Compiler tool set for efficiently generating and easily managing multiple program versions of different types

A method comprising:

• compiling a user-specified source program into an augmented object module;
• and
• linking said augmented object module into an executable program of a user-specified version type, wherein if said version type is an ordinary version type, said augmented object module is linked into said executable program, else said linking comprising:
• i) determining whether or not a database holds a substitution object module that corresponds to said user-specified augmented object module, that is of said user-specified version type, and that is current;
• ii) if not, then further compiling said user-specified augmented object module into said corresponding substitution object module of said user specified version type and placing the same into said database;
• and
• iii) linking said corresponding substitution object module of said user specified version type from said database into said executable program of said user-specified version type.

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of programming instructions for use by a processor, wherein execution of the plurality of programming instructions implements the method of:

• compiling a user-specified source program into an augmented object module;
• and
• linking said augmented object module into an executable program of a user-specified version type, wherein if said version type is an ordinary version type, said augmented object module it linked into said executable, else said linking comprising:
• i) determining whether or not a database holds a substitution object module that corresponds to said user-specified augmented object module, that is of said user-specified version type, and that is current;
• ii) if not, then further compiling said user-specified augmented object module into said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type and placing the same into said database;
• and
• iii) linking said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type from said database into said executable program of said user-specified version type.

A computer system comprising:

• a compiler to compile a user-specified plurality of source programs into a plurality of augmented object modules, and to compile each said augmented object module into substitution object modules of a plurality of version types;
• a database to hold program information and said substitution object modules;
• and
• a linker, coupled to said compiler and to said database, to link a user-specified plurality of augmented object modules into an executable program of a user-specified version type, wherein for each said user-specified augmented object module, if said user-specified version type is an ordinary version type, said user-specified augmented object module is linked into said executable programs, else said linker to:
• i) determine, based on said program information and said substitution object modules within said database, whether or not said database holds a substitution object module that corresponds thereto, that is of said user-specified version type, and that is current;
• ii) if not, then invoke said compiler to further compile said user-specified augmented object module into said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type and to place the same into said database;
• iii) update said program information;
• and
• iv) link said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type from said database into said executable program of said user-specified version type.

A method comprising:

• compiling a user-specified plurality of source programs into a plurality of augmented object modules;
• and
• linking said plurality of augmented object modules into an executable program of a user-specified version type, wherein for each said augmented object module, if said version type is an ordinary version type, said augmented object module is linked into said executable program, else said linking comprising:
• i) determining, based on program information within a database, whether or not said database holds a substitution object module that corresponds thereto, that is of said user-specified version type, and that is current;
• ii) if not, then further compiling said augmented object module into said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type and placing the same into said database;
• iii) updating said program information;
• and
• iv) linking said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type from said database into said executable program of said user-specified version type.

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of programming instructions for use by a processor, wherein execution of the plurality of programming instructions implement the method of:

• compiling a user-specified plurality of source programs into a plurality of augmented object modules;
• and
• linking said plurality of augmented object modules into an executable program of a user-specified version type, wherein for each said augmented object module, if said version type is an ordinary version type, said augmented object module is linked into said executable, else said linking comprising:
• i) determining, based on program information within a database, whether or not said database holds a substitution object module that corresponds thereto, that is of said user-specified version type, and that is current;
• ii) if not, then further compiling said augmented object module into said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type and placing the same into said database;
• iii) updating said program information;
• and
• iv) linking said corresponding substitution object module of said user-specified version type from said database into said executable program of said user-specified version type.