Software installation process using abstract data and program files

• US 6,301,708 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Martz, David, Kinkela, Kelli, Gazdik, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/191,257
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 707/200, 707/203, 707/204, 707/205, 709/221, 710/5
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A method for installing and uninstalling software which fragments the process so that the installation or uninstallation of each component of a software suite is controlled by multiple independent files, rather than by a single script. Each software component has associated therewith a unique component-specific data file which is independent of and external to the installer-processing engine, the suite installation process flow, and the other software components. Each such data file contains the characteristics of the software component, as well as the commands to be executed for installation and unexecuted during uninstallation. The flow of the installation/uninstallation process is controlled by a separate process-control file which is read and executed by the install/uninstall processing engine, which for a preferred embodiment of the invention, is a state machine. Fragmentation of the installation process in this manner isolates the intelligence required to install and uninstall a specific software component, thereby separating installation flow information from component installation information. As a component data file may reside at any accessible location, component data files that were not in existence at the time the original software distribution package was created can be supplied with new or updated software components via the Internet so that those components can be integrated into an existing software suite at installation run time.

Claims

1. A process for installing a software suite on a mass storage device of a computer system, said software suite having multiple software components, said process comprising the steps of:

providing a component-specific data file for each software component, each such data file containing install information, install logic, and install commands required to install its associated software component from a collection of uninstalled suite program files;

providing a process control file that is independent of the component-specific data files, said process control file containing information which permits the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files; and

providing a processing engine which executes the process control file.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said process control file is a state file, and said processing engine includes a state machine.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein each component-specific data file is a component persistent data file.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein said state file comprises a collection of state objects which jointly define the flow of the install process, each of said state objects defining a single step of said process flow.

5. The process of claim 4, wherein each state object, when executed by the state machine, provides a return code which directs the state machine to transition to a succeeding state object in the process flow.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said collection of state objects also jointly define the flow of an uninstall process, which is the exact reverse of the install process.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein each component persistent data file comprises a collection of component persistent objects, each of which defines either a particular characteristic of the associated software component or a command required for the installation and uninstallation of the associated software component.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein a single processing engine is used for installation and uninstallation, said processing engine calling on state objects, which control the installation/uninstallation process flow, and said state objects calling on the persistent objects, which carry out the install/uninstall commands.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein each component persistent data file includes a priority member, which determines the priority of commands employed during the install and uninstall process.

10. The process of claim 8, wherein said process control file and at least one component persistent data file reside on a remote server accessible over a computer network.

11. A process for installing a software suite on a computer system, said software suite having multiple software components, said process comprising the steps of:

providing a component-specific data file for each software component, each such data file represented as a hierarchy of persistent objects, said hierarchy of persistent objects containing install information, install commands, and install logic that performs the installation of the represented software component;

providing a process control file that is independent of the component-specific data files, said process control file being represented as a hierarchy of state objects, said hierarchy of state objects containing information which calls out the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files; and

providing a state machine which executes the process control file.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein each state object, when executed by said state machine, provides a return code to the state machine which directs the machine to transition to a succeeding state object in the process flow.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein said hierarchy of state objects also jointly define the flow of an uninstall process, which is the exact reverse of the install process.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein each component persistent data file includes a priority member, which determines the priority of commands employed during the install and uninstall process.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein said process control file and at least one component persistent data file reside on a remote server accessible over a computer network.

16. A computer program product for installing an application software suite on a computer system, said application software suite having multiple interrelated software components, said computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code, executable by the computer system, that includes:

a component-specific data file associated with each software component, each such data file containing install information, install logic, and install commands required to install its associated software component;

a process control file that is independent of the component-specific data files, said process control file containing information which controls the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files; and

an installer processing engine which executes the process control file.

17. The software program product of claim 16, wherein each component-specific data file is represented as a hierarchy of persistent objects.

18. The software program product of claim 17, wherein said process control file is represented as a hierarchy of state objects, said hierarchy of state objects providing the necessary functionality for installation and uninstallation of the various software components.

19. The software program product of claim 18, wherein said processing engine is a state machine.

20. The software program product of claim 19, wherein each state object, when executed by the state machine, provides a return code to the state machine which directs the state machine to transition to a succeeding state object in the process flow.

21. The software program product of claim 20, wherein said collection of state objects also jointly define the flow of an uninstall process, which is the exact reverse of the install process.