JP2008217168A - Version control device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To specify the version of alternate information processing software in a short period of time when any abnormality is generated in information processing software under operation. <P>SOLUTION: In the version management device 24 for managing the version of information processing software for working information in a predetermined display format, the version 13 of each information processing software belonging to each stage of the development stage, verification stage, and operation stage of the information processing software is monitored, each version is stored in a version list memory 27, and the belonging version at the destination time of development, verification and operation is read and output from the version list memory in response to a retrieval request. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a version management apparatus that manages a version of information processing software incorporated in an information processing apparatus that processes input information into a predetermined display format.

  In general, newspaper companies and TV broadcasters have their own newspaper reporters, broadcast reporters, and cameramen, and each reporter interviews and posts articles including photographs taken by the cameraman on paper or broadcasts as TV images. In this case, the reporter creates an article with the in mind that it will be printed or displayed on the company's paper or TV screen from the beginning. There is no significant processing.

  However, newspaper companies and TV broadcasters, in addition to their own articles, may also post articles distributed from news agencies specializing in events around the world on the newspaper or display them on the TV screen. The news agency distributes articles written in the same format, such as XML, to many newspaper companies and TV broadcasters. Therefore, each newspaper company and each TV broadcaster can not put it on the newspaper or display it on the TV screen as it is, so this distributed article can be processed according to the company's policy and put on the newspaper. It is displayed on the TV screen.

  Similarly, when weather information such as weather forecasts is delivered from the Japan Meteorological Agency, or securities information such as stock prices is distributed from a securities market operating company, the weather information and securities information is processed according to its own policy, and its subscribers Or on the newspaper in the display format preferred by the viewer or displayed on the TV screen.

  In this case, newspaper companies or TV broadcasters will develop and operate information processing software that processes information such as articles input from outside such as news agencies into a display format that matches their policies. I came. For example, in the case of a baseball sports article, the information processing software is a scoreboard table, a processing result (display format, template) of each player's hitting result, and hitting result list. In the case of horse racing, it is the frame order of running horses.

  However, this processing pattern (display format template) is frequently changed for improvement. Each time this processing pattern is changed, a new version Vr is added to the information processing software of the changed new processing pattern, and the information processing software actually used from the past to the present is used. By storing and holding the version, it was possible to grasp which version of the information processing software processed the article described in the past.

In Patent Document 1, when distributing software resources from a software distribution server to a plurality of computers connected via a network, the software distribution server distributes, for example, by discarding an old version of the software resource. A technique for managing software resources is disclosed.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-341967

  However, in the version management method for managing only the version of the information processing software that is currently in operation or has been used in the past as described above, and the version of the software resource for distribution stored in the distribution server at the present time, There were the following issues that should still be resolved.

  That is, for the purpose of improving the information processing software itself, for the purpose of matching the processing contents with the final display format specification change, or for the purpose of improving the operability, a large number of information processing software having different versions is created.

  In each information processing software with different versions, those that are in the development stage, those that are being verified after development, those that have become operational after verification, those that are actually in operation, There is a standby, etc. as a spare after the operation is completed.

  In such a state, if a malfunction (error occurrence) occurs in the information processing software in operation, verification is completed from each of the information processing software described above, or the operation is completed. It is necessary to select the most suitable information processing software from the waiting ones and set it in the operation stage. The operation of selecting the optimum information processing software to be set in this operation stage requires a great deal of time and effort for the administrator of this version management apparatus.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and manages not only the version of the information processing software currently in operation but also the version of the information processing software that is not in operation, for example, in the development stage or the verification stage. As a result, it is possible to easily grasp the progress status of each version of the information processing software, and even if an abnormality occurs in the information processing software being operated, the version of the alternative information processing software can be shortened. It is an object of the present invention to provide a version management apparatus that can be specified by time and can minimize the operation stop time of an information processing apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a version of information processing software in an information processing apparatus that processes information input from the outside into a display format specified by the information processing software using the information processing software. In the version management device to be managed, the development stage for developing information processing software, the verification stage for verifying information processing software developed in the development stage, the development in the operation stage for actually operating the information processing software verified in the verification stage, Stage version monitoring means for monitoring the version of each information processing software belonging to each stage of verification and operation, and a version for storing each version at each stage of development, verification and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means In response to a search request specifying the list memory and time, , Verification, and a version list output means for outputting reads the affiliation version at a specified time of operation from the version list memory.

  Version management device characterized in this way In the version management device, the version of each information processing software belonging to each stage of development, verification and operation that can be operated on the information processing device is a version list memory It is possible to easily grasp the progress status until the operation of each version of information processing software.

  Further, in another invention, history information including a time period belonging to each stage of each version obtained from each version at each stage of development, verification, and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means is stored. And a version history information output means for reading out and outputting the history information of the version from the version history memory in response to a search request designating the version. In this case, the road history of each version can be easily grasped.

  In another invention, a registered version monitoring unit that monitors a version of information processing software that has been verified and registered as operable in the verification stage, and a change request input for the information processing software that belongs to the operation stage Operation candidate version output means for outputting the current version monitored by the registered version monitoring means as an operation candidate version, and operation of the information processing software version selected from the operation candidate versions output by the operation candidate version output means Means for belonging to the stage.

  In such a version management device, if you want to change the information processing software in operation to another information processing software, the version registered as operable is output as the operation candidate version, so you can easily substitute information processing software Software can be specified and it can belong to the operation stage.

  In another invention, the version of the information processing software belongs to the development stage or the verification stage in response to occurrence of a defect in the information processing software belonging to the operation stage. Therefore, when a problem such as a failure occurs in the information processing software once reaching the operation stage, the information processing software can be returned to the development stage or the verification stage.

  Further, in another invention, there is provided a version returning means for invalidating each version after the version of the information processing software in response to occurrence of a defect in the information processing software belonging to the operation stage. In the new version, it is common to improve the inconvenient part of the previous version, but there is a case where a completely different part is changed. In this case, if inconvenience occurs in the part changed in the previous version, the information processing software of the version after this version does not solve the inconvenient part, so the version after this version is invalidated.

    Another invention is a version management program. The version management program is a computer that manages the version of the information processing software in an information processing apparatus that processes information input from outside into a display format specified by the information processing software using the information processing software. Development stage for developing information processing software, verification stage for verifying information processing software developed in the development stage, and development, verification and operation in the operation stage for actually operating the information processing software verified in the verification stage. Stage version monitoring means for monitoring the version of each information processing software belonging to a stage, and a version document for writing each version at each stage of development, verification and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means to the version list memory Search method with specified time and time Depending on the development, verification, is performed as a version list output means for outputting reads the affiliation version at specified time operation from version list memory.

  In the present invention, it is possible to easily grasp the progress status until the operation of each version of the information processing software, and even if an abnormality occurs in the information processing software being operated, the version of the alternative information processing software Can be specified in a short time, and the operation stop time of the information processing apparatus can be minimized.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of articles to which a version management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  For example, the communication company 1 distributes sports articles collected by itself to the newspaper companies 2a, 2b, and 2c via the communication line 3a as electronic data in XML format, for example. The securities market management company 4 distributes securities articles such as stock prices to the newspaper companies 2a, 2b, 2c via the communication line 3b. Further, the Japan Meteorological Agency 5 distributes weather articles such as weather forecasts to the newspaper companies 2a, 2b and 2c via the communication line 3c.

  Sports articles distributed to each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c are processed into a display format determined for each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c by the sports article processing apparatus 6 as an information processing apparatus and transferred to the typesetting apparatus 9. Is done. Similarly, the securities articles distributed to each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c are processed into a display format determined for each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c by the securities article processing device 7 as an information processing device, and the typesetting device 9 Forwarded to Further, the weather articles distributed to each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c are processed into a display format determined for each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c by the weather article processing apparatus 8 as an information processing apparatus, and the typesetting apparatus 9 Forwarded to The typesetting device 9 lays out each article processed in the display format determined for each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c by each processing device 6-8 on the newspaper. The printing apparatus 10 prints and issues a newspaper on which articles are laid out.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the version management device 24 and the sports article processing device 6 installed in each newspaper company 2a to 2c. In this embodiment, in order to simplify the description, the version management device 24 selects the version of the article processing pattern as information processing software used in the sports article processing device 6 among the many article processing devices 2a to 2c. Suppose you manage.

  An example of this article processing pattern is shown in FIG. This article processing pattern is a “scoreboard table” which is a baseball game result. The display format and display items of the “scoreboard table” are different for each newspaper company 2a, 2b, 2c.

  In the sports article processing apparatus 6, an article processing execution unit 11 that processes a sports article input using an article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12 is provided. A version (Vr) 13 is attached to the article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12. Further, a verification unit 14 and a development unit 19 are provided for the sports article processing apparatus 6.

  In the development unit 19, the version issuing unit 23 issues a version Vr 13 to be attached to the article processing pattern to be newly developed and writes it in the development waiting memory 22. The development target memory 21 stores an article processing pattern that is currently being developed and executed by the development execution unit 20. A version issued by the version issuing unit 23 is attached to the article processing pattern under development.

  In the verification unit 14, the verification execution unit 15 performs verification on the article processing pattern stored in the verification target memory 16, and the article processing pattern determined to be operable in the sports article processing apparatus 6 is registered in the memory. Write to 17. The verification waiting memory 18 temporarily stores the article processing pattern developed by the development unit 19.

  A flow from the issuance of a new version of the article processing pattern in the version issuing unit 23 to the operation in the sports article processing apparatus 6 will be described.

  When the person in charge of the newspaper companies 2 a, 2 b, 2 c inputs a new version issuance instruction, the version issuing unit 23 issues a new version and writes it into the development waiting memory 22. The development execution unit 20 creates a new article processing pattern, attaches the version of the development wait memory 22, and writes it into the verification wait memory 18 of the verification unit 14.

  The verification execution unit 15 of the verification unit 14 moves the article processing pattern stored in the waiting-for-verification memory 18 to the verification target memory 16 according to an instruction from the version management device 24, and, for example, creates a test article for the article processing pattern. It is used for verification, and if it can be operated, it is registered in the registered memory 17. In addition to being registered in the registered memory 17, it may be written into the operation memory 12 of the sports article processing unit 6.

  On the other hand, if the operation is not possible, the data is written to the development waiting memory 22 of the development unit 19 without being registered in the registered memory 17, and the development execution unit 29 corrects the impossible part, and then again. Perform verification.

  The article processing execution unit 11 of the sports article processing unit 6 is a version management device when an article processing pattern is not stored in the operation memory 12 or when it is desired to change the information processing software in operation to another information processing software. The article processing pattern stored in the registered memory 17 is written into the operation memory 12 according to the instruction from 24, and the input sports article is processed using the article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12.

  Then, when an abnormality occurs in the article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12, the sports article processing unit 6 writes the article processing pattern in the verification waiting memory 18 of the verification unit 14 or the development waiting memory 22 of the development unit 19. Include.

  Further, when the sports article processing unit 6 changes the display format of the sports article to be put on the newspaper after a certain period of time, the article processing pattern currently written in the operation memory 12 of the sports article processing unit 6 is changed. Is written to the standby memory. Then, the article processing pattern stored in the registered memory 17 or the standby memory is written.

  Next, the version management device 24 will be described. For example, a version monitoring unit 25 is provided in a version management device 24 configured by a computer. This version monitoring unit 25 is a version of each article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12 of the sports article processing unit 6, each of the memories 16, 17, 18 of the verification unit 14, and each of the memories 21 and 22 of the development unit 19, and Monitors each version issued, obtains the distribution and history of each version such as the time (time) written in each memory, and updates the contents stored in the version list memory 27 and the version history memory 31 To do. Further, the contents stored in the article processing pattern file 26 are updated.

  In the version list memory 27, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, the article processing pattern of each version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9) every 10 days is displayed in the sports article processing unit 6. In addition, the memory to which the verification unit 14 and the development unit 19 belong, and the status such as whether the version has been issued, has been developed, or has been verified are stored. In the figure, “0” is not executed, “1” is being executed (belonging), and “2” is being executed. Note that the value of the version Vr13 increases as the issuance time is later.

  For example, at the current time point (2007, 1, 10), the oldest version Vr. The article processing pattern 1 indicates that the version has been issued, developed, verified, operation registered, and waiting. Next, the old version Vr. The article processing pattern 2 indicates that the version has been issued, developed, verified, operation registered, and in operation. On the other hand, the latest version Vr. The article processing pattern 6 indicates that the version has been issued, has been developed, and is waiting for verification.

  As described above, each page in the version list memory 27 in FIG. 3 stores the state of the article processing pattern of each version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9) every 10 days. .

  As shown in FIG. 4, the version history memory 31 stores a history of changes in the state of the article processing pattern of each version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9). For example, version Vr. 6 article processing patterns are version generation (2002,3,1), development is (2002,4,25), verification is (2002,5,20), operation is (2002,10) , 3) to the present.

  In the article processing pattern file 26, article processing patterns of each version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9) are stored.

  When a version list display command specifying a year and month (time) is input from the operation unit 29 such as a keyboard, the version list display unit 28 stores each version of the corresponding year and month (time) stored in the version list memory 27. 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9) is read and displayed on the display unit 30.

  6 is a diagram illustrating an example of display contents of the display unit 30 on which the status of each version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,..., Vr.9) is displayed.

  On the display screen, the pattern name of the article processing pattern (in this embodiment, “baseball inning”) and the version Vr of the article processing pattern are displayed, version 13 (Vr.1, Vr.2,... The menu 36 of the number Vr.9) is displayed. When the detail button 37 beside each menu 36 is clicked, two detail tables 38a and 38b are displayed as shown in the upper part of the display screen in FIG.

  In the upper detail table 38a, for example, an article processing pattern name such as “baseball inning”, a genre name such as “baseball”, and attribute information of the article processing pattern of a description page on a newspaper such as “two pages” In addition, information indicating which state the version Vr (= 1) of this article processing pattern is currently displayed is displayed.

  Specifically, marks are written at the positions of “development”, “verification”, “registration”, and “operation”. In this example, “○” is written in each position of “Development” and “Verification”, “Done” mark is written in the “Registration” position, and “In operation” mark is put in the “Operation” position. It is written. Therefore, the article processing pattern of this version Vr (= 1) has been registered as operable after completion of “development” and “verification”, and is written in the operation memory 12 of the sports article processing apparatus 6 at the present time. In rare cases, the article processing execution unit 11 is in operation.

  In the detailed table 38a in the lower row, the version Vr of the article processing pattern, the date of issue of the version Vr, and the date (final update part) that has shifted to the final state of “in operation” are described. Comments (notes) on using the machining pattern are displayed.

  As described above, by specifying the menu 36 of the version Vr of each article processing pattern displayed on the display unit 30 by clicking the detail button 37, the detailed information of the article processing pattern of any version Vr can be confirmed. Is possible.

  When a list display request for a version specifying the past year and month is input from the operation unit 29, the state of the article processing pattern of each version of the page of the specified year and month in the version list memory 27 is read and displayed. 30 is displayed and output.

  When a version history display command designating a version is input from the operation unit 29 such as a keyboard, the version history display unit 32 in FIG. 2 corresponds to the corresponding version 13 (Vr) stored in the version history memory 31 shown in FIG. The history information from the version issuance to the current year is read and displayed on the display unit 30.

  Next, when the operation candidate version display unit 33 wants to change the article processing pattern in operation to another article processing pattern, or when an inconvenience such as a failure occurs in the article processing pattern in operation, the operation candidate version display unit 33 Based on a display instruction via the unit 29 or an automatic instruction when a failure occurs, “1” is set for “operation registered” and “standby” at the current time of the version list memory 27, Each version in which “1” is not set in “medium” is read and displayed on the display unit 30 as “operation candidate version”.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the version Vr. 2 instead of two versions Vr · 1, Vr. 3 is displayed as “operation candidate version”. Therefore, the administrator displays two versions Vr. 1, Vr. 3 is confirmed by the method described above, and one version Vr is selected.

  The operation version setting unit 39 in FIG. 2 sets the article processing pattern of the version selected by the administrator in the operating memory 12 and updates the contents stored in the version list memory 27 and the version history memory 29.

  The version moving unit 34 in FIG. 2 needs to perform re-verification or redevelopment on the inconvenient part with respect to the article processing pattern in operation when a trouble or the like occurs in the article processing pattern in operation. The article processing pattern is written into the verification waiting memory 18 or the development waiting memory 22. Further, the contents stored in the version list memory 27 and the version history memory 29 are updated.

  The version returning unit 35 in FIG. 2 invalidates each version after the version of the article processing pattern in which the failure has been issued at this time when a trouble or the like occurs in the article processing pattern in operation. . Then, the invalid information is registered in the version list memory 27 and the version history memory 29. Then, when the development unit 19 re-develops the article processing pattern in which the failure has occurred, a new version is acquired.

  As mentioned above, the purpose of the new version of the same purpose and the same type of article processing pattern is generally to improve or add the inconvenient part or missing part of the previous version, but completely different part May be changed. In this case, if an inconvenience occurs in the part changed in the previous version, the inferior part is not eliminated in the article processing pattern of the version after this version, and the version after this version is invalidated.

  In addition, when the significant specification change of the article processing pattern is managed by the version, and the small-scale improvement within the same specification of the article processing pattern is managed by the revision Rv which is the branch number of the same version Vr, it is issued at this time. Each revision after the revision of the article processing pattern in which the failure occurred is invalidated.

  As described above, since the version of the article processing pattern that can be operated at the present time is stored and held in the version list memory 27 as “operation registered” and “standby”, it is inconvenient for the article processing pattern in operation. Even if this occurs, an alternative article processing pattern can be designated and operated in a short time, and the stop time of the article processing apparatus can be minimized.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the overall operation of the version management device 24.

  When a change occurs in the version of each article processing pattern stored in the operation memory 12 of the sports article processing apparatus 6, the memories 16, 17, 18 of the verification section 14, and the memories 21 and 22 of the development section 19 (step S1). The stored contents of the version list memory 27 and the version history memory 31 are updated (S2).

  When an instruction to display the status of the article processing pattern of each version is input from the operation unit 29 (S3), the affiliation information of each version stored in the version list memory 27 is read and displayed on the display unit 30 ( S4).

  When an instruction to display the version history of each article processing pattern is input from the operation unit 29 (S5), the history of the corresponding version stored in the version history memory 31 is read and displayed on the display unit 30 (S6). ).

  Further, when an alternative request for the article processing pattern version of the currently operating article processing pattern is input (S7), the registered, standby, and non-operating versions are read out at the current time in the version list memory 27. Then, it is displayed as “operation candidate version” on the display unit 30 (S8).

  Further, when a trouble such as a failure occurs in the article processing pattern in operation (S9), the versions after the version of the article processing pattern in which the failure is issued at this time are invalidated (S10).

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above. In the embodiment, as the information processing software, the baseball scoreboard article processing pattern in the sports article has been described, but various information distributed from the outside, including the above-described securities article and weather article, is in its own policy. It can be applied to information processing software when processing along.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to newspaper articles of newspaper companies but also to TV display patterns in TV broadcasting companies.

The schematic diagram which shows the flow of the article to which the version management apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention is applied The block diagram which shows schematic structure of the version management apparatus and article processing apparatus of the embodiment The figure which shows the memory content of the version list memory formed in the version management apparatus of the same embodiment The figure which shows the memory content of the version history memory formed in the version management device of the same embodiment The figure which shows an example of the article process pattern used with the version management apparatus of the embodiment The figure which shows an example of the version list displayed on the display part of the version management apparatus of the embodiment A flowchart showing the overall operation of the version management apparatus of the embodiment

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... News agency, 2a, 2b, 2c ... Newspaper company, 3a, 3b, 3c ... Communication line, 4 ... Securities market management company, 5 ... Japan Meteorological Agency, 6 ... Sports article processing device, 7 ... Securities article processing device, 8 ... Meteorological article processing device, 9 ... typesetting device, 10 ... printing device, 11 ... article processing execution device, 12 ... active memory, 13 ... version, 14 ... verification unit, 15 ... verification execution unit, 17 ... registered memory, 19 Development unit, 20 Development execution unit, 23 Version issuing unit, 24 Version management device, 25 Version monitoring unit, 26 Article processing pattern file, 27 Version memory, 28 Version list display unit, 29 Operation unit, 30 ... display unit, 31 ... version history memory, 32 ... version history display unit, 33 ... operation candidate version display unit, 34 ... version transfer unit, 35 ... version return Part, 36 ... menu, 37 ... More button, 38a, 38b ... detail tables, 39 ... operational version setting unit

Claims (6)

In the version management device that manages the version of the information processing software in the information processing device that processes and outputs information input from the outside into a display format specified by the information processing software using the information processing software,
The development stage for developing the information processing software, the verification stage for verifying the information processing software developed in the development stage, and the development, verification, and operation stages in the operation stage for actually operating the information processing software verified in the verification stage Stage version monitoring means for monitoring the version of each information processing software belonging to
A version list memory for storing each version at each point of each stage of development, verification and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means;
A version management apparatus comprising version list output means for reading out and outputting a version belonging to a specified time of development, verification, and operation from a version list memory in response to a search request designating a time. A version history memory for storing history information including a time period belonging to each stage of each version obtained from each version at each stage of development, verification, and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means;
2. The version management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising version history information output means for reading out and outputting history information of the version from the version history memory in response to a search request designating a version. A registered version monitoring means for monitoring the version of the information processing software that has been verified and registered as operable in the verification stage;
Operation candidate version output means for outputting the version at the current time monitored by the registered version monitoring means in response to a change request input of the information processing software belonging to the operation stage, as an operation candidate version;
3. The version management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for causing a version of the information processing software selected from the operation candidate versions output by the operation candidate version output means to belong to an operation stage.   4. The information processing software according to claim 1, further comprising means for causing a version of the information processing software to belong to a development stage or a verification stage in response to occurrence of a defect in the information processing software belonging to the operation stage. Version control device.   The version return means which invalidates each version after the version of the said information processing software according to generation | occurrence | production of the malfunction of the information processing software which belongs to the said operation stage, The any one of Claim 1 to 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. The version control device described. A computer for managing a version of the information processing software in an information processing apparatus that processes and outputs information input from outside into a display format designated by the information processing software using the information processing software;
The development stage for developing the information processing software, the verification stage for verifying the information processing software developed in the development stage, and the development, verification and operation stages in the operation stage for actually operating the information processing software verified in the verification stage Stage version monitoring means for monitoring the version of each information processing software belonging to
Version writing means for writing each version at each time point of development, verification, and operation monitored by the stage version monitoring means to a version list memory;
A version management program for executing as version list output means for reading out and outputting the version at the specified time of development, verification, and operation from a version list memory in response to a search request specifying a time.

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