Modifying a multi-module application

• US 8,601,462 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Charters, Graham C., Draper, David A., Hughes, Jeremy P., Nottingham, Alasdair, Nuttall, Mark P., Robinson, Ian, Ward, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang, Insun
• Application Number:
  US12/908,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program are disclosed for modifying an application comprising a plurality of modules. A user is presented with a list of modules. The user is able to specify input regarding any permitted version modifications for the modules listed. It is then determined whether the requested modifications are possible with one or more failure messages being output when any of the requested modifications are not possible. At least one of the failure messages is used to enable modification of the initial input provided by the user. In one embodiment, information is provided to the user based on one or more failure messages in order to enable the user to modify their choices. In another embodiment, the initial input is automatically modified. A permitted version modification may be, for example, a version upgrade, a version downgrade, and an indication that there is no preference.

Claims

1. An apparatus for modifying an application comprising a plurality of modules, the apparatus comprising:

a computer;

a component for presenting a user with a list of the plurality of modules;

a component for enabling the user to specify input regarding any permitted version modifications for the modules listed;

a component for determining whether the requested modifications are possible, one or more failure messages being output when any of the requested modifications are not possible; and

a component for using at least one of the failure messages to enable modification of the initial input provided by the user, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages to enable modification of the initial selection provided by the user comprises;

a component for using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided; and

a component for providing the modified input to a component responsible for determining whether any specified modifications are possible, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided comprises;

a component for determining from a failure message that a required entity is missing;

a component for identifying whether the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application; and

a component for selecting the accessible module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages to enable modification of the initial input provided by the user comprises:

a component for presenting the user with information based on at least one of the failure messages;

a component for receiving input from the user with respect to how to modify the initial input provided by the user; and

a component for providing the modified input to a component responsible for determining whether any specified modifications are possible.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the component for presenting the user with information based on at least one of the failure messages comprises:

a component for determining from a failure message that a required entity is missing; and

a component for identifying whether the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application;

a component, responsive to identifying that the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application, for indicating to the user that the accessible module version should be selected.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided comprises:

a component for selecting the minimal set of changes necessary based on the failure messages produced.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages comprises:

a component for identifying those failure messages which relate to a module listed or which relate to an entity made available by a module listed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the component for using at least one of the failure messages comprising:

a component for disregarding a failure message when the error to which it relates has already been highlighted by another failure message.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein permitted version modifications comprise at least one of:

a version upgrade, a version downgrade, and an indication that there is no preference.

8. A computer program product comprising program code stored on a computer that is operable, when said program code is run on the computer, for modifying an application comprising a plurality of modules by performing steps of:

presenting a user with a list of the plurality of modules;

enabling the user to specify input regarding any permitted version modifications for the modules listed;

determining whether the requested modifications are possible, one or more failure messages being output when any of the requested modifications are not possible; and

using at least one of the failure messages to enable modification of the initial input provided by the user, wherein using at least one of the failure messages to enable modification of the initial selection provided by the user comprises;

using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided; and

providing the modified input to a component responsible for determining whether any specified modifications are possible, wherein the step of using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided comprises;

determining from a failure message that a required entity is missing;

identifying whether the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application; and

selecting the accessible module.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising program code that is operable, when said program code is run on said computer, to perform steps of:

presenting the user with information based on at least one of the failure messages;

receiving input from the user with respect to how to modify the initial input provided by the user; and

providing the modified input to a component responsible for determining whether any specified modifications are possible.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the step of presenting the user with information based on at least one of the failure messages comprises:

determining from a failure message that a required entity is missing;

identifying whether the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application; and

responsive to identifying that the required entity is provided by a module at a version that is accessible to the application, indicating to the user that the accessible module version should be selected.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the step of using at least one of the failure messages to automatically modify the input initially provided comprises:

selecting the minimal set of changes necessary based on the failure messages produced.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the step of using at least one of the failure messages comprises:

identifying those failure messages which relate to a module listed or which relate to an entity made available by a module listed.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the step of using at least one of the failure messages comprising:

disregarding a failure message when the error to which it relates has already been highlighted by another failure message.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein permitted version modifications comprise at least one of:

a version upgrade, a version downgrade, and an indication that there is no preference.