System/tool for resource-conservative installation of compressed archives

• US 20060253631A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dietrich, Jennifer R.T., Keohane, Susann Marie, Fried, Eric Philip, Wigginton, Virginia Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/188 Virtual file systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Installing a payload file contained in a compressed archive of files using a minimum of memory. The payload file is directly installed onto a target data processing system without making additional copies of the particular file on the target data processing system and without intermediate expansion of the entire archive. The compressed archive of files contains an index indicating the location of files within the archive and a configuration logic section that allows an installation program to determine which files should be installed on which data processing systems and where the files should be installed.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system of installing a set of particular files contained in a compressed archive of a plurality of files, the method comprising:

decompressing the set of particular files; and

installing the set of particular files from the compressed archive into a memory of a data processing system by using an index associated with the compressed archive and a configuration logic section associated with the compressed archive, said index containing the locations of files within the compressed archive and said configuration logic section adapted to allow an installation program to determine which files among the plurality of files should constitute the set of particular files.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein only the set of particular files is decompressed from the compressed archive.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein only the set of particular files from the compressed archive is installed into the memory.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selectively choosing the order in which each file within the set of files is decompressed and installed before decompressing and installing each file.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the compressed archive includes a second set of files and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

decompressing only the second set of files from the compressed archive after decompressing the set of particular files;

installing only the second set of files into the memory after installing the set of particular files into the memory.

6. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of:

before decompressing the set of particular files, creating the compressed archive by performing the steps of;

compressing the set of particular files and a plurality of additional files to generate into a single compressed file;

generating the index;

generating the configuration logic section;

wherein the compressed archive comprises the single compressed file, the index, and the configuration logic section.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration logic section is further adapted to determine where in the data processing system the set of particular files should be installed.

8. A computer program product in a computer readable medium, said computer program product adapted to install a set of particular files contained in a compressed archive of a plurality of files onto a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for decompressing the set of particular files; and

second instructions for installing the set of particular files from the compressed archive into a memory of a data processing system by using an index associated with the compressed archive and a configuration logic section associated with the compressed archive, said index containing the locations of files within the compressed archive and said configuration logic section adapted to allow an installation program to determine which files among the plurality of files should constitute the set of particular files.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the first instructions are adapted such that only the set of particular files is decompressed from the compressed archive.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the second instructions are adapted such that only the set of particular files from the compressed archive is installed into the memory.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising:

third instructions for selectively choosing the order in which each file within the set of files is decompressed and installed before decompressing and installing each file.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the compressed archive includes a second set of files and wherein the computer program product further comprises:

third instructions for decompressing only the second set of files from the compressed archive after decompressing the set of particular files;

fourth instructions for installing only the second set of files into the memory after installing the set of particular files into the memory.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising:

third instructions for before decompressing the set of particular files, creating the compressed archive by executing;

first sub-instructions for compressing the set of particular files and a plurality of additional files to generate into a single compressed file;

second sub-instructions for generating the index;

third sub-instructions for generating the configuration logic section;

wherein the compressed archive comprises the single compressed file, the index, and the configuration logic section.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the configuration logic section is further adapted to determine where in the data processing system the set of particular files should be installed.

15. A data processing system comprising:

a bus;

a memory operably connected to the bus, wherein the memory contains a set of instructions for installing a set of particular files contained in a compressed archive of a plurality of files;

a processor operably connected to the bus, wherein the processor is adapted to execute the set of instructions to decompress the set of particular files; and

install the set of particular files from the compressed archive into a memory of a data processing system by using an index associated with the compressed archive and a configuration logic section associated with the compressed archive, said index containing the locations of files within the compressed archive and said configuration logic section adapted to allow an installation program to determine which files among the plurality of files should constitute the set of particular files.

16. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to execute the set of instructions such that only the set of particular files is decompressed from the compressed archive.

17. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to execute the set of instructions such that only the set of particular files from the compressed archive is installed into the memory.

18. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to execute the set of instructions to:

selectively choose the order in which each file within the set of files is decompressed and installed before each file is decompressed and installed.

19. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the compressed archive includes a second set of files and wherein the processor is further adapted to execute the set of instructions to:

decompress only the second set of files from the compressed archive after decompressing the set of particular files;

install only the second set of files into the memory after installing the set of particular files into the memory.

20. The data processing system of claim 15 wherein the processor is further adapted to execute the set of instructions to:

before decompressing the set of particular files, create the compressed archive by executing the set of instructions to;

compress the set of particular files and a plurality of additional files to generate into a single compressed file;

generate the index;

generate the configuration logic section;

wherein the compressed archive comprises the single compressed file, the index, and the configuration logic section.