System for generating a virtual map to a plurality of files necessary for installing software from multiple networked locations

• US 7,246,352 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jain, Mohit, Myers, Dennis E.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roche; Trenton J.
• Application Number:
  US10/202,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20040019888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/221, 709/226, 717168-173, 717174-178, 395/700
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

In a method of generating a virtual map to a plurality of data files necessary for installing software on a computer that is coupled to a network, a primary directory that includes a plurality of links is generated. Each link points to a subdirectory that lists at least one file that is necessary for installing the software. Any subdirectories pointed to by any of the of links that contain redundant files are detected and any links pointing to redundant files are removed from the primary directory. All conflicts between files pointed to by any links of the plurality of links are detected and listed in a conflict report.

Claims

1. A method, operable on a computer, of generating a virtual map to a plurality of data files necessary for installing software on the computer that is coupled to a network, comprising the steps of:

a. generating a primary directory that includes a plurality of links, each link pointing to a subdirectory that lists at least one file that is necessary for installing a software product installation, at least a first subdirectory pointed to by a first link to a first source location that is coupled to the network and at least a second subdirectory pointed to by a second link to a second source location, different from the first source location, that is coupled to the network;

b. determining if any subdirectories pointed to by any of the plurality of links contain redundant files and removing from the primary directory any links pointing to redundant files;

c. determining all conflicts between files pointed to by any links of the plurality of links and generating a conflict report identifying all conflicts; and

d. storing the primary directory on a computer-readable medium to form the virtual map.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of removing links listed in the conflict report from the primary directory so as to form the virtual map.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of manually deleting any conflicting subdirectories listed on the conflict report.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording the directory on a compact disk.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of recording the directory on a magnetic storage medium.

6. A method, operable on a computer, of generating a virtual map to a plurality of data files necessary for installing a software product on a second computer that is coupled to a network, comprising the steps of:

a. building a list of a plurality of source locations from which a plurality of data files necessary for a software product install reside, each source location being coupled to the network;

b. obtaining a plurality of source subdirectories and file information from the source locations, each of the subdirectories including at least one link to a source location of the plurality of source locations;

c. consolidating the source subdirectories into a single primary directory;

d. filtering out any non-unique subdirectories from the primary directory;

e. filtering any unnecessary links from the primary directory;

f. detecting conflicting subdirectories in the primary directory and generating a list of conflicting subdirectories;

g. deleting any conflicting subdirectories in the primary directory, thereby forming the virtual map; and

h. storing the virtual map on a computer-readable medium to form the virtual map.

7. A computer program, stored on a computer-readable medium and executable by a computer, for installing software onto a client system in data communication with a computer network, comprising:

a. programming for generating a primary directory that includes a plurality of links, each link pointing to a subdirectory that lists at least one file that is necessary for installing a software product, at least a first subdirectory pointed to by a first link to a first source location that is coupled to the network and at least a second subdirectory pointed to by a second link to a second source location, different from the first source location, that is coupled to the network;

b. programming for determining if any subdirectories pointed to by any of the plurality of links contain redundant files and removing from the primary directory any links pointing to redundant files;

c. programming for determining all conflicts between files pointed to by any links of the plurality of links and generating a conflict report identifying all conflicts; and

d. programming for facilitating manual removal of links listed in the conflict report from the primary directory so as to form the virtual map.