System and method of making software product deliverables

• US 6,178,546 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: McIntyre, Kurt A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/144,761
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 717/3, 717/4, 717/11, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29, 709/223, 709/225
• US Class Current: 717/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A method of making software product deliverables includes reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed, identifying the items, and then generating a build script to build the items described in the description file. An inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area is generated as well as a packaging list of the items to be included in each package.

Claims

1. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of software program items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the software program items;

generating a build script to build the software program items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the software program items to be built and their respective locations in a build area; and

generating a packaging list of the software program items to be included in each package.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising storing the inventory in an inventory database.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising storing the packaging list in a packaging database.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising reading the packaging list for identifying software program items to be included in a package and reading the inventory for locating the software program items in the build area.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

building the software program items according to the build script; and

storing the built software program items in the build area.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein the build software program item storing step comprises storing the built items in specific subdirectories according to item type.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising reading at least one token and its value describing each software program item in the description file.

8. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising reading a set of required tokens and values and a set of optional tokens and values in the description file.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

reading a target token and its value for a software program item from the description file;

reading a name token and its value; and

reading an object name of the software program item.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising reading a products token and its value for a list of products dependent on the software program item.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

reading a target token and its value for a library item associated with the software program item from the description file;

reading a name token and its value; and

reading an object name of the library item.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 11, further comprising reading a products token and its value for a list of products dependent on this library item.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising storing the read software program items in memory.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the software program items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the software program items in the build area; and

fetching the software program items and including the items in the packages.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 14, further comprising:

creating products from the packages; and

downloading the products onto portable storage media.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a rules database to obtain build macros for each software program item; and

adding the build macros to the build script.

17. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area; and

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

accessing an internal products database for a list of software components and their official install locations.

18. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area; and

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

generating a dependency report indicative of dependencies between internal products.

19. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area; and

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

configuring variables by using values passed as command line arguments.

20. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area; and

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

configuring variables by accessing values stored in a resource file.

21. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of software program items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the software program items;

generating a build script to build the software program items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the software program items to be built and their respective locations in a build area;

generating a packaging list of the software program items to be included in each package;

building the software program items according to the build;

storing the built software program items in the build area;

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the software program items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the software program items in the build area; and

fetching the software program items and including the software program items in the packages.

22. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising reading the packaging list for identifying software program items to be included in a package and reading the inventory for locating the software program items in the build area.

23. The method, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the build software program item storing step comprises storing the built software program items in specific subdirectories according to item type.

24. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising reading at least one token and its value describing each software program item in the description file.

25. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising reading a set of required tokens and values and a set of optional tokens and values in the description file.

26. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

reading a target token and its value for a software program item from the description file;

reading a name token and its value; and

reading an object name of the software program item.

27. The method, as set forth in claim 26, further comprising reading a products token and its value for a list of products dependent on the software program item.

28. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

reading a target token and its value for a library item associated with a software program item from the description file;

reading a name token and its value; and

reading an object name of the library item.

29. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising storing the read software program items in memory.

30. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

creating products from the packages; and

downloading the products onto portable storage media.

31. The method, as set forth in claim 21, further comprising:

accessing a rules database to obtain build macros for each software program item; and

adding the build macros to the build script.

32. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area;

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

building the items according to the build;

storing the built items in the build area;

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the items in the build area; and

fetching the items and including the items in the packages;

accessing an internal products database for a list of software components and their official install locations.

33. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area;

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

building the items according to the build;

storing the built items in the build area;

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the items in the build area; and

fetching the items and including the items in the packages;

generating a dependency report indicative of dependencies between internal products.

34. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area;

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

building the items according to the build;

storing the built items in the build area;

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the items in the build area; and

fetching the items and including the items in the packages;

configuring variables by using values passed as command line arguments.

35. A method of making software product deliverables, comprising:

reading a description file having descriptions of items to be built, packaged, and/or installed;

identifying the items;

generating a build script to build the items described in the description file;

generating an inventory of the items to be built and their respective locations in a build area;

generating a packaging list of the items to be included in each package;

building the items according to the build;

storing the built items in the build area;

reading the packaging list from the packaging database and identifying the items to be included in each package;

reading the inventory from the inventory database and determining the location of the items in the build area; and

fetching the items and including the items in the packages;

configuring variables by accessing values stored in a resource file.

36. A system of making software product deliverables, comprising:

a description file describing software program items to be built, packaged and/or installed;

a rules database storing build macros; and

a make process reading the description file and generating a build script according to the build macros in the rules database, the make process further generating an inventory of the software program items to be built and their respective locations in a build area, and a packaging list of the software program items to be included in each package, the inventory being stored in an inventory database and the packaging list being stored in a packaging database.

37. The system, as set forth in claim 36, further comprising a packaging process reading the packaging list for identifying software program items to be included in a package and reading the inventory for locating the software program items in the build area.