JPH0214351A - Virtual console control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the automation of operator processing or the combination of a program by providing a communicating means to execute communication from a processing program to a program which specifies the operating environment of the program. CONSTITUTION:When an operating environment specifying program 2 is not interrupted to the processing program which executes the exchange of a message with an operator, the operating environment program turns off a switching means 5 and the processing program is directly operated by communication B with a console. On the other hand, when the program 2 is interlocked with the other program or transaction processing with the operator is desired to be omitted, the switching means 5 is turned on and the processing program is operated under the operating environment specifying program through a communicating means A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a virtual console control method that facilitates automatic processing of a processing program or selection of a conversation device for conversation with an operator of a computer system.

"Prior Art" In computer systems, processing programs are generally executed via an operating environment description program called a job control language or command language.

However, the processing program was not provided with a means to communicate with this operating environment description program, and had no choice but to directly call the console access program. Furthermore, such access programs only provide means for communicating with very limited devices, and it is not easy to change the target device.

Therefore, if you want to automate operator processing or combine it with other programs, you must either modify the program or intervene in the system's console output program to select and process the relevant messages. Ta.

In order to solve this problem, the present invention makes it possible to incorporate an automation program into each processing unit or select a corresponding console for a program that queries an operator for instructions during operation, without changing the program. It is meant to be. As a result, it becomes possible to construct processes with good operability even when independently created programs are operated in combination.

"Means for Solving the Problem" According to the present invention, there is a means for communicating between a processing program and a program that defines the operating environment of the program, and a means for communicating between the program that defines the operating environment and a console, terminal, etc. and means for switching the means for communicating the processing program to the communication means A or the communication means B according to instructions from the program that defines the operating environment.

Further, it is provided with means for holding a plurality of communication means as the communication means B, and means for holding the communication means B and the communication destination to be used among them for each processing unit, and this is determined at the start of processing and communication is performed. I do.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the structure of the embodiment described in item 1 of the present invention. means A3 for communicating with the program 2 that defines the operating environment; means B4 for communicating between the program 2 that defines the operating environment and the console, terminal, etc.; and means for switching the means for communicating the processing program according to instructions from the program 2 that defines the operating environment. It consists of 5.

When the operating environment regulation program is not to intervene in the conversation processing of the processing program 2, the switching means 5 is not operated and the communication means B is operated. If you want to link with other programs or omit conversation with the operator,
The operating environment regulation program 2 is created to instruct the switching means 5 to use the communication means A and perform communication processing.

FIG. 2 explains the operation using job control language (JCL) as an example of the operating environment specification program 2.

In JCL, there are steps 6 to define other resources, step 7 to declare how to process input/output messages for the target program, step 8 to define a procedure section that handles input/output messages, and step 8 to define the processing of input/output messages. Describe step 9 to be performed. According to the declaration in step 7, messages of the processing program are input and output via the communication means A at step 8.9 of the JCL of the relevant job.

In step 8, there is also a method of defining only the messages to be processed, which is easy to implement. Of course, with the exception of step 9, there is no need to serialize the description of the definition of step 6 and the description of the other steps, and they are simply expressed separately for convenience.

As a method for implementing step 9, there is a method of implementing it as a processing program other than using an extended JCL, but either method is easy to implement.

FIG. 3 shows two implementation examples of the switching means 5.

In FIG. 3A, a flag 10 indicating the connection state is provided for each processing unit, and the flag 10 is always set during the input/output operation of the processing program.
This is a method of making a judgment. This determination process can also be incorporated into the code of the processing program.

FIG. 3B shows a method in which a mechanism 15 for holding a jump destination address is provided for each processing unit and this value is switched.

With this mechanism, when the message of the processing program is not handled in the JCL, the communication means B is used directly, and messages according to the input/output processing of the processing program are exchanged with the operator.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of the configuration of the embodiment described in item 2 of the present invention, in which means 20 for holding a plurality of communication means, communication means B used when executing a processing program, and information regarding communication destinations are stored in processing units. 21, and a means 23 for setting information in the means 21 using the information held in the means 20 from communication means identification information and communication destination device information 22 passed at the time of calling. The means 23 is called at the time of initial setting of a processing unit (for example, a job) which is an execution environment of a processing program.

Of course, communication with the operator during execution of the process is performed using the communication means B registered in the means 21. It goes without saying that the target device used is one registered in the same means 2I.

Which means and gTL are used in the processing is determined by the activation conditions of the processing unit (for example, job). This allows the user to freely 'MtR' the console device as the operating environment for the program, and it also becomes possible to run the same program from different types of devices within the same system.

Of course, it can also be freely used with in-center equipment and terminals via lines.

"Effects of the Invention" As explained above, according to the present invention, an automation program can be incorporated or handled in each processing unit without changing the program for a program that queries an operator for instructions during operation. Since you can choose which console to use, you have the following advantages:

■Even when operating independently created programs in combination, it becomes possible to easily construct processes with good operability.

■Processes that previously had to be carried out by an operator within the computer center can now be carried out from a remote location using a terminal or the like.

■Processes that required an operator to be present until the end of the process due to conversation processing can be converted to batch processing by creating and registering corresponding processes in advance.

■Since it can be defined for each processing unit (for example, job) without involving the center's common program, changes can be made easily, increasing the expandability of the system.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing operating environment regulations using a job control language,
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of switching means of the communication means, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention. ■...Processing program, 2...Operating environment regulation program, 3...Communication means A, 4.Old communication means B, 5...Communication Means for switching between means A and B, 6 to 9...Operating environment description step, 1
0... Communication means display flag, 11...
Used communication means registration setting means, 12... Flag determination section, I5... Used communication means registration table, 20...
... Communication means B management table, 21 ... Registration table of communication means B used and communication destination devices for each processing unit, 22 ...
...Parameter information when calling, 23...
Setting function for communication means B used. Patent applicant Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a computer system that executes a processing program via a program that defines the operating environment of the processing program, a communication means A between the processing program and the program that defines the operating environment of the program, and defines the operating environment. means B for communicating between a program to be processed and a console, terminal, etc., and means for switching the means for communicating the processing program to the above communication means A or the above communication means B according to instructions from the program that defines the operating environment. A virtual console control method featuring: (2) A means for holding a plurality of communication means as the communication means B, a means for holding a communication means B to be used and a communication destination for each processing unit, and determining this at the start of processing. 2. The virtual console control system according to claim 1, wherein the virtual console control method performs communication using a virtual console.