Isolating declarative code to preserve customizations

• US 20060294506A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Genc, Goksel, Vasudevan, Sripriya Prashanthi, Dengler, Patrick Michael, Vargiya, Rachna, Sanchez, Lawrence M. II, Aydin, Eray
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Embodiments provide a software model which allows a user to modify a software program in substantially the same manner as the original programmer or developer. In one embodiment, declarative code and user customizations are isolated from other code and structure of the software program. The isolated customizations can be quickly and efficiently examined to determine whether any changes or other modifications have been made to the software program. Additionally, the isolated changes can be efficiently located and applied when updating or upgrading the software program to persist any customized changes made to the software program.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed, manage changes in code by:

implementing one or more customizations in declarative code;

isolating the one or more customizations from imperative code; and

persisting the one or more customizations.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code of a software package by persisting the one or more customizations in an update to the software package including merging the one or more isolated customizations with the update.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code of a software package by isolating meta-data associated with the one or more customizations.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code of the software package by merging the meta-data associated with the one or more customizations with meta-data of a new version of the software package.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code of a software package by managing at least one of a customized file, a customized setting, and a customized preference.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code by including a development tool with the code, wherein the development tool is configured to allow modifications to the code to provide a tailored customization.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code by including a development tool with the code, wherein the development tool is configured to allow modifications to meta-data associated with the declarative code to provide the tailored customization.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code by including a development tool with the code, wherein the development tool is configured to operate with different versions of the declarative code.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code by comparing one or more coded differences associated with the one or more customizations with a prior version of the code.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage changes in code by comparing the one or more coded differences associated with the one or more customizations with a new version of the code.

11. A system to manage code, the system comprising:

a declarative model having associated meta-data structure;

an imperative model isolated from the declarative model; and

a development component to make customizations to the meta-data structure of the declarative model, wherein the customizations are isolated and persist in subsequent code versions.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a data source component in communication with a data pipeline component and a user interface component.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a first fixed communication channel between the data source component and the data pipeline component, and a second fixed communication channel between the data source component and the user interface component.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a merge component to merge customizations made to the meta-data structure of the declarative model with other declarative code.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the meta-data structure of the declarative model comprises XML-based meta-data.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises a developer software program.

17. A method of managing code of a software program, the method comprising:

including standard development tools with the software program;

using the standard development tools to make one or more customizations to the code of the software program; and

isolating the one or more customizations using a declarative code structure.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising updating the code of the software program by merging the one or more isolated customizations with one or more updates.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising updating the code of the software program by merging XML meta-data associated with the one or more isolated customizations, and making the one or more isolated customizations available in the updated software program.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising using the standard development tools to persist customizations and make further customizations in different versions of the software program.