Dynamic error messaging
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, comprising:
- receiving an indication of an error having an existing error message associated therewith;
locating data corresponding to an updated error message, adding information to text of the updated error message; and
outputting an error message including information corresponding to the updated error message.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for dynamically updating the error messages corresponding to a shipped software product. The exiting generic error messages shipped with a software product are replaced or appended as errors are resolved or better understood, whereby a user who receives an error message will see the latest known information for that error message. A file of updated error messages is automatically downloaded when the user is connected to the Internet. Any time an error message is to be displayed, an error handling mechanism compares identifier information of the error message to the file of updated error messages, and if a match is found, overwrites or extends the existing error message that was shipped with the code for display to the user. If no match is found, the existing message is displayed. An updated error message can be changed or reset to the original message if a problem changes or goes away, and updated messages may include certain identifying information for the purpose of assisting product support personnel in resolving user problems.
59 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, comprising:
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receiving an indication of an error having an existing error message associated therewith;
locating data corresponding to an updated error message, adding information to text of the updated error message; and
outputting an error message including information corresponding to the updated error message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a computer system including a software product having error messages, a method comprising:
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maintaining a file of updated error message information;
receiving an indication of an error;
searching the file for message information corresponding to the error, and if found, using the found message information to provide an error message, including filling in text to a blank field within text of the found message information, and if not found, providing an error message from the software product. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:
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a first set of information identifying an error;
a second set of information corresponding to an updated error message, and a third set of information indicating whether the updated error message will overwrite an existing error message of a software product or will be combined with data of the existing error message. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, comprising:
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selecting errors in a software product for updating error message information therein;
storing in a file the updated error message information for the errors selected, along with information identifying whether to replace existing error messages of a software product or combine the error messages of the software product with the updated error message information; and
providing the file to at least one user of the software product. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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34. In a computer system including a software product having error messages, a system comprising:
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a dynamic error messages file of updated error message information;
an error handler for receiving an errorcode from the software product indicative of an error;
a search mechanism associated with the error handler for searching the dynamic error messages file for information corresponding to the errorcode and providing a search result; and
a user interface connected to the error handler for outputting a selected error message based on the search result. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. In a computer system, a method, comprising:
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receiving an indication of an error having an existing error message associated therewith;
locating updated error message data corresponding to the existing error message;
evaluating a replacement instruction associated with the updated error message data to determine whether to combine the updated error message data with the existing error message or replace the existing error message with the updated error message data; and
a) if the replacement instruction associated with the updated error message indicates that the updated error message is to be combined, outputting a combined error message including information corresponding to the existing error message and the updated error message data; and
b) if the replacement instruction associated with the updated error message indicates that the updated error message is to be replaced, outputting an error message including information corresponding to the updated error message data. - View Dependent Claims (44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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45. The method of claim 45 wherein locating data includes constructing a string comprising a combination of a file identifier corresponding to a file containing the existing error message and an error message identifier, and searching a file of dynamic error message information via the string.
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51. In a computer system, a method, comprising:
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receiving an indication of an error having an existing error message associated therewith;
determining that updated error message data corresponds to the existing error message;
after determining that updated error message data corresponds to the existing error message, locating condition data included with the updated error message data and evaluating the condition data to determine whether other updated error message data applies; and
a) if the condition data is satisfied, applying the other updated error message data to provide an updated error message; and
b) if the condition data is not satisfied, outputting the existing error message. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. In a computing environment, a method of providing error-related information to a computing user, comprising:
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receiving an indication of an error having an existing error message associated therewith;
locating updated error message data corresponding to the error; and
outputting an updated error message including information based on the updated error message data, including outputting a link that when selected by the user provides additional information about the error. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. In a computing environment, a system comprising:
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an executable software product comprising at least one component;
a first file set comprising at least one static error message file, the first set providing original error messages for the executable software product to select and output in response to an error;
a second file set comprising at least one dynamic error message file, the second set providing updated error messages for the executable software product to select and output in response to an error, an error handling mechanism in the executable software product; and
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a centralized error handling mechanism that is called by the error handling mechanism in the executable software product from an errorcode included with the call to determine the content of an error message to output in response to an error.”- View Dependent Claims (62)
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Specification