Method and apparatus for incremental selective compilation of intermediate code files during computer system compilation and linking
US6308320A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 15, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 23, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 15, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/48
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An incremental selective compiler tool that minimizes compilation of intermediate code files by reusing object code files during the compilation and linking process. The compiler tool determines when the results of previous compilations of intermediate code files, that is object code files, may be reused in subsequent execution. That is, the incremental selective compiler tool determines whether compiler directives of an intermediate code file have changed between invocations of the linker, thereby requiring recompilation of the intermediate file to complete the linking process. The present invention also incrementally recompiles only those intermediate code files with compiler directives that have changed since the prior code generation. The incremental selective compiler tool supports arbitrary copying and movement of intermediate code files and object code files within a file system and between file systems while continuing to enable reuse of the object code files.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.