Product support connected error reporting

• US 7,571,355 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shabalin, Rostislav
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong; Loan
• Application Number:
  US10/684,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20050081108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/56, 714/38, 714/2, 715/205, 715/208, 715/210
• US Class Current: 714/38.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/263 Generation of test inputs, e.g. test vectors, patterns or sequences ; with adaptation of the tested hardware for testability with external testers

Abstract

Methods are described for solving the problems associated with error messages by providing methods for unique identification of error messages to allow for resolving one or several messages to information, such as a knowledge base article. The methods include a method for reporting errors by generating an error message box upon determination that an error occurred, displaying the error message box to a user and allowing a user to interact with the error message box by selecting a universal resource locator (URL) in the error message box to connect to product support. The user can cause passing of a string to product support including an error message identifier to enable a search to match the error message identifier to information concerning the error. The information could be information about the error or a bug submission form for assisting product support to isolate a new error in the application.

Claims

1. A method for reporting errors in an application, the method comprising:

generating an error message box upon determination that an error occurred, the generation of the error message box by way of an error handling mechanism engaged upon determination that the error occurred;

generating an error message for inclusion in the error message box, a content of the error message being based on the error that occurred and including at least a product name and version of the application;

generating a universal resource locator (URL) associated with the error and for inclusion in the error message box, the URL having a hierarchical structure and including at least two strings for use by product support, a first of the at least two strings being a first part of the hierarchical structure and a second of the at least two strings being a second part of the hierarchical structure, the generating including calling a function to construct the URL associated with the error after the function determines if the error message is to be delivered to a first or second location;

displaying the error message box, the error message box including the error message and URL therein; and

connecting to product support in response to selection of the URL in the error message box.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the errors are automatically resolved to corresponding documentation.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving information from the product support in response to the passing of the two strings, and wherein the first location is a vendor-defined location and the second location is a platform default location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the two strings includes one or more of a vendor name, a product name, an image of the application state, the error message identifier, and a language appropriate for the application, the at least one of the two strings enabling interaction between a user and the product support via an application programming interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the error message box is a graphical user interface including a link to the URL that can be activated by a user to connect to the product support.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the graphical user interface further includes a title and a button for the user to acknowledge the error.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the function includes strings at least identifying an application, a version of the application, and the error message identifier.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating generates the URL further including the strings identifying the application and the version of the application.

7. A computer storage medium having stored therein instructions for performing acts for creating an error message, the acts comprising:

generating an error message box upon determination that an error occurred, the generation of the error message box by way of an error handling mechanism engaged upon determination that the error occurred;

generating an error message for inclusion in the error message box, a content of the error message being based on the error that occurred and including at least a product name and version of the application;

generating a universal resource locator (URL) associated with the error and for inclusion in the error message box, the URL having a hierarchical structure and including at least two strings for use by product support, a first of the at least two strings being a first part of the hierarchical structure and a second of the at least two strings being a second part of the hierarchical structure, the generating including calling a function to construct the URL associated with the error after the function determines if the error message is to be delivered to a first or second location;

displaying the error message box, the error message box including the error message and the URL therein; and

connecting to product support in response to selection of the URL in the error message box.

8. The computer storage medium of claim 7 wherein the errors are automatically resolved to corresponding documentation.

9. The computer storage medium of claim 7, the acts further comprising:

receiving information from the product support in response to the passing of the two strings, and wherein the first location is a vendor-defined location and the second location is a platform default location.

10. The computer storage medium of claim 7 wherein at least one of the two strings includes one or more of a vendor name, a product name, an image of the application, the error message identifier, and a language appropriate for the application, the at least one of the two strings enabling interaction between a user and the product support via an application programming interface.

11. The computer storage medium of claim 7, wherein the error message box is a graphical user interface including a link to the URL that can be chosen by the user.

12. The computer storage medium of claim 11 wherein the graphical user interface further includes a title and a button for the user to acknowledge the error.

15. The computer storage medium of claim 7 wherein the function includes strings at least identifying an application, a version of the application, and the error message identifier.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 7 wherein the generating generates the URL further including the strings identifying the application and the version of the application.