SOFTWARE BUILD ANALYSIS

• US 20120079447A1
• Filed: 09/23/2010
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Arnott, Andrew Layne, Paul Mockford, Kieran, James Moseley, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method or software program that provides an analysis of a build, which can provide a developer with views of the build processes, is disclosed. Data is collected from the build. The collected data can include information regarding file access patterns from determining which files are accessed for read and which files are accessed for write by one or more software build tools and project interdependencies. The collected data can also include certain project properties, build configurations, intermediate directories such as logs, and other metadata of the build. The collected data is injected into a relational database that can be queried. Reports can be generated from the information stored in the database by tools that depict built projects and interdependencies. For example, the tools can be used to generate visualizations such as graphs

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting information regarding file access patterns from determining which files are accessed for read and which files are accessed for write by one or more software build tools and project interdependencies;

injecting the collected information into a relational database that can be queried; and

generating a report from the information in the database to depict built projects and interdependencies.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein collecting information includes tracking files accessed by one or more executable applications during a build.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein every build tool is tracked.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein each thread in a multithreaded tool is tracked separately.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein tracking preserves a pattern of access.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the collected information includes at least one of project properties, build configurations, intermediate directories, and metadata of the build.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the collected information includes information regarding the build tools and invocation of the build tools,

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the collected information is injected asynchronously with the build.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the relational database supports incremental builds.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein collected information injected into the relational database includes an updated timestamp.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the report is presented as a visualization.

12. A computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions for controlling a computing device to perform a method comprising:

collecting information regarding file accesses and patterns from determining which files are accessed for read and which files are accessed for write by one or more software build tools and project interdependencies;

injecting the collected information into a relational database that can be queried; and

generating a report from the information in the database to depict built projects and interdependencies.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein a tracker used for collecting information invokes the build tools.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein information regarding the accessed files is stored in tracker logs.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein information regarding project properties, build configurations, intermediate directories, and metadata of the build is stored in a build log.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the build log is attached during the build.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the build log receives notice of project-to-project jumps.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the relational database includes a schema having one or more of,

a project table including data regarding the features of project files;

a target table including data regarding a target invoked from outside of a project;

a project configuration table including data related to a specific configuration of a selected project, wherein the project configuration table is coupled to the project table and the target table;

a tracker log table and a file table;

a project configuration file table binding the tracker log table and the file table and the project configuration table; and

a build link table including data regarding a declared project reference between projects, wherein the build link table is coupled to the project configuration table and the file table.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 wherein the report is presented as a visualization.

20. A computer readable storage medium storing a development tool including computer executable instructions for controlling a computing device, the development tool configured to perform a method comprising:

collecting information regarding file accesses and patterns from determining which files are accessed for read and which files are accessed for write by one or more software build tools and project interdependencies during a build, wherein the collected information includes at least one of project properties, build configurations, intermediate directories, metadata of the build, and notice of one or more project-to-project relationships;

injecting the collected information into a relational database that can be queried, wherein the relational database supports incremental builds; and

generating a report based on a query of the information in the database to depict built projects and interdependencies as a visualization.