Method and system for building components in a framework useful in developing integrated business-centric applications

• US 6,167,563 A
• Filed: 09/17/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Skinner, Steven George, Stefaniak, Joseph Peter, Fontana, James Albert, Pitchford, Anthony Reginald
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/156,026
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1-3, 717/5, 707/104, 707/200, 707/102, 707/103 R, 707/103 Y, 707/103 Z, 707/513, 709/316, 709/312
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention solves the problems of the prior art by creating several components to detect and correct an out of date component. A component is considered out of date if one of the constituent files is newer than the components. At that point a build of the component is in order. A component dependent on another is considered out of date if the public interfaces to the component change. The interfaces of the dependent component do not necessarily have to be used by the component in question to affect the build situation. A component is considered up to date if all constituent files have a time stamp earlier than the component and no dependent components have changed their interfaces. Each of the components involved will act upon one of the situations to determine if a build should be done.

Claims

1. In a software development framework having a storage device, a method for building components to develop applications, said method including the steps of:

a. with the use of a dependency object stored in said storage device, identifying dependencies between each of said components and corresponding ones of separate components in a source control program;

b. creating a list of dependencies between each of said components and said separate components by analyzing dependencies in order to identify dependent components;

c. retrieving dependent components from said application in order to identify external components from a respository needed for developing said application;

d. retrieving each of said components and said external components identified in the preceding step from said source control program;

e. retrieving a makefile for a compiler tool from said source control program;

f. retrieving source files for said compiler tool from said source control program;

g. invoking said compiler tool through a tool runner control;

h. developing said application through each of said components and said external components; and

,

i. returning each of said components and said external components to said source control program.

2. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of passing a process ID for identifying said tool runner control operation to a file filter software.

3. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of updating dependencies of said separate components through each of said components and external components.

4. The method as in claim 1 further including the step of determining if said compiler tool has a makefile.

5. The method as in claim 4 where said compiler tool does not have a makefile, further including the step of building a makefile for said compiler tool.

6. In a software development framework having a storage device, a method for wrapping components for use in building applications, said method comprising the steps of:

a. using a dependency object in said storage device, identifying dependencies between a first one of said components and a separate component inside a source control program;

b. creating a list of dependencies between said first one of said components and said separate component by analyzing dependencies in order to identify dependent components;

c. retrieving dependent components from said application to identify an external component from a repository needed for building said application;

d. retrieving said first one of said components and said external component from said source control program;

e. retrieving specifications for a wrapper tool from said source control program;

f. invoking said wrapper tool through a tool runner control;

g. passing a process ID for said tool runner control to a file filter software;

h. developing said application through said first one of said components and said external component;

i. updating said separate component through said first one of said components and said external component; and

,

j. returning said first one of said components and said external component to said source control program.

7. A program storage medium readable by a machine having a storage device, said medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for building components to develop applications in a framework, said method including the steps of:

a. with the use of a dependency object stored in said storage device, identifying dependencies between each of said components and corresponding ones of separate components in a source control program;

b. creating a list of dependencies between each of said components and said separate components;

c. parsing said application to identify external components from a repository needed for developing said application;

d. retrieving each of said components and said external components identified in the preceding step from said source control program;

e. retrieving a makefile for a compiler tool from said source control program;

f. retrieving source files for said compiler tool from said source control program;

g. invoking said compiler tool through a tool runner control;

h. developing said application through each of said components and said external components; and

,

i. returning each of said components and said external components to said source control program.

8. The medium as in claim 7 wherein said method further includes the step of passing a process ID for identifying said tool runner control operation to a file filter software.

9. The medium as in claim 7 wherein said method further includes the step of updating dependencies of said separate components through each of said components and said external components.

10. The medium as in claim 7 wherein said method further includes the step of determining if said compiler tool has a makefile.

11. The medium as in claim 10 where said compiler tool does not have a makefile, further including the step of building a makefile for said compiler tool.

12. A program storage medium readable by a machine having a storage device, said medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for wrapping components for use in building applications, said method comprising the steps of:

a. using a dependency object in said storage device, identifying dependencies between a first one of said components and a separate component inside a source control program;

b. creating a list of dependencies between said first one of said components and said separate component;

c. parsing said application to identify an external component from a respository needed for building said application;

d. retrieving said first one of said components and said external component from said source control program;

e. retrieving specifications for a wrapper tool from said source control program;

f. invoking said wrapper tool through a tool runner control;

g. passing a process ID for said tool runner control to a file filter software;

h. developing said application through said first one of said components and said external component;

i. updating said separate component through said first one of said components and said external component; and

,

j. returning said first one of said components and said external component to said source control program.