Tracing and discovering the origins and genealogy of install errors

• US 9,367,383 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Henley, Miles, Sum, Dolan, Fung, Alfred, Lam, Edward, Lin, Tao, Uy, Randy, Horikiri, Ren, Lavoie, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, KAMINI B
• Application Number:
  US14/498,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20160092286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0721 within a central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/366 using diagnostics G06F11/0703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for presenting error information. An indication is received of a selected error for a product installation. Installations are identified having a matching stream, build number and error. Other builds in a same stream having the same error are identified. Information is provided for displaying a graph having a horizontal line graph including first nodes representing builds in the same stream having the same error. Other occurrences of the error in builds of other streams are identified. Information for updating the graph is provided with parallel lines for each of the other streams, each parallel line including second nodes representing builds. An oldest one of the first nodes and second nodes is identified. Information is provided for presenting a list of potential changes occurring before the date associated with the oldest node and that are candidates for causing the error.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user selection of an error associated with a product installation;

identifying, in a database, metadata associated with the error, including metadata for an action associated with the error;

identifying, in the database, metadata for product installations having a matching stream, a matching build number, and a matching error as the product installation;

identifying, in the database, other builds in a same stream having the same error;

providing, for presentation to the user, information for displaying a graph, the graph including a horizontal line graph including first nodes representing builds in the same stream having the same error;

identifying, in the database, other occurrences of the same action and the same error in builds in at least one other streams;

providing, for presentation to the user, information for updating the graph with a parallel line for each of the identified at least one other stream, each parallel line including second nodes representing builds in the particular one of the at least one other stream;

identifying, in the database, using dates associated with an oldest one of the first nodes and the second nodes, a date associated with the oldest node; and

providing, for presentation to the user, information for presenting a list of potential changes, occurring before the date associated with the oldest node and that are candidates for causing the error.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a user selection by a user of a particular build in one of parallel lines in the graph;

identifying, in the database, potential recent changes that are candidates for causing the error; and

providing, for presentation to the user, information for presenting a list of the potential recent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein nodes are labeled with build numbers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein nodes on parallel lines are presented chronologically in relation to nodes of other parallel lines, wherein horizontal placement of the nodes is associated with build dates for each build represented by a respective node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph is further labeled with push information from one stream to another stream.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, for presentation to the user, a list of products associated with the identified metadata for the product installations.

7. A computer system, comprising:

memory operable to store content, including static and dynamic content; and

at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled to the memory and operable to perform instructions to;

receive an indication of a user selection of an error associated with a product installation;

identify, in a database, metadata associated with the error, including metadata for an action associated with the error;

identify, in the database, metadata for product installations having a matching stream, a matching build number, and a matching error as the product installation;

identify, in the database, other builds in a same stream having the same error;

provide, for presentation to the user, information for displaying a graph, the graph including a horizontal line graph including first nodes representing builds in the same stream having the same error;

identify, in the database, other occurrences of the same action and the same error in builds in at least one other streams;

provide, for presentation to the user, information for updating the graph with a parallel line for each of the identified at least one other stream, each parallel line including second nodes representing builds in the particular one of the at least one other stream;

identify, in the database, using dates associated with an oldest one of the first nodes and the second nodes, a date associated with the oldest node; and

provide, for presentation to the user, information for presenting a list of potential changes, occurring before the date associated with the oldest node and that are candidates for causing the error.

8. The computer system of claim 7, further operable to perform instructions to:

receive an indication of a user selection by a user of a particular build in one of parallel lines in the graph;

identify, in the database, potential recent changes that are candidates for causing the error; and

provide, for presentation to the user, information for presenting a list of the potential recent.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein nodes are labeled with build numbers.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein nodes on parallel lines are presented chronologically in relation to nodes of other parallel lines, wherein horizontal placement of the nodes is associated with build dates for each build represented by a respective node.

11. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the graph is further labeled with push information from one stream to another stream.

12. The computer system of claim 7, further operable to perform instructions to provide, for presentation to the user, a list of products associated with the identified metadata for the product installations.