Using attributes to identify and filter pluggable functionality

• US 20070061799A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kimmerly, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

In a composition model for large-scale extensible applications, applications are constructed in a modular fashion. The modules integrate with each other by producing and consuming functionality that conforms to a common definition. Producer modules and consumer modules are kept independent of one another, and are linked together indirectly via a definition module. .NET attributes are used to identify various code artifacts (such as classes, methods, properties, etc.) as being functionality definitions, productions, and/or consumptions. These attributes are examined by the module loader and used to create relationships between individually installed producer and consumer modules. The consumer uses .NET attributes to declare dependency on functionality and filter out implementations that don'"'"'t meet the criteria specified by those attributes.

Claims

1. A method for using attributes to identify and filter pluggable functionality comprising using the attributes to advertise integration points and bodies of code that conform to the integration points that are installed in a software application configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

directly associating metadata with executable artifacts of the software application in a static and serializable fashion.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the using comprises:

using attributes by a software consumer module to declare dependency on functionality of a software producer module; and

filtering out software implementations that do not meet criteria specified by those attributes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the modules integrate with each other by the producer module producing functionality and the consumer module consuming functionality that conforms to a common definition.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the producer module and consumer module are kept independent of one another, and are linked together indirectly via a definition module.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the attributes are .NET attributes.

7. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 1.

8. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 2.

9. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 3.

10. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 4.

11. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 5.

12. A computer readable medium having instructions thereon for performing the steps of claim 6.

13. A system for using attributes to identify and filter pluggable functionality comprising means for using the attributes to advertise integration points and bodies of code that conform to the integration points that are installed in a software application configuration.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for directly associating metadata with executable artifacts of the software application in a static and serializable fashion.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the means for using comprises:

means for using attributes by a software consumer module to declare dependency on functionality of a software producer module; and

means for filtering out software implementations that do not meet criteria specified by those attributes.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the modules integrate with each other by the producer module producing functionality and the consumer module consuming functionality that conforms to a common definition.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the producer module and consumer module are kept independent of one another, and are linked together indirectly via a definition module.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the attributes are .NET attributes.

19. A system for using attributes to identify and filter pluggable functionality comprising:

a software consumer module;

a software producer module; and

and a definition module wherein the producer and consumer modules are indirectly linked to each other through the definition module.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a loader module wherein the loader module is configured to establish the link between the producer module and consumer module, discover modules containing functionality definitions, discover modules that produce functionality that conforms to those functionality definitions, discover modules that consume said functionality, and load the discovered modules.