Method of, system for, and computer program product for providing a run time subsystem for run time libraries

• US 6,332,168 B1
• Filed: 09/28/1995
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Robert M., House, Daniel E., Wheatley, Michael T., Porter, Eric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Banankhah, Majid
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, PATRICIA G
• Application Number:
  US08/535,497
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 395/701, 395/710, 395/685, 395/712, 709/300-305, 709/310-332, 713/1, 713/2
• US Class Current: 719/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44536 Selecting among different versions

Abstract

Method of, system for, and computer program product for providing a central repository for information regarding run time library usage and a run time subsytem for using the run time libraries in accordance with the information contained in the central repository. The run time subsystem loads run time libraries when initialized and when requested to do by requests from application programs in accordance with the information contained in the central repository. The run time subsystem'"'"'s use of the central repository provides improved application program performance, improved system utilization, and improved migration.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for dynamically linking an application program to a run time library, comprising:

(a) a central repository for storing information regarding usage of run time libraries in a computer, wherein the information identifies which run time libraries are linked to which application programs and where to load the run time libraries;

(b) a run time subsystem, executed by the computer separately from any application program, for using the run time libraries in accordance with the information stored in the central repository, wherein the run time subsystem determines at the application program'"'"'s initialization which of the run time libraries to link with the application program and then links the application program and the run time libraries.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the central repository comprises an application profile data base containing information regarding usage of the run time libraries.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem is started prior to running any application program.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem optionally pre-loads any needed run time libraries into common storage.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem optionally finds a pre-installed version of the run time libraries in a storage area.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time libraries into protected storage, so unauthorized users can not modify them.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem starts the run time subsystem for dynamically lining the application program to the run time library prior to initialization of the application program.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the central repository contains information associating the application program and the run time library if the application program and the run time library are associated, information specifying where in memory the run time subsystem is to load the run time library, and information specifying a default run time library if the application program and the run time library are not associated.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time library into a region of the storage specified in the central repository.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem searches in a first region of storage for the run time library, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage specified in the central repository, if the run time library is not found.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem loads a default run time library in response to the request, if no run time library is associated with the application program in the central repository.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the application program is of a specified type, and links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with the specified type in the central repository.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the run time library has not been loaded into a first region of storage, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage.

14. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with the application program in the central repository.

15. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specified version of the run time library associated with the application program in the central repository.

16. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the run time subsystem determines if a specific version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository is already loaded into storage, and links the application program with the specific version of the run time library.

17. A computer-implemented method for dynamically linking an application program to a run time library, comprising:

(a) storing information regarding usage of run time libraries in a central repository of a computer, wherein the information identifies which run time libraries are linked to which application programs and where to load the run time libraries; and

(b) executing a run time subsystem in an address space in the computer separate from any application program'"'"'s address space, wherein the run time subsystem uses the run time libraries in accordance with the information stored in the central repository by determining at the application program'"'"'s initialization which of the run time libraries to link with the application program and then linking the application program and the run time libraries.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the central repository comprises an application profile data base containing information regarding usage of the run time libraries.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem is started prior to running any application program.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem optionally pre-loads any needed run time libraries into common storage.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem optionally finds a pre-installed version of the run time libraries in a storage area.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time libraries into protected storage, so unauthorized users can not modify them.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem starts the run time subsystem for dynamically linking the application program to the run time library prior to initialization of the application program.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the central repository contains information associating the application program and the run time library if the application program and the run time library are associated, information specify where in memory the run time subsystem is to load the run time library, and information specifying a default run time library if the application program and the run time library are not associated.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time library into a region of the storage specified in the central repository.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem searches in a first region of storage for the run time library, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage specified in the central repository, if the run time library is not found.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem loads a default run time library in response to the request, if no run time library is associated with the application program in the central repository.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the application program is of a specified type, and links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with the specified type in the central repository.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the run time library has not been loaded into a first region of storage, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specified version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository.

32. The method of claim 17, wherein the run time subsystem determines if a specific version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository is already loaded into storage, loads the specific version in a common region of storage if it is not already loaded into storage, and links the application program with the specific version of the run time library.

33. An article of manufacture for use in a computer for dynamically linking an application program to a run time library, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program embodied therein which may cause the computer to:

(a) store information regarding usage of run time libraries in a central repository of a computer, wherein the information identifies which run time libraries are linked to which application programs and where to load the run time libraries; and

(b) execute a run time subsystem in an address space in the computer separate from any application program'"'"'s address space, wherein the run time subsystem uses the run time libraries in accordance with the information stored in the central repository by determining at the application program'"'"'s initialization which of the run time libraries to link with the application program and then linking the application program and the run time libraries.

35. The article of claim 33, wherein the central repository comprises an application profile data base containing information regarding usage of the run time libraries.

36. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem is started prior to running any application program.

37. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem optionally pre-loads any needed run time libraries into common storage.

38. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem optionally finds a pre-installed version of the run time libraries in a storage area.

39. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time libraries into protected storage, so unauthorized users can not modify them.

40. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem starts the run time subsystem for dynamically linking the application program to the run time library prior to initialization of the application program.

41. The article of claim 33, wherein the central repository contains information associating the application program and the run time library if the application program and the run time library are associated, information specifying where in memory the run time subsystem is to load the run time library, and information specifying a default run time library if the application program and the run time library are not associated.

42. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem loads the run time library into a region of the storage specified in the central repository.

43. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem searches in a first region of storage for the run time library, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage specified in the central repository, if the run time library is not found.

44. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem loads a default run time library in response to the request, if no run time library is associated with the application program in the central repository.

45. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the application program is of a specified type, and links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with the specified type in the central repository.

46. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem determines if the run time library has not been loaded into a first region of storage, and loads the run time library into a second region of storage.

47. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specific version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository.

48. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem links the application program with a specified version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository.

49. The article of claim 33, wherein the run time subsystem determines if a specific version of the run time library associated with application program in the central repository is already loaded into storage, loads the specific version in a common region of storage if it is not already loaded into storage, and links the application program with the specific version of the run time library.

34. An article of manufacture for use in a computer for dynamically linking an application program to a run time library, the article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program embodied therein which may cause the computer to:

(a) store information regarding usage of run time libraries in a central repository of a computer; and

(b) execute a run time subsystem in an address space in the computer separate from any application program'"'"'s address space, wherein the run time subsystem uses the run time libraries in accordance with the information stored in the central repository by determining at the application program'"'"'s initialization which run time libraries to link with the application program and then linking the application program and the run time libraries.