runs. Process 20
2 to computer resources (hereinafter referred to as shared memory) 104
, For example, when writing data, process 20
2 sends a command (shown as a simplified setting parameter 203 in FIG. 2) indicating acquisition of an address of the shared memory to the job management / task management subsystem 102 by message communication.

Job management / task management subsystem 10
2 analyzes the received simplified setting parameter 203, and when it recognizes that the command is the acquisition of the address of the shared memory, the command of UNIX 201 is s.
Issue hmget to get the shared memory segment ID. At this time, computer resource access authority acquisition key 2
04 is given by the programmer in advance and designated by the job management / task management subsystem 102. Then, the shared memory segment is added to the address area of the process 202 by the shmat command. The job management / task management subsystem 102 sends the address of the shared memory to the process 202 by message communication. After obtaining the address of the shared memory, the process 202 sends a command for writing data to the job management / task management subsystem 102 by message communication, and the job management / task management subsystem 102 executes writing of data. When reading data from the shared memory, the data direction is reversed. The parameters used for these commands depend on the internal structure of UNIX 201 and have a complicated data structure.

As the command transmitted from the process 202 to the job management / task management subsystem 102 as described above, for example, the command used in the process control computer system can be used as it is. If the management subsystem 102 converts the command into a command of UNIX 201, the programmer can create a program without knowing the internal structure of UNIX and the command.

Further, since the job management / task management subsystem 102 refers to the contents of the computer resource setting file group 205 created in advance to create and delete computer resources, the programmer can check the computer resource generation limit and the like. UN
It is not necessary to consider information about the internal structure of IX.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a program for writing data in the shared memory. Initial setting program 301
Is a program that is processed when the job management / task management subsystem 102 is started, and particularly represents only a portion related to access to the shared memory. That is,
Set the size of shared memory, set table attributes, etc. Job management / task management subsystem 102
Creates and starts a process to execute the program created by the programmer after the initialization is completed. After that, the job management / task management subsystem 102 waits for message transmission from each created process.

The process control program 302 is a program that operates on the process 202, and is described to operate on the process control computer system.
When a command relating to data writing to the shared memory appears during execution of the process control program 302, the process 202 sends the command to the job management / task management subsystem 102 by message communication. When the job management / task management subsystem 102 receives a part of the process control program 302, the job management / task management subsystem 102 automatically generates a corresponding part 'of the program 303 after conversion.

Next, the process 202 sends the portion to the job management / task management subsystem 102. The command RTGTBL is a command for acquiring a shared memory address. “TBL101_x” means a table name on the shared memory, & s_x is an address acquisition of the shared memory, and & rtn means to check whether or not an error has occurred. Job management / task management subsystem 102
Upon receiving the command RTGTBL, recognizes that the command is the acquisition of the address of the shared memory, and automatically generates the part 'of the converted program 303. The part 'of the program 303 after conversion is the command RTGT
It is uniquely determined from the BL analysis result and the parameters set in the initial setting program 301.

Job management / task management subsystem 10
2 issues a UNIX command shmget to generate a shared memory segment and obtain the segment ID shmid. Then, the address ps_x of the shared memory is acquired by issuing the UNIX command shmat. Further, when the job management / task management subsystem 102 receives the part of the process control program 302 from the process 202, the converted program part 'is automatically generated and the data is written in the shared memory.

The sending and receiving of commands, data, etc. between the process 202 and the job management / task management subsystem 102 are performed using the message communication of the UNIX 201, but the programmer uses the process control program 302.
It is not necessary to write a command for message communication of UNIX 201 in. That is, the process control program 30
When compiling 2, the UNIX message communication command with the parts and as messages is automatically added, so that the programmer can create a program without knowing the UNIX internal structure and commands.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of the job management / task management subsystem 102 and the maintenance subsystem 103. Processes 202a, 202b, and 202c are each started with a process control program, and multitask cooperative processing is performed by communicating messages between the processes.

When the process 202a sends a message to another process 202b during execution of the process control program, a command (UNIX) indicating message communication is sent.
Command used in the process control computer system) and a message to the process 202b as a message to the job management / task management subsystem 102.
Issuing X command. When the job management / task management subsystem 102 analyzes the received command indicating the message communication and recognizes the message communication, the job management / task management subsystem 102 sends the message for the received process 202b to the process 202b by the message communication (using the UNIX command). Send. Through the above processing, the program running on the process 202a can send a message to the process 202b even if the program running on the process control computer remains the program. Process 202a and job management / task management subsystem 102
The inter-message communication is automatically added as a UNIX message communication command at the time of compilation, as described above.

Further, when the process control program operating on the process 202b is waiting for a message from the process 202c and the program on the process 202c is incomplete, the program on the process 202b continues processing. I can't. Maintenance subsystem 103 sends a message to process 202b on behalf of process 202c. The maintenance subsystem 103 transmits the message input by the operator using the terminal 402 to the process 202b. The process management table 401 will be described later.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process of interprocess communication in the job management / task management subsystem 102.

First, as initialization, computer resources are added to the real memory of the process in which the job management / task management subsystem 102 operates, and the number of messages that can be stored in the message queue and the number of processes to be used are set ( S501). Next, the set number of child processes are generated and activated (S502), and each process control program is loaded on each activated process (S503).
Put each process in the message waiting state (S5
04). The above processes S502 to S504 are performed for the set number of processes (S505).

Job management / task management subsystem 10
2 manages the state of each process. For example, the process management table 40 indicates the states such as operating, waiting for a message, sending and receiving a message, and sleeping.
It is held at 2, and if the state is changed, the state is updated to the changed state (S506).

For example, when the job management / task management subsystem 102 receives a message from the process 202a of FIG. 4, it stores the received message in the message queue. At that time, the command in the message is extracted and converted into a UNIX message communication command. This processing is the same as the data writing to the shared memory described with reference to FIG. 3, and thus detailed description will be omitted.
When analyzing the command in the message, the process of the transmission destination of the message is identified (S507).

Job management / task management subsystem 10
2 retrieves the transmission message from the message queue (S508), and for the message transmission destination process,
A UNIX message communication command is issued to transmit the message (S509). Then, if the processing of the job management / task management subsystem 102 is ended (S510, YES), the processing is ended, and if not ended (S509, NO), the processing returns to S506 to manage the process state and continue the processing. To do.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the processing of the maintenance subsystem 103. First, as initialization, a computer resource is added to the actual memory of the process in which the maintenance subsystem 103 operates, and an external input interface for communication with the terminal 402 is set (S601).

A communication process is set with respect to another process, for example, a process in which the job management / task management subsystem 102 operates (S602), and the maintenance subsystem 103 enters a message receiving state. Messages from other processes include a message input by the keyboard of the terminal 402, a message from a process in which the process control program is operating, a message stored in a message file preset by the user, and the like. Receive those messages and store them in the message queue.

For example, the process 202a is the process 2
02c (a process control program is incomplete), the maintenance subsystem 103 receives a message from the terminal 402 instead and stores the message in the message queue. When the process 202a sends a message to the process 202c, the message cannot be sent to the process 202c. Therefore, the job management / task management subsystem 102 sends the message received from the process 202a to the maintenance subsystem 103.
The maintenance subsystem 103 temporarily stores the message in the message queue.

The maintenance subsystem 103 takes out the message from the message queue and sends the message to the destination of the message (S604). If the process 202a is waiting for a message from the process 202c, it retrieves the message received from the terminal 402 from the message queue and sends the message to the process 202a via the job management / task management subsystem 102. When the message from the process 202a is received instead of the process 202c, the maintenance subsystem 103 extracts the message from the message queue and sends it to the terminal 402. The terminal 402 performs processing such as displaying the message on the screen.

The maintenance subsystem 103 ends when the processing is ended (S605, YES), and returns to S602 when the processing is continued (S605, NO).

By this maintenance subsystem 103, even if there is a process for which a process control program is not completed, a message can be input from the terminal or output to the terminal so that the function of each process can be Performance verification is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of a development device for a process control computer system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of a job management / task management subsystem.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a program for writing data to a shared memory.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a processing procedure of a job management / task management subsystem and a maintenance subsystem.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process of interprocess communication in the job management / task management subsystem.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing of a maintenance subsystem.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing procedure when data is accessed from a conventional process to a computer resource.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Development Device of Process Control Computer System 102 Job Management / Task Management Subsystem 103 Maintenance Subsystem 104 File Management Subsystem 105 Printer Management Subsystem 106 Device Management Subsystem

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A communication unit for transmitting a command that does not depend on UNIX in a program, and a conversion unit that converts the command that does not depend on UNIX transmitted by the communication unit into a UNIX command and issues it. Development equipment of process control computer system including. 2. A process unit on UNIX for executing a program, a communication unit for transmitting a command not depending on UNIX from the process unit, and a data transmission / reception unit, and the UNIX unit transmitted by the communication unit. An apparatus for developing a computer system for process control, comprising: a conversion unit for converting a command that does not depend on the command into a UNIX command and issuing the command; and a computer resource unit for accessing data by the converted UNIX command. 3. The first on UNIX to execute a program
Process means, a second process means on UNIX for executing a program, a first communication means for transmitting a command and data independent of UNIX from the first process means, and the second process means. Second communication means for transmitting the data to the process means, and the UNIX-independent command transmitted by the first communication means converted into a UNIX command and issued. An apparatus for developing a computer system for process control, comprising: a conversion means for receiving the data transmitted by the communication means and transmitting the data to the second communication means. 4. A terminal means for receiving data and displaying the data, a process means on UNIX for executing a program, a command not depending on UNIX from the process means, and transmitting the data. And a command that does not depend on the UNIX and is transmitted by the communication means, converted into a UNIX command and issued.
An apparatus for developing a computer system for process control, comprising: a conversion means for receiving the data transmitted by the communication means and transmitting the data to the terminal means. 5. A terminal means for editing and transmitting data, a process means on UNIX for executing a program, and a transmission means for transmitting data from the terminal means when the process means waits to receive a message from another process. An apparatus for developing a computer system for process control, comprising: maintenance means for transmitting the generated data as a message to the process means.