Method for creating and maintaining user data

• US 6,327,705 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Downer, Joel Wayne, Larsson, Jeffrey Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): DAM, TUAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US09/168,828
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/1, 713/1, 709/221, 710/104, 345/333, 345/334, 345/352-354, 707/100, 707/104, 707/200
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Creating and maintaining user data using an installation file that includes features and user data components. A user data component is associated with two features (or subfeatures), an application feature and a user settings feature. The application feature is used to create user data for the user that installs the application program and the user settings feature is used to create user data for another user that initiates the application program.

Claims

1. A method for creating user data associated with a user when the user initiates a program module, the program module having been previously installed using an installation file, comprising the steps of:

in response to the user initiating the program module, determining whether user data exists for the user;

if user data does not exist for the user, then creating user data for the user by;

identifying a user data component of the installation file that is associated with the program module; and

using the user data component to create user data for the user without reinstalling the program module; and

providing an indication that user data exists for the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether user data exists for the user, comprises:

checking a registry value to determine whether user data exists for the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of providing an indication that user data exists for the user, comprises:

setting the registry value to indicate that user data exists for the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user data component specifies user data registry values, and wherein the step of using the user data component to create user data comprises:

setting the user data registry values for the user in a section of a registry designated for the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user data component specifies a user data file, and wherein the step of using the user data component to create user data comprises:

creating the user data file in an application data folder designated for the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation file comprises a program module feature that corresponds to the program module and a user settings feature, and the user data component is associated with both the program module feature and the user settings feature, and wherein the step of identifying a user data component of the installation file that is associated with the program module comprises:

using the user settings feature to identify the user data component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the installation file comprises a program module feature and a non-user data component and the program module feature is associated with the non-user data component and the user data component, and wherein the program module is installed using the program module feature to install the non-user data component and the user data component, further comprising the step of:

in response to the user uninstalling the program module, uninstalling the non-user data component, but not the user data component.

8. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first feature comprising a plurality of application subfeatures and corresponding to a plurality of application programs, each of the application subfeatures corresponding to a different one of the application programs;

a second feature comprising a plurality of user settings subfeatures; and

a plurality of components including

a common user data component associated with the first feature and the second feature;

a plurality of application user data components, each of the application user data components associated with one of the application subfeatures and one of the user settings subfeatures; and

a plurality of non-user data components, each of the non-user data components associated with one of the application subfeatures;

wherein the first feature and the application subfeatures are used to install the common user data component, the application user data components, and the non-user data components when the application programs are installed.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the second feature corresponds to user settings for a plurality of application programs and a selected one of the user settings subfeatures associated with a selected application user data component corresponds to a selected application program, and wherein the second feature and the selected user settings subfeature are used to install the common user data component and the selected application user data component if user data for a user does not exist when the user initiates the selected application program.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, further comprising a customized user data component that is associated with the first feature and the second feature.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a first feature comprising a plurality of subfeatures and corresponding to a plurality of application programs, each of the subfeatures corresponding to a different one of the application programs;

a plurality of components including

a common user data component associated with the first feature;

a plurality of application user data components, each of the application user data components associated with one of the subfeatures; and

a plurality of non-user data components, each of the non-user data components associated with one of the subfeatures; and

a second feature that is associated with the common user data component and the application user data components;

wherein the first feature and the subfeatures are used to install the common user data component, the application user data components, and the non-user data components when the application programs are installed.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein each of the subfeatures corresponds to a different application program and wherein the second feature is used to install the common user data component and the application user data components if user data for a user does not exist when the user initiates one of the application programs.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a selected subfeature associated with a selected application user data component corresponds to a selected application program, and wherein the second feature is used to install the common user data component and the selected application user data component if user data for a user does not exist when the user initiates the selected application program.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising a customized user data component that is associated with the first feature and the second feature.

15. A method for creating user data for multiple users using an installation file comprising a first feature and a second feature, the first feature corresponding to a program module and associated with a user data component and the second feature associated with the user data component, wherein the first feature is used to install the user data component for a first user when the first user installs the program module, comprising the steps of:

in response to a second user initiating the program module, determining whether user data exists for the second user; and

if user data does not exist for the second user, then using the second feature to install the user data component for the second user independent of the installed user data component for the first user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of determining whether user data exists for the second user comprises checking a registry value associated with the second user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the user data component comprises user data registry values and user data files, and installing the user data component for the first user comprises setting the user data registry values for the first user in a first section of the registry designated for the first user and creating the user data files in a first application data folder designated for the first user, and wherein the step of creating user data for the second user comprises:

setting the user data registry values for the second user in a second section of the registry designated for the second user; and

creating the user data files for the second user in a second application data folder designated for the second user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of creating the user data files for the second user comprises:

conditionally creating each of the user data files for the second user so that a selected one of the user data files is not created, if the selected file already exists.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first feature is associated with a non-user data feature, further comprising the steps of:

if the first user uninstalls the program module, then uninstalling the non-user data component, but not the installed user data component for the first user.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first feature is associated with a non-user data feature, further comprising the steps of:

if the second user reinstalls the program module, then reinstalling the non-user data component, but not the installed user data component for the second user.

21. A method for creating user data associated with a user using an installation file having a first feature and a second feature, the first feature corresponding to an application program and associated with a user data component and the second feature associated with the user data component, comprising the steps of:

in response to a first user installing the application program, determining whether a first set of user data exists;

if the first set of user data does not exist, then using the first feature to install the first set of user data;

in response to a second user initiating an application program, determining whether a second set of user data exists; and

if the second set of user data does not exist, then using the second feature to install the second set of user data.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the user data component comprises a user data registry value and a user data file, and wherein the step of using the first feature to install the first set of user data comprises:

using the first feature to identify the user data component;

setting the user data registry value in a first section of the registry designated for the first user; and

creating the user data file in a first application data folder designated for the first user.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the user data component comprises a user data registry value and a user data file, and wherein the step of using the second feature to install the second set of user data comprises:

using the second feature to identify the user data component;

setting the user data registry value in a second section of the registry designated for the second user; and

creating the user data file in a second application data folder designated for the second user.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of determining whether a first set of user data exists comprises checking a first registry value.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first feature is associated with a non-user data component, further comprising the step of:

in response to the first user uninstalling the application program, uninstalling the non-user data component associated with the first feature, but not the first set of user data or the second set of user data.