Method and computer-readable medium for installing an upgrade to an application program

• US 6,735,766 B1
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Collie, Robert C., Chamberlain, Benjamin C., Hatakeda, Darrin N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): KENDALL, CHUCK O
• Application Number:
  US09/261,863
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/168-178, 709/201-203, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method and computer-readable medium for upgrading an application program, and making an installer program aware that an application has been upgraded is disclosed. The method recognizes that an upgrade to the application has been initiated. The upgrade includes an identifier for the application to be upgraded, as well as information required for the installer to perform the upgrade. The installer program accesses the upgrade information, which includes instructions necessary for installing the upgrade. The installer program also accesses information related to the installed state of the application and related applications. The installer program determines whether or not the upgrade should be performed. If the upgrade should be performed, the installer program performs the upgrade and stores the fact that the application has been upgraded. If the application should not be upgraded, the installer program stores information reflecting the fact that the upgrade is available but not installed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for upgrading an application, comprising:

(a) recognizing that an upgrade to the application has been initiated;

(b) accessing a first information store including a series of functions for installing the application and a product-identifying triplet having an upgrade code, a version number and a natural language code for identifying a group of related applications, and an upgrade table for determining whether a related application can coexist with the application upgrade;

(c) accessing a universal system database including information describing the installed state of the application and related applications;

(d) determining if the upgrade to the application should be performed; and

(e) if the application upgrade should be performed;

(i) changing the application according to the action list in the upgrade package;

(ii) storing information describing a new installed state of the application in the universal system database, the new installed state including an indication of whether the upgrade is installed for the application;

(iii) determining if a previous version of a related application is installed and can coexist with the application upgrade, wherein determining if a previous version of a related application is installed and can coexist with the application upgrade is based on the upgrade table, the upgrade table having a plurality of entries for the applications related to the application upgrade, each entry including the product-identifying triplet for identifying the group of related applications, a property that indicates if the related application is installed, and an attribute that indicates if the related application can coexist with the application upgrade; and

(iv) if a previous version of a related application is installed and cannot coexist with the application upgrade, removing the related application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the application comprises reinstalling the application so that the application is replaced with the upgrade.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the application upgrade should be performed is based on whether a newer version of the application than the upgrade is installed, wherein determining if a newer version is installed is based on the product-identifying triplet, and wherein the upgrade should be installed if there is not a newer version of the application installed.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising setting a default that the application should not be upgraded if there is at least one newer version installed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the default is overridable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising

(a) determining if there are any previous versions of the application;

(b) if there are any previous versions of the application, determining if the previous versions of the application can coexist with the application upgrade; and

(c) if the previous versions of the application cannot coexist with the application upgrade, removing the previous versions of the application that cannot coexist with the application upgrade.

7. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1-6.