Emulation system for automatically modifying I/O translation tables in programs designed to run on different types of computer

• US 4,858,114 A
• Filed: 12/11/1987
• Issued: 08/15/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stratton, Susan D., Hoffman, Virginia M., Sheppard, Ronald K., Heath, Allen W., Hernandez, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jr., Archie E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOHAMED, AYNI Y
• Application Number:
  US07/132,719
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 703/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/10 Program control for peripheral devices G06F13/14 - G06F13/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers

Abstract

A technique for providing automatic modification of a computer application program adopts the program for compatibility with hardware different from that for which the program was originally written and tested. Upon initial loading of the application program, a search is made to determine the existence of a set of exception tables, external to the application program. If the exception tables are present, all code conversion tables within the application program relating to I/O operations are modified according to the set of exception tables. Plural sets of exception tables may be included with the ability of the operator to choose which set of exception tables will be used to modify the program, thereby allowing the operator to use a single program with a variety of different hardwawre configurations, assuring with each configuration that the intended characters and symbols are displayed and printed.

Claims

1. A method for automatically modifying parameters within an execution of a reconfigurable, table driven computer program originally designed to run on a first type of computer system configured in a first way, to properly interface with I/O devices for said reconfigurable program to run on a different, second type of computer system configured in a second way, comprising:

(a) storing in a random access memory of said second type of computer system a set of exception tables to selectively alter particular entries of a set of code conversion tables within said reconfigurable program to redefine the meaning of selected codes within said reconfigurable program;

(b) providing initialization logic in said reconfigurable program and using said logic during initial loading of said reconfigurable program to cause said reconfigurable program to cause said second type of computer system to search for the presence of said set of exception tables in said random access memory in addition to said reconfigurable program during loading of said reconfigurable program into said second type of computer;

(c) utilizing said second type of computer and said exception tables, during said loading of said reconfigurable program into said second type of computer, upon the detection of the presence of said exception tables in said random access memory, to automatically, selectively alter, without operator intervention, said particular entries of said set of code conversion tables according to values stored in said exception tables.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a table of said set of code conversion tables within said reconfigurable program is utilized to convert ASCII code to MLG EBCDIC code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a table of said set of code conversion tables within said reconfigurable program is utilized to convert MLG EBCDIC code to ASCII code.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a table of said set of code conversion tables within said reconfigurable program is utilized to convert icon formatting information to ASCII code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of storing said set of exception tables further comprises building each of said set of exception tables with values to be logically combined with preselected data in said code conversion tables.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of storing said set of exception tables further comprises building each of said set of exception tables with values to be substituted for preselected data in said code conversion tables.