Method and apparatus for saving install properties in a fileset object and/or system registry for use during uninstall

• US 20030159138A1
• Filed: 02/14/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Curtis, Bryce Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation

Abstract

An installation tool kit apparatus and method that allows developers to create installation programs in which all of the variables and variable values used during a product installation are automatically stored in one or more of a system product registry or database and a fileset object. With one particular embodiment, during installation of a product, the variables and variable values are stored in a hashtable. The hashtable is saved as part of a serialization of a fileset object. Thus, when the fileset is reinstantiated at uninstall time, all of the installation information is contained within the reinstantiated fileset. The fileset object and other objects used by the uninstall program can make use of this information to affect the uninstall behavior. In another embodiment, the variable and variable values are stored in a hashtable that is saved to the system product registry at the end of the installation process. Since this information is stored in the system product registry, other programs and tools may have access to the information. This allows other installation programs to query the registry for the required information and use this information in the installation of other products.

Claims

1. A method of installing a program in a computing device, comprising:

initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

for each installation property used during installation of the program, storing the installation property in a fileset; and

installing the fileset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a registry object for each installation property; and

storing the registry object in a system product registry for the program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the installation property in a fileset includes storing the installation property in a hashtable of the fileset.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

serializing the fileset including the hashtable; and

storing the serialized fileset on a storage medium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation properties include user defined or installation program generated variables that are used during installation but do not directly represent items that need to be uninstalled.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the installation properties include at least one of user selections from menus and typed-in information supplied by the user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein upon initiation of an uninstall program, the serialized fileset is reinstantiated and the uninstall program accesses the installation properties from the hashtable to recreate an installation state.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

initiating an uninstall application for uninstalling the program;

reinstantiating the serialized fileset; and

customizing operation of the uninstall application based on the installation property in the hashtable of the serialized fileset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the installation property in a fileset further includes:

determining if the installation property is to be masked; and

not storing the installation property in the fileset if the installation property is to be masked.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining if the installation property is to be masked includes at least one of determining if a property name includes a predetermined string, determining if the property name is part of a list of masked property names, and providing a mask method for the installation property.

11. A method of installing a program in a computing device such that other programs will have access to installation properties, comprising:

initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

for each installation property used during installation of the program, storing the installation property in a fileset;

generating a registry object for each installation property; and

storing the registry object in a system product registry for the program, wherein other programs access the installation properties via the registry object in the system product registry.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the other programs include an uninstall program, and wherein the uninstall program generates a fileset and initializes parameters of the fileset based upon the installation properties in the registry object.

13. A method of uninstalling a program, comprising:

generating a fileset;

identifying one or more installation properties for the program based on stored information that includes all of the installation properties used during installation of the program; and

initializing parameters of the fileset based on the one or more installation properties.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more installation properties includes reading the installation properties using a registry object in a system product registry.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein identifying one or more installation properties includes reinstantiating a serialized fileset from a storage device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying one or more installation properties further includes reading the one or more installation properties from a hashtable in the serialized fileset.

17. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for installing a program in a computing device, comprising:

first instructions for initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

second instructions for storing, for each installation property used during installation of the program, the installation property in a fileset; and

third instructions for installing the fileset.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

fourth instructions for generating a registry object for each installation property; and

fifth instructions for storing the registry object in a system product registry for the program.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the second instructions for storing the installation property in a fileset include instructions for storing the installation property in a hashtable of the fileset.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

fourth instructions for serializing the fileset including the hashtable; and

fifth instructions for storing the serialized fileset on a storage medium.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the installation properties include user defined or installation program generated variables that are used during installation but do not directly represent items that need to be uninstalled.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the installation properties include at least one of user selections from menus and typed-in information supplied by the user.

23. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein upon initiation of an uninstall program, the serialized fileset is reinstantiated and the uninstall program accesses the installation properties from the hashtable to recreate an installation state.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, further comprising:

sixth instructions for initiating an uninstall application for uninstalling the program;

seventh instructions for reinstantiating the serialized fileset; and

eighth instructions for customizing operation of the uninstall application based on the installation property in the hashtable of the serialized fileset.

25. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the second instructions for storing the installation property in a fileset further include:

instructions for determining if the installation property is to be masked; and

instructions for not storing the installation property in the fileset if the installation property is to be masked.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the instructions for determining if the installation property is to be masked include at least one of instructions for determining if a property name includes a predetermined string, instructions for determining if the property name is part of a list of masked property names, and instructions for providing a mask method for the installation property.

27. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for installing a program in a computing device such that other programs will have access to installation properties, comprising:

first instructions for initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

second instructions for storing, for each installation property used during installation of the program, the installation property in a fileset;

third instructions for generating a registry object for each installation property; and

fourth instructions for storing the registry object in a system product registry for the program, wherein other programs access the installation properties via the registry object in the system product registry.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the other programs include an uninstall program, and wherein the uninstall program generates a fileset and initializes parameters of the fileset based upon the installation properties in the registry object.

29. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for uninstalling a program, comprising:

first instructions for generating a fileset;

second instructions for identifying one or more installation properties for the program based on stored information that includes all of the installation properties used during installation of the program; and

third instructions for initializing parameters of the fileset based on the one or more installation properties.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the second instructions for identifying one or more installation properties include instructions for reading the installation properties using a registry object in a system product registry.

31. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the second instructions for identifying one or more installation properties include instructions for reinstantiating a serialized fileset from a storage device.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the second instructions for identifying one or more installation properties further include instructions for reading the one or more installation properties from a hashtable in the serialized fileset.

33. An apparatus for installing a program in a computing device, comprising:

means for initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

means for storing, for each installation property used during installation of the program, the installation property in a fileset; and

installing the fileset.

34. An apparatus for installing a program in a computing device such that other programs will have access to installation properties, comprising:

means for initiating installation of a program on the computing device;

means for storing, for each installation property used during installation of the program, the installation property in a fileset;

means for generating a registry object for each installation property; and

means for storing the registry object in a system product registry for the program, wherein other programs access the installation properties via the registry object in the system product registry.

35. An apparatus for uninstalling a program, comprising:

means for generating a fileset;

means for identifying one or more installation properties for the program based on stored information that includes all of the installation properties used during installation of the program; and

means for initializing parameters of the fileset based on the one or more installation properties.