Software Module Name Lookup via Directed Load Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operating systems face difficulties in determining the name of a software module given its address, especially in directed load scenarios where tracking is minimal, making it hard to locate the module name without manual examination.
Innovation Solution
The system enhances user-managed software module management by utilizing existing data structures and system services to correlate addresses with module names, using directed load results to locate information when system control blocks are insufficient.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If directed load process is used where caller provides storage location, then storage allocation control is improved, but module tracking capability deteriorates making it hard to locate module name from address
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary data structure (directed load table or mapping structure) that mediates between the directed load process and the module tracking requirement. This intermediary stores the mapping information between storage locations and module names, enabling reverse lookup without compromising the directed load control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing and maintaining data structures that record the mapping between storage locations and module names before the need for reverse lookup arises. This preliminary tracking enables fast module name retrieval from address without adding overhead to the directed load operation itself.
2Measurement precision
If system control blocks are used for module tracking, then module name lookup is improved, but complexity of data management increases when directed loads are involved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tracking data into separate, dedicated data structures specific to directed loads, rather than trying to manage all tracking in a single complex system control block. This segmentation isolates the complexity to specific structures that can be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The data structures used for directed load tracking are designed to serve multiple functions: they track module names, store address mappings, and enable both forward and reverse lookups. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized structures and simplifies overall data management.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for identifying user managed software modules includes: receiving a query that includes an input module name or an input address range. The method further includes, responsive to determining that the input module name or input address range of the received query is not stored in one or more data structures identifying one or more software modules that have been loaded into memory without a directed load, searching a data structure identifying software modules that have been loaded into memory via directed loads for the respective input module name or input address range.