System and method for dynamic packaging of component objects

• US 6,948,151 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gerken, Christopher Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roche, Trent J
• Application Number:
  US09/895,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20030005411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 717/120, 717/171, 717/172, 717/177, 717/108, 707/10, 707/102, 707/1, 709/219, 709/203
• US Class Current: 717/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically packaging component objects. A server receives a request from a client. The server identifies one or more objects based on the request. The identified objects may be copied from the server'"'"'s nonvolatile storage area, generated dynamically, or be a result of modifying objects stored on the server'"'"'s nonvolatile storage area. The identified objects are written to a package file. The server downloads the package file to the client. A dialog may be sent to the client to determine whether the client wishes to download the package file. The package file is provided dynamically in response to the client'"'"'s request. The package file may include objects that include generated code, such as Java tag handler files, Java tag extra info files, and Java tag library description information. Java definitions may be included with the package file to create a Java jar file.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically packaging objects, said method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer system through a computer network, the request corresponding to a plurality of objects;

generating a tag library definition file corresponding to one or more tag specifications received in the request;

generating a tag handler class file for one or more custom tags;

generating a tag extra info file for each of the custom tags;

preparing the plurality of objects, the preparing including writing each of the objects to a package file, wherein the writing includes writing the tag library definition file, the tag handler class files, and the tag extra info files to the package file; and

downloading the package file to the client computer system.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

sending a package download dialog to the client computer system in response to the preparing; and

receiving a download request from the client computer system in response to the package download dialog, wherein the downloading is performed in response to the download request.

3. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically creating at least one of the objects based on the request.

4. The method as described in claim 3 wherein the dynamically creating further includes:

identifying one or more standard component objects corresponding to the request; and

modifying the identified standard component objects based on one or more specifications included in the request.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein one of the objects includes a Java definition file and wherein the package file is a Java jar file.

6. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

generating source code in response to the request; and

writing the generated source code to one of the objects.

7. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

a network interface for connecting the information handling system to a computer network;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors; and

a dynamic packaging tool to package a plurality of objects, the dynamic packaging tool including;

means for receiving a request from a client computer system through a computer network, the request corresponding a plurality of objects;

means for generating a tag library definition file corresponding to one or more tag specifications received in the request;

means for generating a tag handler class file for one or more custom tags;

means for generating a tag extra info file for each of the custom tags;

means for preparing the plurality of objects, the preparing including writing each of the objects to a package file, wherein the means for writing includes means for writing the tag library definition file, the tag handler class files, and the tag extra info files to the package file; and

means for downloading the package file to the client computer system.

8. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising:

means for sending a package download dialog to the client computer system in response to the means for preparing; and

means for receiving a download request from the client computer system in response to the package download dialog, wherein the means for downloading is performed in response to the download request.

9. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising:

means for dynamically creating at least one of the objects based on the request.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 9 wherein the means for dynamically creating further includes:

means for identifying one or more standard component objects corresponding to the request; and

means for modifying the identified standard component objects based on one or more specifications included in the request.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 7 further comprising:

means for generating source code in response to the request; and

means for writing the generated source code to one of the objects.

12. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for dynamically packaging objects, said computer program product comprising:

means for receiving a request from a client computer system through a computer network, the request corresponding a plurality of objects;

means for generating a tag library definition file corresponding to one or more tag specifications received in the request;

means for generating a tag handler class file for one or more custom tags;

means for generating a tag extra info file for each of the custom tags;

means for preparing the plurality of objects, the preparing including writing each of the objects to a package file, wherein the means for writing includes means for writing the tag library definition file, the tag handler class files, and the tag extra info files to the package file; and

means for downloading the package file to the client computer system.

13. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising:

means for sending a package download dialog to the client computer system in response to the means for preparing; and

means for receiving a download request from the client computer system in response to the package download dialog, wherein the means for downloading is performed in response to the download request.

14. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising:

means for dynamically creating at least one of the objects based on the request.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 wherein the means for dynamically creating further includes:

means for identifying one or more standard component objects corresponding to the request; and

means for modifying the identified standard component objects based on one or more specifications included in the request.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 12 wherein one of the objects includes a Java definition file and wherein the package file is a Java jar file.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 12 further comprising:

means for generating source code in response to the request; and

means for writing the generated source code to one of the objects.