Method and system for undoing changes in a software configuration management system

• US 20040260974A1
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Livshits, Artem Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,450 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A system and methods for carrying out maintaining a software configuration management system are disclosed. In particular, a way to reverse prior revisions without removing their history in the server are described. When a client submits an undo command to reverse the effects of one or more revisions within a stated revision range of a file, the revision history is updated by submitting a new revision that effectively removes the changes embodied within the range of undone revisions. The new method for implementing undoing prior revisions preserves the revision history for a file in case there is a need to access the undone revisions at a later time.

Claims

1. A method for undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in a software configuration management (SCM) system comprising:

receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

determining, in response to the receiving step, a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision action, to the revision history for the file.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a type of the revision action is based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step comprises selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the selecting a closest reasonable revision action is enabled by a flag specified in the command.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the revision action for the new revision is identified as an action type for undoing previously submitted revisions for the file.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

resolving a range of revisions to be undone, the resolving step including identifying differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

merging changes, identified during the resolving step, into a most recent revision of the file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, further comprising:

modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

12. A software configuration management (SCM) system including sub-components for facilitating undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in response to receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file, the SCM system comprising:

a first module for determining, in response to receiving the command, a revision action for reversing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

a second module for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision action, to the revision history for the file.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a criterion, consulted by the first module, for selecting an action type for undoing the set of revisions.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the criterion comprises a decision table.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the criterion further specifies a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein a flag specified in the command selectively allows selecting a closest reasonable revision action using the criterion.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the revision action for the new revision is identified as an action type for undoing previously submitted revisions for the file.

22. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a third module for resolving a range of revisions to be undone, wherein the third module identifies differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the third module merges changes, identified during resolving the range of revisions, into a most recent revision of the file.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file is supported and wherein the second module modifies a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

25. The system of claim 12 wherein the first and second modules are incorporated into an SCM client.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the revision history is maintained within an SCM server

27. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for facilitating undoing changed embodied in prior revisions in a software configuration management (SCM) system, the computer-executable instructions facilitating performing a method comprising:

receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

determining, in response to the receiving step, a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision action, to the revision history for the file.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein a type of the revision action is based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the determining step comprises selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 wherein the selecting a closest reasonable revision action is enabled by a flag specified in the command.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 wherein the revision action for the new revision is identified as an action type for undoing previously submitted revisions for the file.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 further comprising computer-executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

resolving a range of revisions to be undone, the resolving step including identifying differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35 further comprising computer-executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

merging changes, identified during the resolving step, into a most recent revision of the file.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, and further comprising computer-executable instructions facilitating performing the step of:

modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision failing within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

38. A software configuration management (SCM) system capable of undoing changes embodied in a range of prior revisions while preserving the range of prior revisions in the revision history, the SCM system comprising:

means for receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

means for determining a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

means for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision action, to the revision history for the file.

39. The SCM system of claim 38 wherein the determining means comprises means for selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

40. The SCM system of claim 38 further comprising:

means for resolving a range of revisions to be undone, the resolving means including means for identifying differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

41. The SCM system of claim 40 further comprising:

means for merging changes, identified by the resolving means, into a most recent revision of the file.

42. The SCM system of claim 38, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, further comprising:

means for modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

43. A software configuration management (SCM) system including sub-components for facilitating undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in response to receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file, the SCM system comprising:

a first means for determining, in response to receiving the command, a revision action for reversing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

a second means for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision action, to the revision history for the file.

44. The SCM system of claim 43 further comprising:

a third means for resolving a range of revisions to be undone, wherein the third means identifies differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

45. A method for undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in a software configuration management (SCM) system comprising:

receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

determining by a resolve module, in response to the receiving step, revision content for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision content, to the revision history for the file.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising:

determining a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein a type of the revision action is based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

51. The method of claim 46 wherein the determining an action step comprises selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

52. The method of claim 45 wherein the determining by a resolve module step comprises identifying differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

merging changes, identified during the determining by a resolve module step, into a most recent revision of the file.

54. The method of claim 45, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, further comprising:

modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

55. A software configuration management (SCM) system including sub-components for facilitating undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in response to receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file, the SCM system comprising:

a resolve module for determining, in response to receiving the command, revision content for reversing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

a submit module for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision content, to the revision history for the file.

56. The system of claim 55 further comprising an undo module for determining, in response to receiving the command, a revision action for reversing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions.

57. The system of claim 56 further comprising a criterion, consulted by the undo module, for selecting an action type for undoing the set of revisions.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the criterion comprises a decision table.

59. The system of claim 57 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

60. The system of claim 59 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein the criterion specifies an action type based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

63. The system of claim 57 wherein the criterion further specifies a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

64. The system of claim 63 wherein a flag specified in the command selectively allows selecting a closest reasonable revision action using the criterion.

65. The system of claim 56 wherein the revision action for the new revision is identified as an action type for undoing previously submitted revisions for the file.

66. The system of claim 55 wherein the resolve module identifies differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein the resolve module merges changes, identified during resolving the range of revisions, into a most recent revision of the file.

68. The system of claim 66 wherein integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file is supported and wherein the submit module modifies a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

69. The system of claim 55 wherein the resolve and submit modules are incorporated into an SCM client.

70. The system of claim 69 wherein the revision history is maintained within an SCM server.

71. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for facilitating undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in a software configuration management (SCM) system, the computer-executable instructions facilitating performing a method comprising:

receiving a command, to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

determining by a resolve module, in response to the receiving step, revision content for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision content, to the revision history for the file.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 71 wherein the method further comprises:

determining a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 72 wherein a type of the revision action is based upon types of revision actions specified by revisions previously submitted to the revision history for the file.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 73 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history for the file.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 74 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions of revisions having particular positions within the revision history in relation to a specified range of revisions to be undone.

76. The computer-readable medium of claim 75 wherein the type of the revision action is based upon actions specified for:

a top revision of the specified range of revisions, a revision just before the bottom revision of the specified range of revisions, and a most recently added revision in the revision history for the file.

77. The computer-readable medium of claim 72 wherein the determining an action step comprises selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

78. The computer-readable medium of claim 71 wherein the determining by a resolve module step comprises identifying differences between the file after carrying out the last revision in the range of revisions, and the file just before the first revision in the range of revisions.

79. The computer-readable medium of claim 78 wherein the method further comprises:

merging changes, identified during the determining by a resolve module step, into a most recent revision of the file.

80. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, further comprising:

modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

81. A software configuration management (SCM) system capable of undoing changes embodied in a range of prior revisions while preserving the range of prior revisions in the revision history, the SCM system comprising:

means for receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file;

a resolve module for determining revision content for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

means for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision content, to the revision history for the file.

82. The SCM system of claim 81 further comprising:

means for determining a revision action for undoing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions.

83. The SCM system of claim 82 wherein the means for determining a revision action comprises means for selecting a closest reasonable revision action when the set of revisions cannot be undone due to actions currently specified in the revision history for the specified file.

84. The SCM system of claim 81, wherein the SCM system supports integration of a set of revisions from a source file into a revision target file, further comprising:

means for modifying a revision entry specifying an integration action, for a revision falling within the specified set of revisions, to indicate that the integration action no longer contributes changes affecting the content of a current version of the file.

85. A software configuration management (SCM) system including sub-components for facilitating undoing changes embodied in prior revisions in response to receiving a command to undo a set of revisions within a revision history for a file, the SCM system comprising:

means for determining, in response to receiving the command, revision content for reversing changes to the file arising from the set of revisions; and

means for submitting a new revision, incorporating the revision content, to the revision history for the file.