On-demand generation, packaging, and delivery of archive files

• US 6,560,618 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2000
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ims, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, TE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/533,314
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/10, 707/103, 707/104.1, 707/203, 707/204, 709/246, 709/236, 709/310-319, 709/225, 709/226, 709/217-203, 717/1-6, 717/125, 717/116, 717/143, 717/122, 717/108
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for enabling the on-demand generation, packaging, and delivery of archive files (such as cabinet, or “.cab”, files and Java archive, or “.jar”, files). This technique provides a more powerful, more flexible archive capability than the static technique of the prior art. A target server application is specified in place of a static pre-packaged archive file name, where this target will dynamically create an archive file in an application-dependent manner. Zero or more parameter name/value pairs may be specified as well, where the parameter values may be used by the target to customize the dynamic creation. Once created, archive files may optionally be cached to optimize future invocations of the archive content delivery process. Existing browser software may take advantage of the present invention without modification.

Claims

1. A computer program product for dynamic archive file retrieval, said computer program product embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising:

computer-readable program code means for automatically sending a request for an archive file from a client workstation to a server over a network connection, responsive to encountering a reference to said archive file during execution of code on said client workstation, and wherein said request identifies a dynamic archive builder accessible from said server;

computer-readable program code means for dynamically building said requested archive file by said dynamic archive builder;

computer-readable program code means for returning said dynamically built archive file to said client workstation over said network connection; and

computer-readable program code means for executing a program contained in said returned archive file at said client workstation.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said computer-readable program code means for dynamically building further comprises:

computer-readable program code means for generating or retrieving, by said dynamic archive builder, one or more files needed for said requested archive file, responsive to receiving said request;

computer-readable program code means for compiling selected ones of said generated or retrieved files; and

computer-readable program code means for packaging said compiled files and said generated or retrieved files which are not compiled, thereby creating said requested archive file.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said request further specifies one or more parameters, and wherein said computer-readable program code means for dynamically building uses said parameters to customize said requested archive file.

4. The computer program product according to claim 3, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned.

5. The computer program product according to claim 3, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned or dynamically assigned.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java applet.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java application.

8. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an applet.

9. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an application.

10. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

computer-readable program code means for storing said dynamically built archive file in an archive cache;

computer-readable program code means for checking said archive cache, prior to operation of said computer-readable program code means for dynamically building, for a previously cached version of said requested archive file; and

computer-readable program code means for bypassing operation of said computer-readable program code means for dynamically building when said version is found;

and wherein said computer-readable program code means for returning returns said version found in said archive cache.

11. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising computer-readable program code means for compressing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said computer-readable program code means for returning;

and wherein said computer-readable program code means for returning returns said compressed file.

12. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising computer-readable program code means for digitally signing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said computer-readable program code means for returning;

and wherein said computer-readable program code means for returning returns said digitally signed file.

13. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said reference is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of said dynamic archive builder.

14. A system for dynamic archive file retrieval in a computing environment, comprising:

means for automatically sending a request for an archive file from a client workstation to a server over a network connection, responsive to encountering a reference to said archive file during execution of code on said client workstation, and wherein said request identifies a dynamic archive builder accessible from said server;

means for dynamically building said requested archive file by said dynamic archive builder;

means for returning said dynamically built archive file to said client workstation over said network connection; and

means for executing a program contained in said returned archive file at said client workstation.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said means for dynamically building further comprises:

means for generating or retrieving, by said dynamic archive builder, one or more files needed for said requested archive file, responsive to receiving said request;

means for compiling selected ones of said generated or retrieved files; and

means for packaging said compiled files and said generated or retrieved files which are not compiled, thereby creating said requested archive file.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said request further specifies one or more parameters, and wherein said means for dynamically building uses said parameters to customize said requested archive file.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned or dynamically assigned.

19. The system according to claim 14, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java applet.

20. The system according to claim 14, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java application.

21. The system according to claim 14, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an applet.

22. The system according to claim 14, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an application.

23. The system according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for storing said dynamically built archive file in an archive cache;

means for checking said archive cache, prior to operation of said means for dynamically building, for a previously cached version of said requested archive file; and

means for bypassing operation of said means for dynamically building when said version is found;

and wherein said means for returning returns said version found in said archive cache.

24. The system according to claim 14, further comprising means for compressing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said means for returning;

and wherein said means for returning returns said compressed file.

25. The system according to claim 14, further comprising means for digitally signing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said means for returning;

and wherein said means for returning returns said digitally signed file.

26. The system according to claim 14, wherein said reference is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of said dynamic archive builder.

27. A method for dynamic archive file retrieval in a computing environment, comprising the steps of:

automatically sending a request for an archive file from a client workstation to a server over a network connection, responsive to encountering a reference to said archive file during execution of code on said client workstation, and wherein said request identifies a dynamic archive builder accessible from said server;

dynamically building said requested archive file by said dynamic archive builder;

returning said dynamically built archive file to said client workstation over said network connection; and

executing a program contained in said returned archive file at said client workstation.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said dynamically building step further comprises the steps of:

generating or retrieving, by said dynamic archive builder, one or more files needed for said requested archive file, responsive to receiving said request;

compiling selected ones of said generated or retrieved files; and

packaging said compiled files and said generated or retrieved files which are not compiled, thereby creating said requested archive file.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein said request further specifies one or more parameters, and wherein said dynamically building step uses said parameters to customize said requested archive file.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein values of said parameters are statically assigned or dynamically assigned.

32. The method according to claim 27, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java applet.

33. The method according to claim 27, wherein said returned archive file is a Java archive file and said program is a Java application.

34. The method according to claim 27, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an applet.

35. The method according to claim 27, wherein said returned archive file is a cabinet file and said program is an application.

36. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

storing said dynamically built archive file in an archive cache;

checking said archive cache, prior to operation of said dynamically building step, for a previously cached version of said requested archive file; and

bypassing operation of said dynamically building step when said version is found;

and wherein said returning step returns said version found in said archive cache.

37. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of compressing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said returning step;

and wherein said returning step returns said compressed file.

38. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of digitally signing said dynamically built archive file prior to operation of said returning step;

and wherein said returning step returns said digitally signed file.

39. The method according to claim 27, wherein said reference is a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) address of said dynamic archive builder.