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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
First Claim
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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.

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