Providing documentation for assembling, installing, and supporting of software stacks

• US 7,657,866 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rogue Wave Software Incorporated (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: OpenLogic, Inc. (Perforce Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cope, Rod, Weidner, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria; Satish
• Application Number:
  US11/118,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/200, 717/101, 717/103, 717/110, 717/140, 717/144, 717/178, 717120-123
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A tool is provided for addressing a number of issues related to providing support for software stacks including multiple uncoordinated components such as open source projects. The tool receives information about a stack, obtains support information specific to that stack and outputs the information to a user. A parsing functionality is also provided for selectively combining support information from the constituent projects of the stack.

Claims

1. A method for use in providing support for a stack of existing uncoordinated projects, comprising the steps of:

operating a computer based tool to receive an identification of a stack including a plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects;

selectively accessing storage to obtain support information specific to said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects of said stack;

wherein said support information includes one or more of tutorials, sets of use instructions, or user manuals for each of said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects such that a user can obtain from said storage support information encompassing all of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack and not relating only to specific ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack, said support information including first support information corresponding to a first project having support information available from an independent source and second support information corresponding to a second project having support information available from an independent source;

wherein said support information is stored as structured content including metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular existing uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user; and

outputting said support information to said user.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of operating comprises receiving said identification from a stack assembly tool.

3. The he method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving information indexed to said stack.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving a tutorial regarding use of the stack.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises selecting a number of items of information that are separately indexed in said storage and assembling said items to obtain said support information.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein different ones of said items are indexed to different ones of said uncoordinated software projects.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving documentation for said stack.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises retrieving graphics for said stack.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein storage includes chunks of said support documentation associated with metadata relating to said stack and said step of selectively accessing comprises using said metadata to assemble said chunks.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said step of selectively accessing comprises determining operating environment information for said stack and using said operating environment information to obtain said support information.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said operating environment information relates to a machine of a user.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, wherein said operating environment information relates to an operating system of a user.

13. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said projects is an open source project.

14. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said projects operates at a tools or applications level above an operating system level.

15. An apparatus for use in providing support for stacks of existing uncoordinated software projects comprising:

storage for storing support information separate from license information specific to particular ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects;

interface logic for receiving an identification of a stack including a plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects; and

processing logic for selectively accessing said storage based on said identification to provide support information specific to said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects of said stack such that a user can obtain from said storage support information encompassing all of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack and not relating only to particular ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack, said support information including first support information corresponding to a first projects having support information available from an independent source and second support information corresponding to a second project having support information available from an independent source;

wherein said support information is stored as structured content including metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular existing uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user; and

outputting said support information to said user.

16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said interface logic is operative for receiving said identification from a stack assembly tool.

17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for selecting a number of items of information that are separately indexed in said storage and assembling said items to obtain said support information.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein different ones of said items are indexed to different ones of said uncoordinated software projects.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for retrieving documentation for said stack.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for retrieving graphics for said stack.

21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said processing logic is operative for determining operating environment information for said stack and using said operating environment information to obtain said support information.

22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said operating environment information relates to a machine of a user.

23. The apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said operating environment information relates to an operating system of a user.

24. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one of said uncoordinated software projects is an open source project.

25. A method for use in providing support for a stack of existing supported software projects including at least one open source software project, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a document of support information separate from license information for each project of a set of supported software projects including at least one open source project;

storing each said document of support information in storage;

parsing each said document into chunks of information;

associating each said chunk of information with a metadata identifying a project of said set of projects;

receiving a request from a user identifying a stack including a first open source software project for which corresponding supporting documentation is desired, wherein said first open source software project has support information available from an independent source;

using said metadata to assemble, in response to said request, supporting documentation specific to said stack including said first open source software project such that a user can obtain from said storage support information encompassing all of said existing supported software projects in said stack and not relating only to specific ones of said existing supported software projects in said stack;

wherein said support information is stored as structured content including said metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular existing uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user; and

outputting to said user said supporting documentation specific to said stack.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein each said document comprises XML text and said step of using comprises identifying tags associated with said XML text.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein said set of supported software projects includes at least one proprietary software project and said step of using comprises assembling information related to said first open source software project and a first proprietary software project.

28. A method for use in obtaining support for a stack of existing uncoordinated software projects, comprising the steps of:

accessing a support module for providing support information for stacks of software projects including stacks of existing uncoordinated software projects;

providing input information to said support module regarding a first stack of a plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects; and

receiving support information from said support module encompassing all of plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects of said first stack of software projects and not relating only to specific ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack, said support information including first support information corresponding to a first project having support information available from an independent source and second support information corresponding to a second project having support information available from an independent source;

wherein said support information is stored as structured content including metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular existing uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user; and

outputting said support information to said user.

29. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein said first stack includes uncoordinated software projects.

30. The method as set forth in claim 28, wherein said step of providing comprises directing a request to said support module via a wide area network.

31. A method for use in managing updates in connection with an installed stack of existing uncoordinated projects, comprising the steps of:

operating a computer based tool to receive an identification of a stack including a plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects;

selectively accessing storage to obtain support information specific to said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects of said stack, wherein said support information includes one or more of tutorials, sets of use instructions, or user manuals for each of said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects such that a user can obtain from said storage support information encompassing all of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack and not relating only to specific ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack, said support information including first support information corresponding to a first project having support information available from an independent source and second support information corresponding to a second project having support information available from an independent source, wherein said support information is stored as structured content including metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular existing uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user;

outputting said support information to said user;

obtaining information regarding the availability of an update;

identifying an installed stack of a plurality of existing projects potentially affected by said update; and

providing update information to a user associated with said installed stack, wherein said update information is based on said installed stack.

32. The method as set forth in claim 31, wherein said update information includes one of a notification that updates are available, software reflecting said update, and installation information for said update.

33. The method as set forth in claim 31, further comprising the step of updating said installed stack and leaving at least a portion of said installed stack in an installed state.

34. A method for use in managing a stack of software projects, comprising the steps of:

operating a computer based tool to receive an identification of a stack including a plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects;

selectively accessing storage to obtain support information specific to said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects of said stack, wherein said support information includes one or more of tutorials, sets of use instructions, or user manuals for each of said plurality of existing uncoordinated software projects such that a user can obtain from said storage support information encompassing all of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack and not relating only to specific ones of said existing uncoordinated software projects in said stack, said support information including first support information corresponding to a first project having support information available from an independent source and second support information corresponding to a second project having support information available from an independent source, wherein said support information is stored as structured content including metadata that identifies a context or association with a particular uncoordinated software project, and said support information is selected based on operating environment information of said user;

outputting said support information to said user;

receiving a substitution prompt in relation to an installed stack including a plurality of existing software projects; and

in response to said substitution prompt, operating a computer based tool to support a substitution for a first project of said installed stack of a second project having substantially equivalent functionality.

35. The method as set forth in claim 34, wherein each of said first and second projects is a database project.

36. The method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said step of operating comprises reconfiguring a third project of said stack in view of said substitution.