System and methods for providing versioning of software components in a computer programming language

• US 7,873,958 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sollich, Peter F., Wiltamuth, Scott, Abrams, Bradley M., Hejlsberg, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US11/241,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 717/108, 717/116, 717/170, 717/122, 717/120, 707/690, 707/695, 707/755
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/449 Object-oriented method invocation or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A system and methods for versioning software components in connection with a computer programming language are provided. In exemplary aspects, the versioning system makes use of intelligent defaults, provides a vehicle for unambiguous specification of developer intent and implements conflict resolution rules in connection with the versioning of software components. In another aspect, the versioning system bounds names at run-time, but does not bound offsets at compile-time.

Claims

1. A method for providing versioning support for at least one software component of an object-oriented programming language, the method operating on a computer and comprising:

specifying programmer intent with regard to versioning of a first software component by assigning a keyword to said first software component, said keyword indicating how said first software component resolves an ambiguity or conflict with a second software component;

wherein said ambiguity or conflict arises due to the first software component having a first method associated with a first class and the second software component having a second method associated with said first class, and wherein said first method and said second method have the same designation.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said assigning of said keyword includes assigning at least one of virtual, new and override keywords.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component overrides said second software component.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component is capable of being overridden by said second software component.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component hides said second software component.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first software component is at least one member of the object-oriented programming language and the object-oriented programming language is from one of the sources of origin identified by C#, FORTRAN, PASCAL, VISUAL BASIC, C, C++, and JAVA.

7. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable modules, the computer executable modules comprising:

a versioning mechanism enabling a programmer to specify intent with regard to versioning of a first software component by assigning a keyword to said first software component, said keyword indicating how said first software component resolves an ambiguity or conflict with a second software component;

wherein said ambiguity or conflict arises due to the first software component haying a first method associated with a first class and the second software component having a second method associated with said first class, and wherein said first method and said second method have the same designation.

8. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said assigning of said keyword includes assigning at least one of virtual, new and override keywords.

9. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component overrides said second software component.

10. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component is capable of being overridden by said second software component.

11. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component hides said second software component.

12. A computer readable storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said first software component is at least one member of the object-oriented programming language and the object-oriented programming language is from one of the sources of origin identified by C#, FORTRAN, PASCAL, VISUAL BASIC, C, C++, and JAVA.

13. An object-oriented programming language stored on a computer for producing computer executable modules, comprising:

a versioning mechanism enabling a programmer to specify intent with regard to versioning of a first software component by assigning a keyword to said first software component, said keyword indicating how said first software component resolves an ambiguity or conflict with a second software component;

wherein said ambiguity or conflict arises due to the first software component having a first method associated with a first class and the second software component having a second method associated with said first class, and wherein said first method and said second method have the same designation.

14. An object-oriented programming language stored on a computer according to claim 13, wherein said assigning of said keyword includes assigning at least one of virtual, new and override keywords.

15. An object-oriented programming language stored on a computer according to claim 13, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component overrides said second software component.

16. An object-oriented programming language stored on a computer according to claim 13, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component is capable of being overridden by said second software component.

17. An object-oriented programming language stored on a computer according to claim 13, wherein said assigning of said keyword to said first software component specifies programmer intent with regard to whether said first software component hides said second software component.

18. A method for providing versioning support for at least one software component of an object-oriented programming language, the method operating on a computer and comprising:

specifying programmer intent with regard to versioning of a first software component by assigning intelligent defaults to said first software component, wherein by default when said first software component comprises a method declaration with no accessibility modifier appearing in a corresponding class, said method declaration is defaulted to be private to said corresponding class.