Method and system for processing software dependencies in management of software packages
First Claim
1. In a computer, a method of processing one or more software dependencies, the method comprising:
- for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer;
responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring, by a software package manager running on the computer, the software associated with the software dependency;
after acquiring the software associated with the software dependency, updating a database at the computer indicating the software associated with the software dependency is installed on the computer;
wherein at least one of the software dependencies specifies a plurality of software items forming a software package, wherein the software package comprises a mixture of native code components and platform-independent code components;
wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies; and
wherein the acquiring the software associated with the software dependency comprises recursively processing the one or more other software dependencies.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A software package manager uses a distribution unit containing components for a software package and a manifest file that describes the distribution unit to manage the installation, execution, and uninstallation of software packages on a computer. Information in the manifest file pertaining to a software package is stored in a code store data structure upon installation of the package. The manifest file also contains information that permits the software package manager to resolve any software dependencies upon installation. The software package manager uses the code store data structure to locate the required components when the software is executed and to remove the components appropriately when the software is uninstalled.
198 Citations
21 Claims
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1. In a computer, a method of processing one or more software dependencies, the method comprising:
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for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer; responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring, by a software package manager running on the computer, the software associated with the software dependency; after acquiring the software associated with the software dependency, updating a database at the computer indicating the software associated with the software dependency is installed on the computer; wherein at least one of the software dependencies specifies a plurality of software items forming a software package, wherein the software package comprises a mixture of native code components and platform-independent code components; wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies; and wherein the acquiring the software associated with the software dependency comprises recursively processing the one or more other software dependencies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing at least the following to process one or more software dependencies in a computer:
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for one or more of the software dependencies, determining whether software associated with the software dependency is present on the computer; responsive to determining the software associated with the software dependency is not present on the computer, acquiring, by a software package manager running on the computer, the software associated with the software dependency; and after acquiring the software associated with the software dependency, updating a database at the computer indicating the software associated with the software dependency is installed on the computer; wherein at least one of the software dependencies specifies a plurality of software items forming a software package, wherein the software package comprises a mixture of native code components and platform-independent code components; wherein at least one of the software dependencies refers to a list comprising one or more other software dependencies; and wherein the acquiring the software associated with the software dependency comprises recursively processing the one or more other software dependencies.
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14. In a computer, a method of specifying a software dependency, the method comprising:
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specifying a name of the software dependency, wherein the name is operable to identify a list of one or more other software dependencies; specifying a version of the software dependency; comparing the version for the software dependency against a version of software installed at the computer; and responsive to determining the version installed at the computer is not sufficient, acquiring and installing, by a software package manager running on the computer, the software dependency, wherein the acquiring and installing the software dependency comprises recursively specifying the one or more other software dependencies; wherein the name of the software dependency is associated with a software package comprising a plurality of software components, wherein the plurality of software components comprises a mixture of native code components and platform-independent code components. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. In a computer, a method of processing a name designating software, the method comprising:
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consulting a database to see if software associated with the name is already installed at the computer; responsive to determining software associated with the name is not already installed at the computer, acquiring, by a software package manager running on the computer, the specified software; and responsive to determining software dependencies associated with the specified software are not already installed at the computer, acquiring, by the software package manager running on the computer, the software dependencies; wherein the name is operable to specify a plurality of software components, wherein the name is associated with a software package comprising the plurality of software components, wherein the plurality of software components comprises a mixture of native code components and platform-independent code components, and wherein acquiring the specified software comprises recursively processing software dependencies associated with the name to find one or more other software dependencies associated with names designating software. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification