Componentware creating method, apparatus and recording medium

Abstract

It is an object to shorten a time required for a processing of linking components and to reduce the amount of a memory to be used during the linkage. When creating a component to be referred to another component, a declaration of a symbol in a source file is converted into an original symbol name through a compile processing to be caused to correspond to a symbol value to be an offset address in an object file. When creating a component to be a referent, a symbol information table in which the original symbol name is replaced with a symbol ID to be caused to correspond to the symbol value. Moreover, the original symbol name and the symbol ID are caused to correspond to each other so that an external symbol information file is created. In a component to be a reference source, the original symbol name referring to another component is replaced with a pair of the component ID and the symbol ID by using the file. Thus, a symbol reference information table is created. Information about the linkage of the components to be the reference source and the referent are collated by using the symbol ID based on the table and the table. Since the symbol ID is short, a time required for collating the symbols can be shortened and the amount of the memory to be used can be reduced.

1 - 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus for creating componentware in which first componentware and second componentware are linked to each other during loading onto a system, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for generating the first componentware by replacing a first symbol name, adapted to be referred externally, with a first symbol ID adapted to identify the first symbol name;    means for creating first table data indicative of a relationship between the first symbol name and the first symbol ID;    means for creating external list data indicative of a relationship between the first symbol name and the first symbol ID;    means for generating the second componentware by replacing a second symbol name, adapted to be a reference source for the first componentware, with a second symbol ID, 
 wherein the second symbol ID is adapted to identify the second symbol name as a function of the external list data; and  
   means for creating second table data indicative of a relationship between the second symbol name and the second symbol ID, 
 wherein the first componentware and the second componentware are linked to each other as a function of the first table data and the second table data.  
   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 means for providing a component ID adapted to identify the first componentware; and    means for adding the component ID to the first componentware,    wherein the second componentware refers to the first componentware as a function of the component ID and the symbol ID.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 means for creating a relational list as a function of a relationship between the first symbol name and the first symbol ID; and    means for replacing the first symbol name with the first symbol ID as a function of the relational list.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the means for replacing is adapted to delete a symbol ID when the corresponding symbol name is deleted and add a new symbol ID when a corresponding new symbol name is added.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 means for determining a source of components of the componentware; and    means for accessing the components from the source.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the source is a secondary source.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 means for determining a deletion of one or more symbols; and    means for deleting one or more symbol IDs that correspond to the one or more deleted symbols.    
   
   
       14 . A recording apparatus adapted to record componentware comprising: 
 means for storing symbol reference component data, a component ID, which is adapted to identify information for corresponding componentware and a symbol ID, which is adapted to identify corresponding componentware; and    means for determining whether the component ID and the symbol ID correspond to particular reference component data,    wherein an indication of such correspondence is generated when a correspondence is determined and the symbol ID is unique for the particular reference component data, and    wherein the componentware is adapted to be linked to external componentware.    
   
   
       15 . A recording apparatus for recording componentware comprising: 
 means for storing symbol name data; and    means for storing symbol ID data, which is adapted to identify corresponding symbol name data, 
 where the symbol ID data is described as a function of a corresponding symbol location and as a function of a component ID adapted to identify at least a portion of the componentware,  
 wherein particular symbol name data is replaced by corresponding symbol ID data.