JPH06230946A - Automatic program starting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an automatic program starting device which automatically start a program by adding the start conditions to the program in a data processor which interprets the program produced by using a simplified program language by a user and carries out each processing based on the interpretation of the program. CONSTITUTION:A data processor interpretes a program produced by using the simlified program language and carries out each processing based on the interpretation of the program. An automatic program starting device of the data processor is provided with an additional information setting means 11 which adds the start conditions to the program as the additional information and the program starting means 13, 14 and 15 which interpret the additional information on the program and start the programs accordant with the start conditions based on the additional information.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic program starter, and more particularly to a data processor for interpreting a program created by a user using a simple language and executing each process according to the interpretation of the program. The present invention relates to an automatic program starting device for automatically starting a program by adding a start condition for the program to the program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in workstations, personal computers, etc., with the development of hardware devices, and with the development of system programs such as script languages and graphical user interface (GUI) environments, users have been Without creating a complicated program, you can perform daily business processing arbitrarily by operating the mouse on the display screen with the same operational feeling as you do daily business on the desk. System programs for operating various application programs have been provided by operating a mouse on a screen.

In such a system program for operating various application programs by operating the mouse on the display screen, the display screen serves as a desktop environment, and in the desktop environment, various application programs are operated by mouse operation and keyboard operation. Let In this case, in order to perform a routine business process, a simple language program that can program an operation process by mouse operation in a desktop environment has been developed.

Therefore, a program that interprets the simple language program and executes the same processing as each mouse operation and key input operation according to the simple language program is provided as one of the application programs. Such a simple language program, for example, describes the sequential operation processing by the mouse operation and the key input operation in the desktop environment as it is for the fixed-form business processing performed by the user. Created as a program) and used.

[0005]

Conventionally, in a data processing apparatus configured to interpret a simple language program and execute each processing in accordance with the simple language program, a user has a simple language program for routine work. When the user wants to start the program, he / she is configured to instruct the program to be started with a mouse cursor or the like in the desktop environment on the display screen to start the simplified language program. For this reason, it is necessary to always intervene the user as an operator who gives an action when the program is started. Therefore, for example, it is impossible to automatically start the program at midnight, on a holiday, or before the start time of daily work.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to interpret a program created by a user using a simple language,
A data processing device that executes each process according to the interpretation of the program is to provide an automatic program starting device that automatically starts the program by adding a start condition of the program to the program.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the automatic program starting apparatus of the present invention interprets a program created by using a simple language and executes each processing according to the interpretation of the program. Which is an automatic program starter in a data processing device for executing, and which interprets the additional information added to the program, and additional information setting means (11) for adding the start condition of the program as additional information to the program. , And program interpreting means (13, 14, 15) for activating a program that meets the start condition based on the additional information.

In this automatic program starter, one of the program start conditions added as the additional information of the program is the program start time and the repetition time interval. The start condition of another program is the program start time, the repeating time interval, and the end time of the condition. Further, the start condition of still another program is a plurality of program start times.

[0009]

The automatic program starter of the present invention interprets a program created by using a simple language and automatically starts the process by the program in the data processor which executes each process according to the interpretation of the program. For this purpose, the additional information setting means (11) adds the start condition of the program to the program as additional information, and the program start means (13, 14, 15)
Interprets the additional information added to the program and activates the program that meets the start condition based on the additional information.

In this automatic program starting device, the start condition of the program added as additional information to the program by the additional information setting means is, for example, the program start time, and the program start time is added as the program start condition. In this case, the program start means starts the program when the current time becomes the program start time. Further, when the start condition of the program to be added as additional information to the program is the program start time and the repeating time interval, the program start means, when the current time becomes the program start time,
The program is started, and a repeating time interval is added to the program start time, and when the current time reaches a time that meets the condition, the program is started at the time of the condition.
In this case, the program is repeatedly activated at every repetition time interval from the program start time.

Further, when the start condition of the program added as additional information to the program is the program start time, the repetition time interval, and the end time of the condition, the program start means determines that the current time becomes the program start time. Then, the program is started up, and a repeating time interval is added to the program start time. When the current time reaches a time that meets the condition, the program is started at the time of the condition. In the process of starting the program, the process of starting the program is repeatedly performed at every repeating time interval from the program start time, and when the end time of the condition is reached, the process of repeatedly starting the program ends.

Further, a plurality of program start times are set in the start condition of the program added as additional information to the program. In this case, the program start means performs a process of starting the program at each program start time when the current time reaches each of the plurality of program start times.

As described above, in this automatic program starting device, when it is desired to start the program at a certain time, the time is designated as the program starting time, the time is specified, the time is specified, the day of the week is specified, or the repetition time is set. By designating an interval and further designating a time zone for each area, the corresponding program can be automatically started at a designated time that matches the start condition.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an automatic program starting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 11 is an additional information setting unit, 12 is a program storage unit, 13 is an additional information interpretation unit, 14 is a program activation unit, 15 is a timer unit, 16 is a program interpretation processing unit, 17 is a syntax analysis unit, and 18 is It is a virtual execution unit.

The program storage unit 12 stores various application programs and simple language programs that operate in a desktop environment. To the programs stored in the program storage unit 12, the additional information setting unit 11 performs a process of adding the start condition of each program as additional information. This additional information is managed in the program storage unit 12 together with the program body as attribute information of the program. The additional information interpretation unit 13 extracts and interprets the additional information in the program to which the additional information is added, with respect to the program stored in the program storage unit 12, and sets the program start condition as the additional information of the time information. The selected program is selected and supplied to the program starting unit 14.

The program starting unit 14 is constantly supplied with the current time information from the timer unit 15, performs the starting process of the program whose time of the program start condition matches the current time, and instructs the program interpretation processing unit 16 to do so. Then, the program main body for starting is supplied. That is, the program starting unit 14 performs a process of starting the program when the current time supplied from the timer unit 15 becomes the program start time. In addition, when the program start condition is the program start time and the repeating time interval, the program starting unit 14 starts the program when the current time of the timer unit 15 becomes the program start time, and further, at the program start time. When the current time from the timer unit 15 reaches a time that meets the condition, the process of starting the program is performed at the time of the condition. In this case, the program is repeatedly activated at every repetition time interval from the program start time.

When the program interpretation processing section 16 receives the supply of the corresponding program body section to be activated, the syntax analysis section 1
7, the syntax of each program statement in the program body is sequentially analyzed, and the virtual execution unit 18
Generates event information similar to mouse operation and keyboard operation, executes a simple language program in the desktop environment, and activates various application programs.

Next, the embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described in more detail. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a data processing device in which an automatic program starting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is incorporated. In FIG. 2, 2
1 is a keyboard, 22 is a mouse, 23 is a display device, 24 is a workstation main unit, 25 is a local storage device, 26 is a processor unit, 27 is a main memory unit, and 28 is a timer unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of a data processing apparatus incorporating the automatic program starter according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, 31 is an application program main unit, 32 is a user interface control unit, 33 is an operating system,
Reference numeral 34 is an input / output device control unit, and 35 is an input / output device. These system elements are the processor unit 26 and the main memory unit 2 in the hardware device as shown in FIG.
7, and the local storage device 25 as a central component.

Continuing the description with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the input / output device 35 includes a display device 23 as a display output device, a mouse 22 as a pointing device for designating a position on a display screen, and a character input device. Keyboard 21 and local storage device 2 as an external storage device
5 is used. These input / output devices 35 are controlled by the input / output device controller 34. The input / output device controller 34 is managed by the operating system 33, and the operating system 33 provides a system environment in which each application program operates, and manages and controls the entire hardware device.
The user interface control unit 32 controls each user interface function with the application program main unit 31 by using each function of the operating system 33, and a graphical user interface environment (desktop environment) on the display screen. )I will provide a. In the desktop environment in the graphical user interface environment on this display screen, various application program main units 31 will be executed.

The automatic program starting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is started and executed as one of the application program main body 31 here, for example. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation screen when setting the program start condition in a state where the automatic program start device of the present embodiment is activated. In FIG. 4, 40 is a display screen, 41 is an application window, 42 is a button of an interface component,
43 is a sub-window displaying the button attributes, 44 is a simple language program body incorporated in the button, 45
Is program additional information such as program start conditions.

Here, as shown in FIG. 4, an application window 41 of an application program executed in the desktop environment is opened on the display screen 40 which is the desktop environment, and the application window 41 includes The interface part button 42 is displayed. A simple language program is incorporated in the button 42 of the interface component as its attribute, and the simple language program incorporated in the button 42 of the interface component is displayed by opening a subwindow 43 displaying the button attribute. . The sub-window 43 also functions as a program editor when the simple language program is incorporated into the button 42 and the program is edited.
In this sub-window 43, the program additional information 45 added to the simple language program is set together with the setting of the simple language program main unit 44 incorporated in the button 42.
To set.

As the program additional information 45, a button name which is a program name of this simplified language program, a setting switch for setting whether or not to automatically execute the program (set by a button switch displayed as "automatic execution"), Program start conditions such as the start time when the program is automatically executed and the end time of the automatic execution condition are set. Here, when the switch button to set the automatic execution is pressed, the start time and end time to set the program start condition, and each information setting area to set the time zone for time setting are displayed. Can be set. If the time zone is not set, it will be the local time.

The time zone is set by turning on a button switch labeled "Region designation". When the "area designation" switch is turned on, the "area designation" switch is highlighted so that the return area name can be designated. When the area name can be set, the area name information setting area is displayed next, and the area name of the time zone to be set is set in the area name information setting area. For example, a region name such as Japan, Hawaii, the West Coast of the United States, the East Coast of the United States, the Greenwich Standard, or West Europe is designated as the region name for which Timezor is set. When this area name is designated, the time difference of the area name is corrected with respect to the time zone.

In the area name information setting area in which the time zone is set, the time difference may be set directly by designating the time zone without setting the area name. For example, by setting "-5H",
You can set the time difference correction of "-5 hours" from the local time.
Also, by setting "+ 9H20M", the time difference correction of "+9 hours and 20 minutes" from the local time can be set.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of setting a program start condition to be added to the program as additional information. As shown in FIG. 5, program start condition 5 here
As 0, the condition setting of 5 program start times (5
1 to 55) and the end time 56 of the condition for automatic execution are set. For example, in the condition setting 51 of the program start time, the data is "1992.9.10 23: 3.
It is set as "5:00", which means that the time of 23: 35: 0 on September 10, 1992 is set. In the time setting here, the date is Separate with a period, separate the time with a colon, and separate the year, month, day, and time with a space.The condition setting 51 for one program start time is completed, and the next item key (NEXT
When the key: input key) is pressed, the input area for the condition setting 52 for the next program start time is displayed. If necessary, the condition setting (53 to 55) for the next program start time is sequentially input. Display the information setting area to
The conditions for a plurality of program start times are sequentially set.

As the program start condition 50 here,
In the next program start time condition setting 52, 1992
The time of 21: 30: 02: 00 on September 11, is set. In the program start time condition setting 53, “SUNDAY” is set as the date data. This means that the date specified by date is the next Sunday. Therefore, the program start time condition setting 53 is set to the time of 18:00:00 of the next Sunday. In the next program start time condition setting 54, "E-SUNDAY" is set as the date data. This means that the date is every Sunday. Therefore, in the condition setting 54 of the program start time, the time of 21:00:00 every Sunday is set.

Further, the program start time condition setting 55
In, the program start time and the repetition time interval are set. In this example, “1992.9.12 12: 0
It is set as "0: 00 + 10M", but this is
This means that the first program startup is performed at 12:00:00 on September 12, 1992, and the program startup condition is set to repeat the program startup processing every 10 minutes thereafter. . Also, here "+1
If it is "+ 10S" instead of "0M", the interval is 10 seconds, and if it is "+ 1H", the interval is 1 hour. This program starting process is performed until the end time of the automatic execution condition set by the condition setting 56. In this case, 19 is set as the end time of the program by the data setting of the end time condition setting 56.
The time of 13:00:00 on September 12, 1992 is set as the end product of the condition for automatic execution.

Therefore, here, the program start processing is started at the time of 12:00:00 on September 12, 1992 by the condition setting 55 of the program start time and the condition setting 56 of the end time, and thereafter 10 The program started repeatedly every minute, and this was September 12, 1992.
It will continue until the time of 13:00:00 on the day.
That is, the program is activated five times.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the automatic program starting process mainly performed by the program starting unit. Next, with reference to FIG. 6, an automatic program starting process performed under the condition of the additional information added to the program body will be described. First, step 6
In 1, the start conditions such as the day of the week, the time, and the time interval of the additional information of the program are extracted and stored in standard time. For example, when a region name is specified in the additional information, the time zone is corrected by the region name, and then the standard time is corrected and stored. Next, after a wait process for a certain period of time in step 62, it is determined in step 63 whether or not the current time is the time of the start condition. If the present time is not the time of the start condition as a result of this determination, the process returns to step 62, and after the wait process for a certain period of time again, it is again determined in step 63 whether the current time is the time of the start condition.

When it is determined by the determination process of step 63 that the current time is the time of the start condition, the process proceeds to step 64, and it is determined whether or not the program is in the stopped state. If the user has already started the program by operating the mouse on the manual, etc., and the program is not in the stopped state, the process proceeds to step 67. Regarding the automatic start process for the program here, the program start error process is performed and an error occurs. Send a message etc. to complete the process.

If it is determined in step 63 that the current time is the start condition time, and in step 64 that the program is in the stopped state, the process proceeds to step 65. Performs program startup processing. Then, in the next step 66,
It is determined whether the execution is repeated. When it is determined in step 66 that the program is not repeatedly executed, for example, when only one program start time is set, the process is completed.

On the other hand, when it is judged in step 66 that the execution is repeated, for example, when a plurality of program start times are set, and when the program start time is set, the repeat time interval is set. In this case, the program starting process here is repeatedly executed, and in this case, the process returns to step 62 and the process from step 62 is repeated.

As described above, the start time of the program is arbitrarily added as additional information to the program by specifying the time zone for each region, the day of the week, the time, or the start time interval. By putting
It is possible to automatically start the program. Therefore, routine work can be automatically started at midnight, on holidays, or when the user is absent, so that work efficiency is significantly improved.

Next, description will be given of each setting example of the start condition of the program added as additional information to the program for such an automatic program starting device.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a first setting example of the program start condition. As shown in FIG. 7, if only one start time is set 71 as the program start condition 70, 199
At 9:00 pm on July 1, 2012, the corresponding program will be automatically started only once. In this case, the end time setting 72 need not be performed. When the end time is set 72, the condition for canceling the automatic execution of the program is set after the time set here.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a second setting example of the program start condition. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, as the program start condition 80, two time settings of the start time are set 81 and set 82. In this case, the same as 19:00 on July 1, 1992.
At 10:00 pm on July 2, 992, the corresponding program is automatically started.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining the third setting example of the program start condition. For example, if you want to execute one routine work program periodically, as shown in FIG.
As the program start condition 90, the first program start time and the repeat time interval are set as the program start condition 90 without individually specifying each start time. Further, the end time 92 of the automatic execution condition is set. With this setting, an automatic program is started every 10 minutes from 9 pm to 10 pm on July 1, 1992.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a fourth setting example in the case of setting the program start condition including the area designation. As shown in FIG. 10, in the fourth setting example, as the program start condition 100, the region designation for setting the time zone is set as the region name "West Coast of the United States", and the start time is set to "1992.7" of one time setting. 1 21: 0
Only "0:00" is set. In this case, if the area where this workstation exists is "Japan", there is a time difference of "-17 hours" from the local time with the time zone set by the area name "West Coast of the United States". , The time set as the start time here is 19
It will be 4:00 am on July 1, 1992. Therefore, 1992
At 4:00 am on July 1st, the corresponding program is automatically started once. The calculation of the time difference is performed with each time data converted and stored in Greenwich Mean Time, which is used as a reference.

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a fifth setting example in the case of setting the program start condition including the time zone time difference setting. As shown in FIG. 11, in the fifth setting example, as the program start condition 101, the area designation for setting the time zone is directly set by the time difference. In this case, “+ 9H20M” is set, indicating that there is a time difference of “+9 hours and 20 minutes” with respect to the local time. In this case as well, as in the case described above, the start time is "1992.7.121: 0" of one time setting.
Since only "0:00" is set, the time set as the start time here is 6:20 am on July 2, 1992. Therefore, 6 am, 2 July 1992
At 20 minutes, the corresponding program is automatically started only once.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining a sixth setting example in the case of setting the program start condition including the time zone time difference setting. As shown in FIG. 11, the sixth
In the setting example, the program start condition 1012 is to directly set the area designation for setting the time zone by the time difference. In this case, "-5H" is set, indicating that there is a time difference of "-5 hours" with respect to the local time. In this case as well, as in the case described above, the start time is "1992.7.1 21: 00: 0" of one time setting.
Since only "0" is set, the time set as the start time here is 4:00 pm on July 1, 1992. Therefore, at 4:00 pm on July 1, 1992, the corresponding program is automatically started only once.

As described above, by using the automatic program starting device of this embodiment, for example, a simple language program created is stored in the button in the document for automation of a series of routine work processing. However, until now, if the user did not give an action such as clicking the button with the mouse, the simple language program would not start.For example, the name of the button or the property that stores the actual program The day of the week in which you want to activate the program as additional information of the program,
By setting the time, time interval, and designation of the regional time zone as additional information, the program can be automatically started.

As a result, the start time of the program is arbitrarily set in the program as additional information by designating the day of the week, the time, or the activation time interval and the regional time zone. As a result, the program can be automatically started. Therefore, routine work can be automatically started at midnight, on holidays, or when the user is absent, so that work efficiency is significantly improved.

[0043]

As described above, according to the automatic program starter of the present invention, in order to automate a series of routine work processing, it is possible to start the program for the created simple language program. By adding the day of the week, time or startup time interval and regional time zone as additional information, the program can be started automatically, and midnight, holidays, and users are absent. Occasionally, definition work can be started automatically, greatly improving work efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of an automatic program starting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a data processing device incorporating an automatic program starting device according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of a data processing device incorporating an automatic program starter according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation screen when setting a program start condition in a state where the automatic program start device according to the present embodiment is activated;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting a program start condition to be added as additional information to a program,

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an automatic program starting process mainly performed by a program starting unit;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a first setting example of a program start condition,

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a second setting example of a program start condition,

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a third setting example of the program start condition,

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a fourth setting example in the case of setting a program start condition including area designation;

FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a fifth setting example when setting the program start condition including the time zone time difference setting;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a sixth setting example in the case of setting the program start condition including the time zone time difference setting.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 ... Additional information setting unit, 12 ... Program storage unit, 13
... additional information interpretation unit, 14 ... program activation unit, 15 ... timer unit, 16 ... program interpretation processing unit, 17 ... syntax analysis unit, 18 ... virtual execution unit, 21 ... keyboard, 22 ... mouse, 23 ... display device, 24 ... workstation main unit, 25 ... local storage device, 26 ... processor unit, 27 ... main memory unit, 28 ... timer unit, 31
... application program main unit, 32 ... user interface control unit, 33 ... operating system, 34 ... input / output device control unit, 35 ... input / output device, 40 ... display screen, 41 ... application window, 42 ... interface component button, 43
... Sub-window, 44 ... Simple language program main body,
45 ... Program additional information, 50 ... Program start condition, 51-55 ... Program start time condition setting, 56
… Condition setting for end time.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An automatic program starting device in a data processing device that interprets a program created using a simplified language and executes each process according to the interpretation of the program, An automatic system comprising: additional information setting means for adding a start condition as additional information; and program starting means for interpreting the additional information added to the program and activating a program meeting the start condition based on the additional information. Program starter. 2. The automatic program start device according to claim 1, wherein the program start condition is a program start time and a repetition time interval. 3. The automatic program starter according to claim 1, wherein the program start condition is a program start time, a repetition time interval, and an end time of the condition. 4. The automatic program starter according to claim 1, wherein the program start condition is a plurality of program start times.