System and method for packaging software

• US 20070271552A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nexone LLC
• Original Assignee: Nexone LLC
• Inventors: Pulley, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US11/437,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method and system for packaging software using a graphical user interface (GUI) to simplify the creation and modification of System V and Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) software packages. The software packaging system provides a fully interactive graphical interface portable across many platforms including Linux, Unix System V, Solaris, and AIX. RPM is a popular and powerful packaging system that installs and removes system software, enforces dependencies, and is freely available on a number of different platforms. The software packaging system of the present invention simplifies and speeds the creation of deployable RPM software packages, a complex and time consuming task if created using the RPM command line method. The GUI provides for the collection of information required for RPM software package creation, modification, and feature manipulation reducing the skill level and time that needed to perform these functions using the RPM command line.

Claims

1. A software packaging system, the software packaging system comprising:

a computing system operating a Unix or Linux operating platform;

a software package executable by the operating platform; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) operable within the computing system and operating platform;

the GUI having a user interface element actuable by a user, the user interface element providing management of packaging of the software package in the computing system.

2. The software packaging system of claim 1 wherein the computing system operates a native package manager operable upon the operating platform.

3. The software packaging system of claim 2 wherein the native package manager is Red Hat Package Manager (RPM).

4. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for managing a plurality of software package projects, each project associated with a software package.

5. The software packaging system of claim 4 wherein the means for managing a plurality of software package projects includes a capability to allow opening, closing and saving of each project by the user.

6. The software packaging system of claim 4 wherein the user interface element provides project information upon request by the user through the GUI.

7. The software packaging system of claim 4 wherein the user interface element of the GUI includes a means for navigating subordinate package creation interfaces.

8. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element of the GUI includes a means for listing system files and attributes available for inclusion into the software package.

9. The software packaging system of claim 8 wherein the GUI includes a means for dragging and dropping files within the GUI for software packaging.

10. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for entering specific required or optional package information to the software package.

11. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element provides a means for modifying file or directory attributes of the software package.

12. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element provides a means for modifying the native package manager flags.

13. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for managing package dependencies.

14. The software packaging system of claim 13 wherein the means for managing package dependencies includes a means for checking automatic dependency of the software package.

15. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes means for creating and managing scripts executable at installation, uninstallation or verification time of the software package within the computing system.

16. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for identifying a type of package architecture utilized by the software package.

17. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface includes a means for digitally signing the software package by the user.

18. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes an application specific variables (ASV) means allowing the user to dynamically setup configuration files.

19. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the software packaging system is operable upon a centralized packaging server.

20. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for saving and reusing scripts for use within the software package.

21. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the system includes a means for automatically transferring the software package to a target system.

22. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the software packaging system includes a means for building a source RPM.

23. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the user interface element includes a means for editing a spec file utilized in building the software package.

24. The software packaging system of claim 3 wherein the software packaging system may be operable over an IP network.

25. A software packaging system, the software packaging system comprising:

a computing system operating a Unix or Linux operating platform;

a software package executable by the operating platform;

the operating platform operating a native package manager for managing installation of the software package; and

a graphical user interface (GUI) operable within the computing system and operating platform;

the GUI having a user interface element actuable by a user, the user interface element providing management of packaging of the software package in the computing system including;

means for managing a plurality of software package projects, each project associated with a software package;

means for listing system files and attributes available for inclusion into the software package;

means for entering specific required or optional package information to the software package;

means for modifying file or directory attributes of the software package;

means for modifying the native package manager flags;

means for managing package dependencies; and

means for creating and managing script executable at installation, uninstallation or verification time of the software package within the computing system.

26. A method of packaging a software package within a computing system operating a Unix or Linux operating platform, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) operable within the computing system and operating platform; and

providing executable instructions by a user to the GUI, the GUI having a user interface element providing management of packaging of the software package in the computing system.

27. The method of packaging a software package of claim 26 herein the computing system operates a native package manager operable upon the operating platform.

28. The method of packaging a software package of claim 27 wherein the user interface element includes:

means for managing a plurality of software package projects, each project associated with a software package;

means for listing system files and attributes available for inclusion into the software package;

means for entering specific required or optional package information to the software package;

means for modifying file or directory attributes of the software package;

means for modifying the native package manager flags;

means for managing package dependencies; and

means for creating and managing script executable at installation, uninstallation or verification time of the software package within the computing system.