Packaging multiple groups of read-only files of an application's components into multiple shared libraries

Multiple groups of read-only files, for use by various components of an application program in a computer, are packaged as follows. Several executable files are prepared, each executable file corresponding to a group of read-only files used by one or more components. Each executable file includes an array that has sufficient space to accommodate the group of read-only files to be packaged therein. Each array in each executable file is overwritten with data from a corresponding group of read-only files. The presence or absence of each executable file for a group of read-only files is indicated by an index that is developed during initialization of components. Retrieval of data is from the executable files, if the index indicates, on first accessing each read-only file, that the corresponding executable file is present. If the executable file is indicated by the index as being absent, then the read-only file is directly accessed.