Late binding dynamic software configuration information

• US 6,681,266 B2
• Filed: 04/14/1998
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell USA LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Ayyagari, Vamsi
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/060,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,107 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1-2, 713/100, 709/320, 709/331-332, 717/11
• US Class Current: 719/331
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A method for customizing software configurations includes: providing a static pre-installation software package; identifying a late-bindable token of the static pre-installation package; assigning a unique late-bind identifier to the late-bindable token; assigning the late-bind identifier to a late-bind identifier default value; and assigning the late-bind identifier a corresponding token value. The token value is for binding to the token identified by the late-bind identifier when the customized software package is installed.

Claims

1. A method for late binding dynamic software information comprising:

initializing a static pre-installation software package for subsequent late binding to provide an initialized pre-installation software package;

updating the initialized pre-installation software package to include dynamic information to provide a dynamic pre-installation software package, wherein the dynamic pre-installation software package is configured to perform late binding of the dynamic information when the dynamic pre-installation software package is installed.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

loading the initialized pre-installation software package to a factory storage medium for subsequent loading to a target computer system; and

subsequently loading the dynamic pre-installation software package to a storage medium for the late binding during subsequent installation of the dynamic pre-installation software package.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the loading the initialized pre-installation software package is performed before updating the initialized pre-installation software package.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an order for a target computer system before loading the dynamic pre-installation software package; and

preparing a file including the dynamic information, the dynamic information being determined by the order.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 wherein the order is received before updating the initialized pre-installation software package.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the initializing the static pre-installation software package for subsequent late binding to provide the initialized pre-installation software package comprises:

accessing configuration information in the static pre-installation software package;

identifying a token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package; and

assigning a late-bind identifier to the identified token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the updating the initialized pre-installation software package to include the dynamic information to provide the dynamic pre-installation software package comprises:

accessing the dynamic information;

accessing the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package; and

assigning the dynamic information to the identified token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package to provide the dynamic pre-installation software package.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on a target computer system.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein the installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on the target computer system comprises late binding the dynamic information to the token.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on a target computer system.

11. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the storage medium to which the dynamic pre-installation software package is loaded is comprised within a computer system.

12. A method for customizing software configurations comprising:

providing a static pre-installation software package;

identifying a late-bindable token of the static pre-installation package;

assigning a unique late-bind identifier to the late-bindable token to provide a customized software package;

assigning the late-bind identifier to a late-bind identifier default value; and

assigning the late-bind identifier a corresponding token value, the token value for binding to the token identified by the late-bind identifier when the customized software package is installed.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein

the late-bindable token is assigned a default value in a configuration file of the static pre-installation package; and

the assigning a late-bind identifier to the late-bindable token includes replacing the default value with the unique late-bind identifier.

14. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein

the assigning the late-bind identifier to the late-bind identifier default value includes generating an initialization file containing the late-bind identifier and the late-bind identifier default value.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the assigning the late-bind identifier a corresponding token value comprises:

providing a script file including the token value;

accessing the token value in the script file; and

assigning the token value to the late-bind identifier in the initialization file.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 further comprising:

loading the static pre-installation package including the configuration file and the initialization file to a target computer system after assigning the token value to the late-bind identifier in the initialization file.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, the method further comprising:

installing the static pre-installation package on a computer system after assigning the late-bind identifier the corresponding token value.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the installing the pre-installation package comprises:

late binding the token value to the late-bindable token specified by the late-bind identifier when the static pre-installation software package is installed.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 wherein the late binding the token value comprises:

identifying the late-bindable token in the configuration file;

identifying the late-bind identifier assigned to the late-bindable token in the configuration file;

identifying the late-bind identifier in the initialization file;

identifying the token value assigned to the late-bind identifier in the initialization file; and

late-binding the token value to the late-bindable token when the static pre-installation software package is installed.

20. A method for customizing software configurations comprising:

finding a late-bindable token in a configuration file of pre-installation software;

assigning a unique late-bind identifier to the late-bindable token;

generating an initialization file including the late-bind identifier; and

a corresponding late-bind identifier potential value;

providing a token value;

assigning the token value to the late-bind identifier in the initialization file; and

late binding the token value to the token specified by the late-bind identifier during installation of the pre-installation software.

21. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including software installed thereon, the software being installed by a software installation procedure including

initializing a static pre-installation software package for subsequent late binding to provide an initialized pre-installation software package;

updating the initialized pre-installation software package to include dynamic information to provide a dynamic pre-installation software package, wherein the dynamic pre-installation software package is configured to perform late binding of the dynamic information when the dynamic pre-installation software package is installed.

22. A computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein the software installation procedure further comprises:

loading the initialized pre-installation software package to a factory storage medium for subsequent loading to a target computer system before loading the dynamic pre-installation software package; and

subsequently loading the dynamic pre-installation software package to a storage medium for the late binding during subsequent installation of the dynamic pre-installation software package.

23. A computer system as recited in claim 22 wherein the loading the initialized pre-installation software package is performed before updating the initialized pre-installation software package.

24. A computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein the software installation procedure further comprises:

receiving an order for a target computer system before loading the dynamic pre-installation software package; and

preparing a file including the dynamic information, the dynamic information being determined by the order.

25. A computer system as recited in claim 24 wherein the order is received before updating the initialized pre-installation software package.

26. A computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein the initializing the static pre-installation software package for subsequent late binding to provide the initialized pre-installation software package comprises:

accessing configuration information in the static pre-installation software package;

identifying a token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package; and

assigning a late-bind identifier to the identified token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package.

27. A computer system as recited in claim 26 wherein the updating the initialized pre-installation software package to include the dynamic information to provide the dynamic pre-installation software package comprises:

accessing the dynamic information;

accessing the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package; and

assigning the dynamic information to the identified token in the configuration information of the static pre-installation software package to provide the dynamic pre-installation software package.

28. A computer system as recited in claim 27 wherein the software installation procedure further comprises:

installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on a target computer system.

29. A computer system as recited in claim 28 wherein the installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on the target computer system comprises:

late binding the dynamic information to the token.

30. A computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein the software installation procedure further comprises:

installing the dynamic pre-installation software package on a target computer system.

31. A computer system as recited in claim 21 wherein the storage medium to which the dynamic pre-installation software package is loaded is comprised within the computer system.