Object-oriental system for managing shared libraries

• US 5,414,854 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 05/09/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taligent, Inc. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Russell T., Heninger, Andrew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thoams G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Loomis, John C.
• Application Number:
  US08/042,959
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/650, 395/700
• US Class Current: 713/1
• 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 9/44552 Conflict resolution, i.e. enabling coexistence of conflicting executables

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed for locating and loading shared libraries linked with a given shared library that has been launched by a program. The present invention operates by initially determining the names of the shared library names that are necessary to a program that has been launched. Thereafter, search objects are employed to search for and attain the physical shared library locations that correspond to the determined names. A collection of search objects can be placed within a team and employed in a selected sequential order. Upon the attainment of an appropriate locations corresponding to each of the shared library names, each of the shared library names are mapped to its corresponding physical location. Thereafter, the contents of each physical shared library location can be loaded for purposes of a program.

Claims

1. A method for locating shared libraries in an object-oriented operating system including objects with logic and data for performing particular functions including at least one library searcher object with logic for mapping a plurality of names of shared libraries to an address in a storage where the associated shared library is stored in a computer, comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying a plurality of names of shared libraries located in said storage of said computer;

(b) searching for and attaining a plurality of locations corresponding to said names of shared libraries utilizing said logic in said at least one library searcher object; and

(c) mapping said plurality of names of shared libraries to said plurality of shared libraries located in said storage of said computer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of directories are searched.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects are used in the event of default.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects are placed within a team.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the search objects placed within the team are consecutively stored in a last in, first out (LIFO) order.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein last in, first out (LIFO) order is based on when each of the search objects is added to the team.

7. The method as recited within claim 1, wherein only one of the plurality of locations is selectively attained for each of the plurality of shared library names.

8. A method for locating shared libraries in a computer linked with a specific library, comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a plurality of search objects;

(b) adding the plurality of search objects into a designated location;

(c) identifying a plurality of shared library names linked with a specific library;

(d) consecutively employing the plurality of search objects added into the designated location to attain a plurality of locations corresponding to the plurality of shared library names; and

(e) mapping the plurality of shared library names to the plurality of attained locations.

9. The method as recited within claim 8, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects summon a procedure existing in a specified location.

10. The method as recited within claim 9, wherein the procedure can be changed.

11. The method as recited within claim 9, including the step of precluding one or more of the plurality of search objects from being streamed into the designated location when a duplicate of the one or more of the plurality of search objects already exists in the designated location.

12. The method as recited within claim 8, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects is streamed into a plurality of designated locations.

13. The method as recited within claim 8, wherein the plurality of search objects are consecutively employed based on the order in which the plurality of search objects were streamed into the designated location.

14. An apparatus for locating shared libraries in an object-oriented operating system including objects with logic and data for performing particular functions including at least one library searcher object with logic for mapping a plurality of names of shared libraries to the address in a storage where the associated shared library is stored in a computer, comprising:

(a) an object-oriented operating system;

(b) a computer controlled by said operating system;

(c) a storage attached to and trader the control of said computer;

(d) a plurality of objects, each of said plurality of objects including logic and data for performing particular functions including at least one library searcher object with logic for mapping a plurality of names of shared libraries to an address in said storage;

(e) means for identifying a plurality of names of shared libraries located in said storage of said computer;

(f) means for searching for and attaining a plurality of locations corresponding to said names of shared libraries utilizing said logic in said at least one library searcher object; and

(g) means for mapping said plurality of names of shared libraries to said plurality of shared libraries located in said storage of said computer.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein a plurality of directories are searched.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects are used in the event of default.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects are placed within a team.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the search objects placed within the team are consecutively employed in a last in, first out (LIFO) order.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 18, wherein the last in, first out (LIFO) order is based on when each of the search objects is added to the team.

20. The apparatus as recited within claim 14, wherein only one of the plurality of locations is selectively attained for each of the plurality of shared library names.

21. The apparatus as recited within claim 14, wherein the plurality of shared library names linked with the specific library are ascertained by referring to a defined location.

22. An apparatus for locating shared libraries linked with a specific library, comprising:

(a) means for forming a plurality of search objects;

(b) means for adding the plurality of search objects into a designated location;

(c) means for ascertaining a plurality of shared library names linked with a specific library;

(d) means for consecutively employing the plurality of search objects added into the designated location to attain a plurality of locations corresponding to the plurality of shared library names; and

(e) means for mapping the plurality of shared library names to the plurality of attained locations.

23. The apparatus as recited within claim 22, including means for streaming the plurality of attained locations into the designated location.

24. The apparatus as recited within claim 22, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects summon a procedure existing in a specified location.

25. The apparatus as recited within claim 24, wherein the procedure can be changed.

26. The apparatus as recited within claim 25, including a processor for precluding one or more of the plurality of search objects from being streamed into the designated location when a duplicate of the one or more of the plurality of search objects already exists in the designated location.

27. The apparatus as recited within claim 22, wherein one or more of the plurality of search objects is streamed into a plurality of designated locations.

28. The apparatus as recited within claim 22, wherein the plurality of search objects are consecutively employed based on the order in which the plurality of search objects were streamed into the designated location.