Collaborative Environment Project Extensibility with Composition Containers

• US 20100185954A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Khandelwal, Nikhil, Birov, Lubomir, Morozov, Vladimir Yuryevich, Morton, Michael William, Hoff, Phillip Michael, Simernitski, Iouri Borisovitch
• Application Number:
  US12/356,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185954A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Dynamic collaborative project extensibility is provided via composition containers in a managed extensibility framework within an integrated development environment. A browser-based collaborative environment project is extended, using an extension artifact factory to obtain extension artifacts within composition containers. A class library project can be configured with a custom action, a browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifact can be created representing the custom action, and a factory class for the project extension artifact can then be created with an export attribute for discovery within a composition container.

Claims

1. A method for development of an extensible project in a browser-based collaborative environment which configures a networked computing system, the method comprising the steps of:

locating a collaborative project factory;

identifying a collaborative project extension artifact factory at least in part based on the collaborative project factory; and

creating an instance of a collaborative project extension artifact in a composition container in the networked computing system, at least in part based on the collaborative project extension artifact factory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following project development lifecycle steps:

deploying a collaborative project which contains the instance of the collaborative project extension artifact;

executing a collaborative project which contains the instance of the collaborative project extension artifact;

debugging a collaborative project which contains the instance of the collaborative project extension artifact;

modifying a collaborative project which contains the instance of the collaborative project extension artifact.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step creates an instance of at least one of the following:

a web part, a workflow, a mapped folder.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a feature manifest which specifies, in a format consumable by a composition container value resolver, at least one feature of the collaborative project extension artifact.

5. A computer-readable medium configured with data and instructions for performing a method for developing a browser-based collaborative environment project extension, the method comprising the steps of:

creating a class library project configured with a custom action;

creating a browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifact representing the custom action; and

creating a factory class for the project extension artifact, the factory class configured with an export attribute.

6. The configured medium of claim 5, wherein creating a class library project configured with a custom action comprises configuring the class library project with code for a custom action, code for a custom action factory, and code for a custom action menu.

7. The configured medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises creating a context menu item for the project extension in a browser-based collaborative environment solution explorer.

8. The configured medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises building the browser-based collaborative environment project extension and deploying the browser-based collaborative environment project extension in a networked computing system.

9. The configured medium of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises testing integration of the browser-based collaborative environment project extension with a base project.

10. The configured medium of claim 5, wherein at least one of the creating steps is performed with assistance from an integrated development environment which configures a computing system.

11. A computer system comprising:

a logical processor;

a browser-based collaborative environment project configuring memory in operable communication with the logical processor;

a browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifact factory configuring memory in operable communication with the logical processor; and

a browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifact within a composition container which configures memory in operable communication with the logical processor.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises code configuring the memory including an API for a browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifact factory.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises code configuring the memory capable of managing a collection of browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifacts, wherein the collection is publicly read-only.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises code configuring the memory capable of notifying subscribers of changes in a collection of browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifacts.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises at least one of the following browser-based collaborative environment project extension artifacts:

a web part, a workflow, a mapped folder.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises an extensibility framework including a discovery mechanism for locating extensions in composition containers.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises an extensibility framework including a mechanism for associating metadata with an extension.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises multiple computers connected by a network in a browser-based collaborative environment.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the system further comprises an integrated development environment which configures memory in operable communication with the logical processor.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the system comprises code configuring the memory including an API specifically designed for facilitating at least one of the following:

deploying a browser-based collaborative environment project extension;

executing a browser-based collaborative environment project extension;

debugging a browser-based collaborative environment project extension;

modifying a browser-based collaborative environment project extension.