PACKAGE DESIGN AND GENERATION

• US 20100306735A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Molina, Daniel A., Ma, Li, Hoff, Phillip Michael, Sun, Shi, Birov, Lubomir I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,418,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Solution packages for a product for deployment on a collection of servers can be designed using one or more designers that provide user interfaces for visually arranging and configuring elements of the product. A package object model includes a managed object model that represents a package or feature manifest as defined by a product manifest XML schema. The object model can be used to create references to other project item and feature definitions. The extended object model can be used to generate an equivalent package or feature manifest XML file.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor and a memory including a software package design and generation module configured to cause the processor to;

design and generate a solution package for deployment on a plurality of server computers, wherein the solution package is generated by serializing an object model generated by a domain specific language, wherein a project of a project system from which the solution package is generated and designed using at least one designer that receives user input to visually arrange and configure elements of a package.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one designer comprises a package designer, wherein the package designer based on the user input performs at least one of:

configures features within the package, combines combinations of features into the package, sets properties on the package, visualizes defined features in the project, adds a feature to the package, removes a feature from the package, resorts features within the package, modifies aspects of a future installation of the package, or modifies an uninstallation of the package.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one designer comprises a feature designer, wherein the feature designer based on the user input performs at least one of:

configures project items within a feature, combines combinations of project items into the feature, sets properties on the feature, visualizes defined project items in the project, adds a project item to the feature, or removes a project item from the feature.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the object model is defined using a Domain Specific Language user interface framework and wherein WPF-based user interface elements are integrated with the Domain Specific Language user interface framework.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a Managed Extensibility Framework is used to build a dynamic, pluggable user interface.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the solution package comprises a collaborative server application comprising a browser-based collaboration function, a process management module, a search module and a content management platform.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the object model is transformed by mapping between types and properties in the object model to elements and attributes in manifest XML schemas.

8. A method of designing and generating a solution package for deployment on a plurality of server computers, the method comprising:

creating the solution package, wherein the solution package comprises a collaborative server application comprising a browser-based collaboration function, a process management module, a search module and a content management platform, wherein the solution package is created by executing a package designer and generator on a development computer;

enumerating a list of elements of the solution package by traversing a package definition of at least one package of a plurality of packages in a project to reach a feature reference, traversing the feature reference in the at least one package to reach a feature, traversing a project item reference in the feature to reach a project item, traversing a file reference in the project item to reach a file and backtracking to determine a complete list of files and data included in the solution package, the complete list comprising at least one manifest;

transforming an object model representing the solution package by serializing the object model into at least one file comprising the manifest;

previewing a structure of the solution package comprising a hierarchy of directories comprising files and placing the files in locations relative to the hierarchy on at least one server computer of the plurality of server computers.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

checking for errors preventing creation of a correct or working solution package based on a set of extensible rules.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

customizing the feature using a feature designer, wherein the feature designer receives user input and based on the user input performs at least one of;

configures project items within the feature, combines combinations of project items into the feature, sets properties on the feature, visualizes defined project items in a project, adds a project item to the feature, or removes a project item from the feature.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

customizing the at least one package using a package designer, wherein the package designer receives user input and based on the user input performs at least one of;

configures project items within the feature, combines combinations of project items into the feature, sets properties on the feature, visualizes defined project items in a project, adds a project item to the feature, or removes a project item from the feature.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

mapping between types and properties in the object model to elements and attributes in manifest XML schemas.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein user interface elements provided by a designer of the package designer and generator are extensible by using a managed extensibility framework to identify and instantiate a set of views associated with a package or feature of the object model.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein WPF-based user interface elements are integrated with a Domain Specific Language used to generate the object model and user interface infrastructure.

15. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions which when executed cause at least one processor to:

customize a project by executing at least one designer, wherein the at least one designer comprises a package designer or a feature designer,

create a solution package from the customized project by executing a package designer and generator on a development computer, wherein creating the solution package comprises;

enumerate a list of elements of the solution package by traversing a package definition of at least one package of a plurality of packages of the project to reach a feature reference, traversing the feature reference in the at least one package to reach a feature, traversing a project item reference in the feature to reach a project item, traversing a file reference in the project item to reach a file and backtracking to determine a complete list of files and data to include in the solution package, the complete list comprising a manifest; and

transform an object model representing the project by serializing the object model into at least one file comprising the manifest.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause the at least one processor to:

preview a structure of the project comprising a hierarchy of directories of files and placing the files in locations relative to the hierarchy.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause the at least one processor to:

provide extensible user interface elements, wherein a managed extensibility framework identifies and instantiates a set of views associated with the at least one package or at least one feature of the at least one package in the object model.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause the at least one processor to:

integrate the extensible user interface elements with a Domain Specific Language used to generate the object model.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause the at least one processor to:

create the solution package, wherein the solution package comprises a collaborative server application comprising at least one application page, web part, list definition, content type, or application library.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed cause the at least one processor to:

deserialize at least one definition file and a manifest file into the object model and serialize the object model into at least one manifest file.