Manufacture of software distribution media packages from components resident on a remote server source

• US 6,324,691 B1
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gazdik, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US09/191,262
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 709/200, 709/220, 709/223
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method for generating a custom distribution media package includes the following steps: Providing an original software suite distribution media package which includes an Internet download option; accessing a remote server via the Internet on which is loaded updated and new software related to the original suite; selecting the software components to be included in the custom media package; comparing the component files that reside on the original distribution media package with those that reside on the remote server, including the component installation data files and setup data files; identifying the most recent files and new files which do not east in the original package; identifying a local mass storage medium is identified on which the new distribution package will be created; copying the most recent files from their source locations to the new medium; and updating the installation data files and setup data files, to reference files from the new media package location. This new technology is made possible by a new fragmented installation process, for which 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. 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.

Claims

1. A method for generating custom distribution media packages for a suite of software components, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an installation processing engine;

abstracting an installation process for the suite so that each software component has associated therewith a component-specific data file, each component-specific data file including a collection of component persistent objects, each component persistent object defining either a particular characteristic of the associated software component or a command required for the installation of the associated software component, and the suite has associated therewith a process control file, said process control file including a collection of state objects, each of which defines a single step in the installation process flow, said process control file controlling the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files by the installation processing engine;

including a link to a remote server site where new or updated component-specific data files and an updated process control file may be stored, said link being present on an original distribution media package which contains an original set of the component-specific data files, the process control file and the installation processing engine;

selecting the components of the suite which are to be included in a new distribution package;

identifying a medium on which the new distribution package will be created;

accessing the remote server site;

comparing component-specific data files present on the original distribution media with those at the remote server site;

copying component-specific data files for the selected components and an updated process control file from the remote site if those component-specific data files have been updated since the original distribution media package was created;

copying component-specific data files for the selected components from the original distribution media package if they have not been updated since the original distribution media package was created;

updating installation data files, including setup data files, to reference files now resident on the new distribution package medium.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said state machine evaluates a return code during the execution of each state object, said return code being found in a transition table residing in an abstract base class object which the state machine processes in order to transit on to the next designated state.

3. A method for generating custom distribution media packages for a suite of software components, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a suite installation process which separates control of the installation process from installation tasks associated with each of the software components whereby each software component has associated therewith a component-specific data file represented as a persistent object, and the suite has associated therewith a process control file, represented as a collection of state objects, which controls the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files;

providing an installation processing engine, which includes a state machine, said processing engine serving to execute said process control file;

selecting the components of the suite which are to be included in a new distribution package;

identifying a medium on which the new distribution package will be created;

copying required files to the new distribution medium; and

updating installation data files, including setup data files, to reference files now resident on the new distribution package medium.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first set of component-specific data files, a first process control file and the installation processing engine are provided on an original distribution package medium having an option for accessing a remote server on which is stored the latest versions of the component-specific data files, the process control file and the processing engine.

5. The method of claim 4, which further comprises the step of comparing component-specific data files on the original distribution package medium with those on the remote server.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein files copied to the new distribution medium are downloaded from the remote server if they have been updated since the original distribution media package was created.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein files copied to the new distribution medium are taken from the original distribution package if they have not been updated since the original distribution media package was created.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein files copied to the new distribution medium include new files resident on the remote server.

9. The method of claim 3, 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 of the associated software component.

10. The process of claim 3, wherein each state object is responsible for executing a specific task with regard to the installation process.

11. The process of claim 3, wherein said state machine evaluates a return code during the execution of each state object, said return code being found in a transition table residing in an abstract base class object which the state machine processes in order to transition to the next designated state.

12. A method for generating a custom distribution package for the installation of a suite of individual software components, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a component-specific data file for each software component, each data file containing install information and install logic that is unique to its associated component;

providing a process control file that is independent of the data files, said process control file containing information related to the ordered accessing of the various component-specific data files;

providing a processing engine which executes the process control file;

providing a remote server site where new or updated component-specific data files and an updated process control file may be stored;

providing original distribution media having a download option from the remote server site;

identifying a new medium on which the custom distribution package will be created;

accessing the remote server site;

copying selected component-specific data files from both the original distribution media and from the remote server site to the new medium; and

copying a process control file from either the original distribution media or from the remote server site to the new medium.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said remote server site may also store an updated processing engine.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein both the original distribution media and the custom distribution package include installation data files.

15. The method of claim 14, which further comprises the step of updating the installation data files to reference files resident on the new medium.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said processing engine is a state machine, and said process control file is a state file comprising a collection of state objects, each of which defines a single step in the installation process flow, and which jointly define the flow of the installation process.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein each component-specific data file is a component persistent data file comprising 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 of the associated software component.

18. The method of claim 12, which further comprises the steps of:

comparing files resident on the original distribution media with those resident on the remote server; and

copying files from the remote server only if they have been updated since the original distribution media was created.

19. An original distribution media package from which a suite of software components is installable on a computer system, said media package including thereon:

a state machine;

a component-specific data file for each software component, each component-specific data file being 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 of the associated software component; and

a process control file, represented as a collection of state objects, each of which is responsible for executing a specific task required for installation of a software component, said process control file controlling the ordered accessing of the component-specific data files by the installation processing engine during software suite installation.

20. The media package of claim 19, wherein each component-specific data file is represented as a persistent object, said process control file is represented as a collection of state objects.

21. The media package of claim 19, which further comprises an option for accessing a remote server on which are loaded any updated files relating to the software suite and the process for its installation.

22. The media package of claim 21, wherein provision is made for comparing files resident on the media package with those on the remote server.

23. The media package of claim 19, wherein said state machine is programmed to evaluate a return code during the execution of each state object, said return code being found in a transition table residing in an abstract base class object which the state machine processes in order to transition to the next designated state.