Web developer isolation techniques

• US 6,393,437 B1
• Filed: 01/27/1998
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, David C., Zinda, Eric K., Hiebert, William E., Marshall, Brian R., Pan, Zhenglei, Hodges, C. Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US09/014,036
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 707/511, 707/202, 707/203, 707/201, 707/200, 709/219, 395/701, 395/703, 717/11
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A method and apparatus for allowing multiple developers of software applications working in client/server computing network to remotely save, test and debug project files such as web pages. The client computer is capable of emulating server side operations to allow the developer to locally test changes to project files before they are saved on the server. The client computer maintains an accurate view of the overall project, but without having to locally copy the entire software project, by storing file information relating to the software project including, for example, metadata, link information, and BOT replacements, and/or a directory structure of the files and folders in the software project that mirrors the directory structure of the software project on the server. Various features include providing developers with the ability to check out, modify and debug files concurrently with other developers, and merging changes made by different developers to the same file. Concurrently modified files may be merged by prompting a developer when conflicts arise between the files to be merged.

Claims

1. A method of merging a first file and a second file, said first file and said second file being modified versions of an original file, said method comprising the steps of:

(a.) comparing said first file with said original file and producing a first differences log, wherein said first differences log identifies the differences between said first file and said original file;

(b.) comparing said second file with said original file and producing a second differences log, wherein said second differences log identifies the differences between said second file and said original file;

(c.) comparing said first differences log and said second differences log to identify portions of said first file which are in conflict with said second file and producing a conflicts log; and

(d.) prompting a developer to select those differences from said conflicts log that are to be applied to modify said original file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of incorporating those differences identified in said first differences log and the differences identified in said second differences log but which are not in said conflicts log into a third file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps are performed in a client computer operating within a client/server computing environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps are performed in a server computer operating within a client/server computing environment.

5. A server computer capable of being operatively coupled to a client/server network comprising in combination:

(a.) means for checking-out at least two copies of a file from said server computer,

(b.) means for checking-in at least two modified versions of said file to said server computer; and

(c.) means for performing a merge of the at least two modified versions to form a merged file if more than one of the at least two modified versions are checked-in from different client computers, wherein a merge function performed by said means for performing a merge checks for conflicts between the modified versions, prompts a developer at said server computer to select which modifications are to be applied, and applies the selected modifications to form said merged file.

6. The server computer of claim 5, wherein said client/server network is an Internet.

7. The server computer of claim 5, wherein said client/server network is an HTTP-compliant network.

8. The server computer of claim 5, wherein said client/server network is an HTTPS-compliant network.

9. The server computer of claim 5 further comprising means for making appropriate changes to at least one linked file of said modified file.

10. The server computer according to claim 5, wherein said means for checking-in further comprises:

a first file storing one of said at least one modified version of said file; and

,

a second file storing another of said at least one modified version of said file.

11. In a client/server network having a server computer and a client computer, said server computer having stored therein a software project having a plurality of project files, wherein the project files are part of a directory structure and wherein at least one project file is linked to at least one other project file within said software project, a method of editing said project file in said client computer comprising the steps of:

storing in said client computer file information relating to said software project;

checking-out at least two project files from said server computer to form checked-out files in said client computer, wherein a first of said checked-out project files is linked to at least one other checked-out file;

storing in said client computer at least on file from said software project, wherein the number of files in said client computer is fewer than the number of files for said software project;

modifying at least one of said checked-out files in said client computer to form at least one modified project file; and

using said file information in said client computer to locally debug said modified project file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of using said file information includes the step of fixing-up said other checked-out file that is linked to said modified project file in accordance with changes reflected in said modified project file to form at least one fixed-up file in said client computer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of storing file information includes the step of storing file information selected from the group consisting of metadata, link information, and BOT replacement.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said client computer and said server computer communicate over a network selected from the group consisting of an HTTP-compliant network and an HTTPS-compliant network.

15. The method of claim 11, including the additional step of merging said modified file with said project file in said server computer to form a merged file.

16. The method of claim 15, including the additional step of fixing-up said at least one linked file in said server computer in accordance with changes reflected in said merged file.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of using said file information comprises the step of saving said modified project file and said at least one fixed-up file in a working storage medium that has a file directory structure that parallels a file directory structure of a master directory structure in said server computer.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said software project relates to a web site, said project file corresponds to a web page and said at least one linked file corresponds to at least one hyper-linked web page.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step using said file information comprises the step of previewing said web page and said at least one hyper-linked web page.

20. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps recited in claim 11.

21. A method of testing and debugging a file of a software project comprising the steps of:

storing in a client computer file information relating to the software project in a server computer;

checking-out at least two project files from said server computer to form checked-out files in said client computer, wherein a first checked-out project file is linked to at least one other check-out file;

storing in said client computer at least one file from said software project, wherein the number of files in said client computer is fewer than the number of files for said software project;

modifying at least one of said first checked-out file in said client computer to form at least one modified project file; and

using the file information in said client computer to fix-up said other checked-out project file that is linked to said modified project file in accordance with changes reflected in said modified project file to form at least one fixed-up file in said client computer.

22. A client/server network for allowing multiple developers to share a software project, comprising in combination:

a server computer having stored therein said software project, wherein said software project has a plurality of project files and wherein at least one project file is linked to at least one other project file within said software project;

a client computer having stored therein a checked-out copy of at least one of said project files and file information relating to said software project providing directory structure information of said project files stored in said server computer, wherein the number of project files in said client computer is fewer than the number of total project files for said software project; and

a communication medium operatively coupling said server computer to said client computer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the file information further includes information selected from the group consisting of metadata, link information, and BOT replacement.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the client computer further comprises a working web storage for storing a copy of said project file and a client/server interface for communicating with other computers.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the server computer further comprises a master web storage for storing master copies of said software project and a server extension which communicates with said client computer to check said project files into and out of said master web storage.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein said server computer further comprises a source code control system coupled to said server extension wherein said server extension transfers said files to said source code control system when exclusive access to said files is requested.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein said server computer has means for transferring a read-only copy of said files from said source code control system.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein said communication medium is selected from the group consisting of an Internet, an HTTP-compliant network and an HTTPS-compliant network.

25. A client/server network for allowing multiple developers to share a software project, comprising in combination:

a server computer having stored therein said software project, wherein said software project has a plurality of project files and wherein at least one project file is linked to at least one other project file within said software project;

a client computer having stored therein a checked-out copy of at least one of said project files and file information relating to said software project, wherein the number of project files in said client computer is fewer than the number of total project files for said software project, wherein the client computer further comprises means for checking-out said project files from said server computer, means for locally editing said checked-out copy of said project file, means for locally fixing-up said project files that are linked to said checked-out copy based on changes to said checked-out copy, and means for locally testing said checked-out file and said copy; and

a communication medium operatively coupling said server computer to said client computer.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said means for locally editing includes an Integrated Development Environment.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said means for locally editing includes a client/server interface.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said means for locally editing and means for locally fixing-up may operate during periods where a connection from said client computer to said server computer is unavailable.

33. A client computer capable of being operatively coupled to at least one server through a network comprising:

a network interface over which files are retrieved;

a processor requesting a first set of files to be modified from said server, said processor receiving said first set of files to be modified and a second set of files linked with said first set of files; and

a storage device storing the first and second set of files, wherein the first and second set of files is fewer than the total number of files for said software project, and file information relating to said software project providing directory structure information of said total files for said software project.

35. The client computer of claim 33, wherein the file information further includes information selected from the group consisting of metadata, link information, and BOT replacement.

36. The client computer of claim 33, wherein said interlinked project includes a web site accessible over said network.

37. The client computer of claim 33 further comprising means for transferring said modified file into said server computer.

38. The client computer of claim 33 further comprising means for testing said modified file and said at least one linked file.

39. The client computer of claim 33 further comprising means for operating in an isolated mode.

40. The client computer of claim 33 further comprising means for operating in an offline mode.

34. A client computer capable of being operatively coupled to at least one server through a network comprising in combination:

a network interface over which files are retrieved;

a processor requesting a first set of files to be modified from said server, said processor receiving said first set of files to be modified and a second set of files linked with said first set of files;

a storage device storing the first and second set of files, wherein the first and second set of files is fewer than the total number of files for said software project, and file information relating to said software project; and

means for modifying said first set of files and creating a modified set of files based on file information relating to said software project.

41. A method of testing and debugging a file of a software project comprising the steps of:

storing in a client computer a local directory structure of files and folders that generally mirrors a directory structure of said software project in a server computer;

checking-out at least two project files from said server computer to form checked-out files in said client computer, wherein a first checked-out project file is linked to at least one other check-out file;

storing in said client computer at least one file from said software project, wherein the number of files in said client computer is fewer than the number of files for said software project;

modifying at least one of said first checked-out file in said client computer to form at least one modified project file; and

using said local directory structure in said client computer to fix-up said other checked-out project file that is linked to said modified project file in accordance with changes reflected in said modified project file to form at least one fixed-up file in said client computer.

42. A client/server network for allowing multiple developers to share a software project comprising in combination:

a server computer having stored therein said software project, wherein said software project has a master directory structure of project files and wherein at least one project file is linked to at least one other project file within said software project;

a client computer having stored therein a checked-out copy of at least one of said project files and file information relating said software project; and

a communication medium operatively coupling said server computer to said client computer.

43. A client computer capable of being operatively coupled to at least one server through a network comprising:

a network interface over which files are retrieved, wherein said files are part of a software project;

a processor requesting a first set of files to be modified from said server, said processor receiving said first set of files to be modified and a second set of files linked with said first set of files; and

a storage device storing said first and second set of files, wherein said first and second set of files is fewer than the total number of files for said software project, and file information relating to said software project selected from the group consisting of metadata, link information, and BOT replacement.

44. The client computer of claim 43, wherein files listed in said local directory structure have a designation of status and type.

45. The client computer of claim 43, wherein said designation of status uses at least one glyph.

46. The client computer of claim 43, wherein said designation of status is selected from the group consisting of a ghosted, source code controlled, orphaned, checked-out, read-only, and working version.

47. The client computer of claim 43, wherein said designation of type is selected from the group consisting of folder, web page, active server page, and hypertext markup language page.