Self re-encoding interpreted application

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10579347-B2
Application number	US-201715803055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2017
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	Mar 3, 2020
Grant date	Mar 3, 2020

Abstract

A method for self re-encoding an interpreted application includes parsing a string of characters in a comment section of the interpreted application file. Responsive to determining that at least one character of the string of characters is not readable by the target platform, the processor re-encodes the interpreted application file using the string of characters in the comment section. The re-encoding includes parsing a first character in the string of characters. The processor then, optionally, outputs a warning message indicative that a non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file. The processor parses a second character sequential to the first character. The second character is a first element in a second string of characters indicative of a re-encoding scheme for re-encoding the interpreted application. The processor then outputs a re-encoded application file that is executable by the processor of the target platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for re-encoding an interpreted application file, comprising:
parsing, via a processor, a string of characters in a comment section of the interpreted application file;
responsive to determining that at least one character of the string of characters is not readable by a target platform, re-encoding, via the processor, the interpreted application file using the string of characters in the comment section, the re-encoding comprising:
parsing, via the processor, a first character in the string of characters;
outputting, via the processor, a warning message indicative that a non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file;
parsing, via the processor, a second character sequential to the first character, wherein the second character is a first element in a second string of characters indicative of a re-encoding scheme for re-encoding the interpreted application, wherein both the first string of characters and the second string are solely in the comment section of the application file and not in a mainline code section of the application file; and
outputting, via the processor, a re-encoded application file that is executable by the target platform, the outputting based on the interpreted application file, wherein the processor re-encodes the application file using the second string, wherein outputting the warning message comprises outputting the warning message to an empty device such that the warning message is suppressed and not visible to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the string of characters in the comment section of the interpreted application file comprises one or more of an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) encoding scheme and a Unicode encoding scheme.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein re-encoded application file comprises a mainline code section re-encoded to an Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) encoding scheme.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second string of characters comprises instructions for re-encoding that, when executed by a second processor running a second platform operating system dissimilar to the target platform, are ignored by the second platform operating system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the outputting the warning message indicative that the non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file is optionally output.

6. A system for re-encoding an interpreted application file for execution by a target platform, the system comprising a processor configured to:
parse a string of characters in a comment section of the interpreted application file;
responsive to determining that at least one character of the string of characters is not readable by the target platform, re-encode the interpreted application file using the string of characters in the comment section, the processor configured to:
parse a first character in the string of characters;
output a warning message indicative that a non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file;
parse a second character sequential to the first character, wherein the second character is a first element in a second string of characters indicative of a re-encoding scheme for re-encoding the interpreted application, wherein both the first string of characters and the second string are solely in the comment section of the application file and not in a mainline code section of the application file; and
output a re-encoded application file that is executable by the processor of the target platform, the outputting based on the interpreted application file, wherein the processor re-encodes the application file using the second string, wherein outputting the warning message comprises outputting the warning message to an empty device such that the warning message is suppressed and not visible to a user.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the string of characters in the comment section of the interpreted application file comprises one or more of an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) encoding scheme and a Unicode encoding scheme.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein re-encoded application file comprises a mainline code section re-encoded to an Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) encoding scheme.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the second string of characters comprises instructions for re-encoding that, when executed by a second processor running a second platform operating system dissimilar to the target platform, are ignored by the second platform operating system.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the outputting the warning message indicative that the non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file is optionally output.

11. A computer program product for re-encoding an interpreted application file, the computer program product comprising:
a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
parsing, via processor, a string of characters in a comment section of the interpreted application file;
responsive to determining that at least one character of the string of characters is not readable by a target platform, re-encoding, via the processor, the interpreted application file using the string of characters in the comment section, the re-encoding comprising:
parsing, via the processor, a first character in the string of characters;
outputting, via the processor, a warning message indicative that a non-native encoding exists in the interpreted application file;
parsing, via the processor, a second character sequential to the first character, wherein the second character is a first element in a second string of characters indicative of a re-encoding scheme for re-encoding the interpreted application, wherein both the first string of characters and the second string are solely in the comment section of the application file and not in a mainline code section of the application file; and
outputting, via the processor, a re-encoded application file that is executable by the target platform, the outputting based on the interpreted application file, wherein the processor re-encodes the application file using the second string, wherein outputting the warning message comprises outputting the warning message to an empty device such that the warning message is suppressed and not visible to a user.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the string of characters in the comment section of the interpreted application file comprises one or more of an American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) encoding scheme and a Unicode encoding scheme.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein re-encoded application file comprises a mainline code section re-encoded to an Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code (EBCDIC) encoding scheme.

14. The computer program product of claim 11 , wherein the second string of characters comprises instructions for re-encoding that, when executed by a second processor running a second platform operating system dissimilar to the target platform, are ignored by the second platform operating system.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Bostian Joseph A
• Marion Nicholas
• Moran Dow
• Rice David

Classifications

• G06F8/51

  Source to source · CPC title

• G06F9/44547

  Fat binaries · CPC title

• G06F8/76 Primary

  Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting · CPC title

• G06F40/126

  Character encoding · CPC title

• G06F2201/86

  Event-based monitoring · CPC title