Managing code changes for software development

• US 7,131,112 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kaler, Christopher G., Lovell, Martyn S., Bartz, Bradley J., Rozenfeld, Yevgeniy
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan A.
• Application Number:
  US09/717,676
• Time in Patent Office: 2,170 Days
• Field of Search: 717/101, 717121-126, 717170-178, 717/116, 717/100, 717/110, 707201-203, 705/511, 709/215, 709/328
• US Class Current: 717/122
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Development of multiple-version software employs versioned documents in a store. The documents are compared (differenced) at both line and character levels. Potential conflicts in merged documents are marked by detecting possible alternative histories from a common parent document. Changes from an earlier version are removed from a later version of the same document even when the document has intervening versions. A build lab allows developers to work in parallel on a new software build while another build is being run and patched on a different set of documents; the developers each have private copies from which changes pertaining to a build have been added, and then backed out when the file is returned to a common area.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for reducing clutter within a comparison of documents comprising:

receiving through a graphical user interface an input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable differences per level of the documents;

comparing a first level section of the documents;

determining that there is at least one difference between the documents within the first level section;

identifying a set of second level sections that are sub-sections of the first level section;

comparing each of the second level sections to determine whether there is at least one difference between the documents within the second level section;

calculating a quantity of non-matching second level sections in which there is at least one difference between the documents;

determining whether the quantity of non-matching second level sections is more than the maximum number of displayable differences;

if not, then displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections; and

if so, then returning to the first level section and displaying an identification of the first level section as a non-matching section without displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections,

wherein either;

the first level section is a paragraph and the second level sections are lines;

or

the first level section is a line and the second level sections are characters.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving through the graphical user interface the input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving through the graphical user interface the input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving through the graphical user interface a plurality of inputs, each of which is specific to a particular level of the documents.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving through the graphical user interface the plurality of inputs comprises:

receiving through the graphical user interface a first input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph; and

receiving through the graphical user interface a second input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving through the graphical user interface an input that is adjustable by a user.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving through a graphical user interface an input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable differences per level of the documents;

comparing a first level section of the documents;

determining that there is at least one difference between the documents within the first level section;

identifying a set of second level sections that are sub-sections of the first level section;

comparing each of the second level sections to determine whether there is at least one difference between the documents within the second level section;

calculating a quantity of non-matching second level sections in which there is at least one difference between the documents;

determining whether the quantity of non-matching second level sections is more than the maximum number of displayable differences;

if not, then displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections; and

if so, then returning to the first level section and displaying an identification of the first level section as a non-matching section without displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections,

wherein either;

the first level section is a paragraph and the second level sections are lines;

or

the first level section is a line and the second level sections are characters.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the input corresponds to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the input corresponds to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the input comprises a plurality of inputs, each of which is specific to a particular level of the documents.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality of inputs comprises:

a first input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph; and

a second input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the input is adjustable by a user.

13. A system for reducing clutter within a comparison of documents comprising:

the documents each comprising a first level section and a set of second level sections that are subsections of the first level section, wherein either;

the first level section is a paragraph and the second level sections are lines;

or

the first level section is a line and the second level sections are characters; and

a computer comprising;

a graphical user interface that receives an input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable differences per level of the documents; and

a merge subsystem that performs the following steps;

calculating a quantity of non-matching second level sections in which there is at least one difference between the documents

determining whether the quantity of non-matching second level sections is more than the maximum number of displayable differences;

if not, then displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections; and

if so, then returning to the first level section and displaying an identification of the first level section as a non-matching section without displaying identifications of the non-matching second level sections.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the input corresponds to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the input corresponds to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the input comprises a plurality of inputs, each of which is specific to a particular level of the documents.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of inputs comprises:

a first input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different lines per paragraph; and

a second input corresponding to a maximum number of displayable different characters per line.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the input is adjustable by a user.