System and method for incorporating changes as a part of a software release

• US 6,385,768 B1
• Filed: 09/30/1999
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Ziebell, Jonathan Virgil
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Application Number:
  US09/409,106
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 717/1, 717/2, 717/3, 717/4, 717/11, 717/120, 717/121, 717/122, 717/168, 717/170, 707/200-204, 707/511
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

Disclosed is a method in a computer system capable of executing a version control program, wherein the method operates within the version control program for incorporating changes to software releases. The method creates a project archive object that manages all resources for each of the software releases and then creates a branch in the project archive object in order to establish a new project revision object of the project archive objects. Next, a project revision object is established and is disposed on the branch for incorporating a revision of the project archive object. After this, archive objects are added to the project revision object and revisions are received from a user to each of the archive objects. A change object is established for the project revision, which logically groups a set of revisions to be released. A stream is then created from the project revision object in order to establish a new project revision object of the project archive object, thereby establishing the new project revision object as a software release object. The software release object is then disposed on the stream for incorporating a revision of the project archive object. Finally, the change object is applied to the software release object after it is determined that a change is ready for release.

Claims

1. In a computer system capable of executing a version control program, a method within said version control program for incorporating changes to software releases, said method comprising the steps of:

a. creating a project archive object that manages all resources for each of said software releases;

b. creating a branch in said project archive object in order to establish a new project revision object of said project archive object;

c. establishing a project revision object, said project revision object being disposed on said branch for incorporating a revision of said project archive object;

d. adding archive objects to said project revision object and receiving revisions from a user to each of said archive objects;

e. establishing a change object for said project revision that logically groups a set of revisions to be released;

f. creating a stream from said project revision object in order to establish a new project revision object of said project archive object, thereby establishing said new project revision object as a software release object, said software release object being disposed on said stream for incorporating a revision of said project archive object; and

,

g. applying said change object to said software release object after it is determined that a change is ready for release.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein said version control program operates within a repository program.

3. The method as in claim 1 where in step f thereof further including the step of creating an additional stream having the same name as said stream for each archive contained within said project revision.

4. The method as in claim 1 where in step e thereof further including the steps of associating a change object with a workspace and including in said change object each check-in of a revision to said workspace.

5. The method as in claim 1 where in step g thereof applying said change object further includes the step of creating a delta from successive revisions that is to be applied to said stream.

6. The method as in claim 5 further including the step of applying said delta created in the preceding step in lieu of applying a complete revision.

7. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for incorporating changes to software releases, wherein, when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer performs the steps of:

a. creating a project archive object that manages all resources for each of said software releases;

b. creating a branch in said project archive object in order to establish a new project revision object of said project archive object;

c. establishing a project revision object, said project revision object being disposed on said branch for incorporating a revision of said project archive object;

d. adding archive objects to said project revision object and receiving revisions from a user to each of said archive objects;

e. establishing a change object for said project revision that logically groups a set of revisions to be released;

f. creating a stream from said project revision object in order to establish a new project revision object of said project archive object, thereby establishing said new project revision object as a software release object, said software release object being disposed on said stream for incorporating a revision of said project archive object; and

,

g. applying said change object to said software release object after it is determined that a change is ready for release.

8. The storage medium as in claim 7 wherein said version control program operates within a repository program.

9. The storage medium as in claim 7 where in step f thereof further including the step of creating an additional stream having the same name as said stream for each archive contained within said project revision.

10. The storage medium as in claim 7 where in step e thereof further including the steps of associating a change object with a workspace and including in said change object each check-in of a revision to said workspace.

11. The storage medium as in claim 7 where in step g thereof applying said change object further includes the step of creating a delta from successive revisions that is to be applied to said stream.

12. The storage medium as in claim 11 further including the step of applying said delta created in the preceding step in lieu of applying a complete revision.