Software package management
First Claim
1. In a computer, a method of processing one or more software dependencies, the method comprising:
- for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer; and
responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring the software associated with the software dependency;
wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A software package manager uses a distribution unit containing components for a software package and a manifest file that describes the distribution unit to manage the installation, execution, and uninstallation of software packages on a computer. Information in the manifest file pertaining to a software package is stored in a code store data structure upon installation of the package. The manifest file also contains information that permits the software package manager to resolve any software dependencies upon installation. The software package manager uses the code store data structure to locate the required components when the software is executed and to remove the components appropriately when the software is uninstalled.
219 Citations
31 Claims
-
1. In a computer, a method of processing one or more software dependencies, the method comprising:
-
for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer; and
responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring the software associated with the software dependency;
wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
12. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing at least the following to process one or more software dependencies in a computer:
-
for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer; and
responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring the software associated with the software dependency;
wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies.
-
-
13. In a computer, a method of specifying a software dependency, the method comprising:
-
specifying a name of the software dependency;
wherein the name is operable to identify a list of one or more other software dependencies.
-
-
17. In a computer, a method of processing a name designating software, the method comprising:
-
consulting a database to see if software associated with the name is already installed at the computer; and
responsive to determining software associated with the name is not already installed at the computer, acquiring the specified software;
wherein the name is operable to specify a plurality of software components.
-
-
24. A computer-readable medium comprising a computer software package of a nestable software package format, wherein the software package format comprises:
-
a package name;
a list of dependencies, wherein the list of dependencies is operable to specify one or more other software packages on which the software package depends, wherein at least one of the other software packages is associated with another package name and another list of dependencies and is also of the nestable software package format.
-
-
27. A computer-readable medium comprising a software distribution package for installing software at a computer, wherein the software distribution package comprises:
-
one or more items for installation at the computer;
a dependency list indicating one or more items depended on by the software, wherein at least one of the items on the dependency list is not contained in the package, and the software package indicates a remote location from which the item can be obtained;
wherein the items are specified in the dependency list by a name operable to specify a plurality of additional items.
-
-
28. A computer system for executing a software package comprising a specified list of one or more dependencies, the computer system comprising:
-
a database indicating the installation status of one or more software components;
a software package manager operable to resolve the specified list of one or more dependencies by consulting the database to determine whether a dependency is installed and further operable to acquire a dependency determined as not installed;
wherein the software package manager is operable to process at least one item in the specified list of dependencies referring to an other list of dependencies.
-
Specification