JP2559472B2 - Related software automatic selection system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention, when using computer software, automatically selects a software group indispensable at the time of execution of software that the user intends to directly use. Regarding the system.

[Conventional technology]

In the case of using computer software, it is rare that only one piece of software can achieve the purpose. For example, there are multiple pieces of software that are indispensable for operating the software, such as an operating system and a language processor. It is generally done. For the software that the user wants to use directly, the work of determining the software group that is indispensable to operate the software (the unit that constitutes this is referred to as a processing unit below) is inconsistent for each processing unit. It is necessary to proceed while checking the consistency so that problems do not occur. However, as the number of processing units increases, the number of combinations for which consistency should be checked dramatically increases, and it is a very difficult task to manually implement.

There is no system that processes such work on a computer in the past, and as a similar system, there is a "computer that determines consistency of connection of computer hardware and determines necessary and minimum hardware configuration." System configuration design support expert system "(Hitachi Review, VOL69, NO.
3, pages 279-284). This system holds the connection relations of hardware devices in a table, and holds the conditions required for elements to be added to hardware devices in the if-then format rules. Only possible devices and additional elements are displayed as the selection target of the user, and the user supports the work of determining a consistent hardware configuration.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In the above-mentioned conventional technology, for example, there is a fixed upper and lower relation between processing units such as a control device and a driving device or each device and an additional element, that is, a hardware having a fixed hierarchical structure. Although it is possible to let the user select devices so that there is no contradiction while following the hierarchy from the lower level to the higher level, the processing units are not related to each other as in the case of software. Even if there is no fixed hierarchical structure, it is impossible to determine a consistent configuration.

An object of the present invention is to solve this problem and provide a system for automatically selecting an indispensable software group when executing software.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention provides a provided software table that holds names and attributes of software to be used (hereinafter referred to as provided software), and a used software table that stores names and attributes of software to be considered for use (hereinafter referred to as used software). , And the required software table that stores the names of software required to use the used software (hereinafter referred to as "required software") and the allowable range of attributes, and the name and attributes of the specified desired software are stored in the used software table. When the stored software name and attribute match the preset software name and attribute respectively, the preset software name and attribute allowable range are stored in the required software table, and the required software name and attribute are stored. Sof that meets the allowable range If wear has been stored in the available software table, further picked from being provided Software Table, in which additionally stores to the utilization software table.

[Action]

According to the above means, all required PPs are mandatory PPs
Is stored in the required PP column of the used PP table and a PP satisfying the required PP name and attribute allowable range already exists as the used PP in the used PP table, but if it does not exist, the provided PP table If all the used PPs are stored in the searched-out used PP table as used PPs, the target PP group, that is, the PP group necessary and sufficient for the use related to the PP that was initially desired to be used, is obtained. Selected.

As a result, even in the case of processing units that do not have a hierarchical structure such as PP, it becomes possible to automatically configure a system consisting of processing units that are necessary and sufficient for use by a method that takes into account the mutual relationship.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of the present invention. The knowledge base 4 is composed of software information 1 and consistency check rule 2. The software information 1 is software as shown in FIG. 2 (also called a program product, hereinafter referred to as PP).
It is a file that stores at least one information rule. PP
Information rules are PP name (hereinafter referred to as PP name), model name,
Mandatory PP of the PP with the version number as the conditional statement (IF statement)
PP name (hereinafter referred to as required PP name), model name (hereinafter referred to as required PP)
The model number), the upper limit value of the version number (hereinafter referred to as the mandatory PP version number upper limit value), and the lower limit value of the version number (hereinafter referred to as the mandatory PP version number lower limit value)
This is a rule in which an instruction to write to the processing table as shown in the figure is an executable statement (THEN statement). Rule 1 in Fig. 2 is that PP name is BSF_E2, model name is S-2211-B2A, and version number is 01.
If -00, required PP name BCF_E2, required PP model name S-2111-
C2A, mandatory PP version number upper limit value 99-99, mandatory PP version number lower limit value 01-00 are stored in the processing table. In addition, the above-mentioned attribute is the version number in this example, and the attribute allowable range is similarly the version number upper limit value and the version number lower limit value. Further, the above-mentioned names are used as names and model names in this example. The name in this example is the part expressed in a convenient shape for memory expressed by using the initial letters of PP in English, and the model name in this example is the part expressed only by a symbol, and both are unique. Na PP
Is supposed to point. The processing table in this example is a combination of a part of the above-mentioned used PP table and the required PP table.

The consistency check rule 2 is a file that stores at least one of the consistency determination rules as shown in FIG. The consistency determination rule is a rule in which the relation between PPs in the processing table is used as a conditional statement, and an instruction to be written in the result table shown in FIG. 6 and the processing table shown in FIG. 7 is used as an execution statement. The result table in this example is the above-mentioned utilization PP table to which two flags (selection type and connection state) obtained in the process are added.

The knowledge base 4 comprises the above software information 1 and the consistency check rule 2.

The inference mechanism 3 repeatedly searches the knowledge base 4, extracts a rule that satisfies the conditional statement, and executes the execution statement of the rule (this is referred to as inference hereinafter). Also,
The inference mechanism 3 includes a program for controlling input / output of information between an end user interface 5 and a user, which will be described later.

The end user interface 5 is a program for passing information between the inference mechanism 3 and the user. A person who uses the system of the present invention to obtain a determination result regarding the validity of a PP to be used is called an end user in FIG. The end user is also called a user.

The knowledge acquisition function 6 is a program for inputting the software information 1 and the consistency check rule 2. A person who gives a knowledge base in advance to the system of the present invention is a developer in FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the data flow of the present invention. The PP name file 7 shown in FIG. 5 is a table that stores the PP name 11, model name 12, and version number 13 of the PP to be processed by the system of the present invention. The user selects PP from the PP name file 7.
Select a name. The inference mechanism 3 is the PP of the PP selected by the user
The name 11, the model name 12, and the version number 13 are stored in the processing table. Further, the inference mechanism 3 extracts essential PP information from the PP information and the software information 1 stored in the processing table and stores it in the processing table 9. Processing table 9
As shown in FIG. 7, includes a PP name 11, a model name 12, a version number 13, an essential PP name 16, an essential PP version upper limit value 17 and an essential PP version number lower limit value 18.

Next, the inference mechanism 3 stores the execution result in the result table 10 from the processing table 9 and the consistency check rule 2.
As shown in FIG. 6, the result table 10 is PP name 11, model name.
12, version number 13, is the PP selected by the user,
A flag (hereinafter referred to as selection type) 14 for distinguishing whether the PP extracted by the inference mechanism 3 is a PP selected by the user,
It is composed of a flag (hereinafter referred to as a connection state) 15 for indicating whether or not it is available. In the selection type in Fig. 6, "System" is displayed to indicate that the PP is selected by the inference mechanism based on software information, and "User" is displayed to indicate that the PP is selected by the user. Show.

 The above are the components for implementing the present invention.

The hardware necessary for implementing the present invention includes a central processing unit for performing inference, an inference mechanism 3, a knowledge base 4 and a PP.
An auxiliary storage device for storing the name file 7 and the like, a display for outputting between the inference mechanism and the user of the system, and an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse. An example using a mouse will be described below.

FIGS. 8A to 8C are process flows of the system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 8 (a) to 8 (c) are continuous as indicated by the numbers surrounded by circles. An embodiment will be described below with reference to this drawing.

The user first executes the inference mechanism 3. Then, the inference mechanism 3 inquires the user through the end user interface 5 whether to start or end the selection of the PP name 11 (19). The user instructs the end user interface 5 to start selecting the PP name (20). The end user interface 5 transmits an instruction to start the selection of the PP name by the user to the inference mechanism 3 (21). The inference mechanism 3 judges whether the response from the user is the start or end of the selection of the PP name 11 (22). Since the selection of the PP name is started, the PP name file 7 is opened (23), and the contents are read by the end user interface 5 On the display through (2
Four). Further, when the user of the system of the present invention finishes selecting all the PP names 11 required, the inference mechanism 3 gives an area for transmitting the information to the inference mechanism 3 by pointing with the mouse through the end user interface 5. Prepare it on the display.

The user is the PP name displayed on the display by the inference mechanism 3.
Select the required PP name from the list of 11 and specify the displayed part with the mouse (25). The end user interface 5 transmits the PP name designated by the user to the inference mechanism 3 (26). Furthermore, the inference mechanism 3 uses the PP name file 7
Close (27). Then, the inference mechanism 3 inquires the user again via the end user interface 5 whether to start or end the selection of the PP name (19). When all the required PP names 11 have been designated and the designation is completed, the user instructs the end user interface 5 to finish selecting the PP names (20). The end user interface 5 transmits a termination instruction from the user to the inference mechanism 3 (21).

Here, for each of the PP names 11 designated by the user, the inference mechanism 3 sets the PP name 11, model name 12 and its version number designated by the user in the processing table 9 of FIG. 7 and the result table 10 of FIG. Stores 13 (29). Although only the processing tables are described in the processing blocks 28 and 29 of FIG. 8B, only the processing tables are described due to the size of the columns. In the process block 29, the reasoning table 3 further instructs the result table 10 by the user.
A flag indicating that the PP is selected by the user is stored in the selection type 14 of the result table 10 for all the PP names 11.

Next, the inference mechanism 3 uses the PP name 11, the model name 12, and the version number 13 stored in the processing table 9 as search keys for the IF
PP name, model name 12 and version number 13 corresponding to the sentence
Search for PP information rules with (30). When the corresponding PP information rule is found, the data in the PP information rule is stored in the processing table 9 based on the description of the THEN statement of the PP information rule (31). The inference mechanism 3 performs this operation for all PPs in the processing table 9. As a result, the required PP name 1 from the THEN statement corresponding to the PP name 11, model name 12 and version number 13 already stored in the processing table 9
6, mandatory version number upper limit 17 and mandatory version number lower limit 18 are stored. If there are multiple required PPs for the PP name specified by the user, multiple IF rules are prepared with the same IF statement content and different THEN statements in the PP information rule shown in Fig. 2. .

Next, the inference mechanism 3 compares and verifies the PP stored in the processing table 9 with the consistency check rule 2 (FIG. 3) (33). For example, a PP in the processing table 9
When a PP having a PP name corresponding to the required PP name 16 of the above exists in the processing table 9, the inference mechanism 3 determines the required PP version number upper limit value 17 of the former PP, the required PP version number lower limit value 18 and the latter PP. Check the PP version number 13 (3
7), when the latter version number 13 is between the former mandatory PP version number upper limit value 17 and mandatory PP version number lower limit value 18, it is used for the item of connection status 15 in the result table 10 corresponding to the former PP. A flag indicating possibility is stored (38). In addition, the former upper limit of the required PP version number 17,
When the latter version number 13 does not exist between the required PP version number lower limit values 18, the flag indicating the unavailability is stored in the item of the connection state 15 of the result table 10 corresponding to the latter PP, and the process proceeds to step 35 (39). . In step 34, when the PP corresponding to the required PP name 16 of a certain PP in the processing table 9 does not exist in the processing table 9, the inference mechanism 3 sets the required PP name 16 as the PP name 11 and the PP name file 7 Search more, version number 13 is required PP version number upper limit
The PP between 17 and the mandatory PP version number lower limit value 18 is taken out, it is newly stored in the processing table 9, the relevant PP information rule is searched (35), and the data in the found PP information rule is retrieved.
It is stored in the processing table 9 based on the description of the PP information rule (36). Further, in the item of the selection type 14 of the result table 10 corresponding to the latter PP, a flag indicating that the PP name is automatically added by the inference mechanism 3 is stored instead of the user's instruction. Then, the PP newly added to the processing table is again collated and checked with the consistency check rule 2 (33).

In this way, the inference mechanism 3 checks the consistency check rule 2 for all PPs that the inference mechanism 3 stores in the processing table 9 based on the PP instructed by the user and the PP name 11 instructed by the user. A collation determination is performed and a result table 10 is created.

When the inference mechanism 3 completes the above processing, the result table
For all PPs in 10, PP name 11, model name 12, version number 13, and PPs that the user can select and use, PPs that the user selects and cannot use, inference mechanism Three
A code indicating which one of the extracted PPs is is displayed on the display through the end user interface 5 (40). Whether the PP selected by the user and usable, the PP selected by the user and not usable, or the PP extracted by the inference mechanism 3 are the selection type 14 and the connection state 15 in the result table 10. To judge from. According to this embodiment, the user looks at the display and is in the PP configuration with the designated PP name,
You can find out if each PP is available, and if there is any PP name you forgot to specify. Also, if there is a PP that cannot be used, it is possible to know which version is available.

In this embodiment, the PP name file 7 is searched when the name and version of the required PP are newly stored in the processing table 9 in 35, but the required PP version number upper limit value 17 in the PP information rule is used. In this case, the search processing of the PP name file 7 is unnecessary.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, consistency can be obtained.
The PP configuration can be determined automatically without human intervention. Further, as a result, there is an effect that it can be performed more accurately and in a shorter time than the case of performing it manually.

Also, since it is only necessary to be aware of the PPs that one wants to use, the PP configuration decision work becomes easier, and therefore even those who do not have sufficient expertise in PP relevance can do the work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration example of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of PP information rules, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of consistency determination rules, and FIG. 4 is a data flow. Figure representing the fifth
Figure shows an example of PP name file, Figure 6 shows an example of result table, Figure 7 shows an example of processing table,
FIGS. 8A to 8C are diagrams showing a processing flow in the embodiment. 1 ... Software information, 2 ... Consistency check rule, 3 ...
... inference mechanism, 4 ... knowledge base, 5 ... end user interface, 6 ... knowledge acquisition function, 7 ... PP name file, 9 ... processing table, 10 ... result table,

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A provided software table that holds names and attributes of software to be used (hereinafter referred to as provided software) and a used software table that stores names and attributes of software to be considered for use (hereinafter referred to as used software). And a mandatory software table that stores the name and attribute allowable range of software (hereinafter referred to as mandatory software) that is essential for using the software to be used, and the name and attributes of the specified software to be used are described above. When the names and attributes of the software used in the table match the preset software names and attributes, respectively, the preset software names and attribute allowable ranges are stored in the mandatory software table above, Name and attribute allowable range If plus software is not stored in the available software table, further picked from within the provided software tables, related software automated selection system, characterized in that additionally stores to the utilization software table.