Systems and methods for creating self-extracting files

• US 8,402,005 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Belu, Sabin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/818,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20020143792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,375 Days
• Field of Search: 707100-1041, 707200-206, 707 1- 2, 707/609, 707667-668, 707/693, 707670-673, 707/804, 707821-831, 709/247, 717168-183
• US Class Current: 707/693
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/11 File system administration, e.g. details of archiving or snapshots file system backup G06F11/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/119 Details of migration of file systems migration mechanisms in storage systems G06F3/0647
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/17 Details of further file system functions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for creating a self-extracting file from any given input file type with minimum user interaction. The systems and methods include, in response to a single action, receiving an input file, compressing the input file, transforming the compressed input file into a self-extracting file, configuring the self-extracting file to, upon execution, decompress and launch the original input file with the appropriate application software, and generating a name for the resulting self-extracting file. The systems and methods may operate directly on the input file regardless of file type, transforming the input file into an executable file and increasing the ease and speed of creating a self-extracting file that automatically launches the original input file upon execution of the self-extracting file.

Claims

1. A method for creating, in response to only a single action by a user enabled electronic device, a self-extracting file, the method comprising:

receiving from the user enabled electronic device, an input file to be used in creating a self-extracting file; and

without further action by the user enabled electronic device, creating a self-extracting file using the input file, wherein the input file is configured to be automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received input file has an associated filename and wherein a filename for the self-extracting file is configured to be automatically generated based in part on the associated filename of the received input file.

3. A method for creating, in response to a single action, a self-extracting file from an associated input file, wherein the associated input file is automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file, and wherein a user is not required to separately choose a data compression method, create a compressed archive using the chosen compression method, select an input file to be launched upon decompression of the compressed archive, and create a self-extracting file from the compressed archive, the method comprising:

receiving an input file to be used in creating a self-extracting file, wherein the file is one of a plurality of file types; and

in response to only a single action, creating a self-extracting file from the input file, wherein the input file is configured to be automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the single action is a single click with a computer pointing device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the single action is a double-click with a computer pointing device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the single action is speaking a sound.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the single action is pressing a key.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the single action is a call from a software routine.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising generating a filename for the self-extracting file, wherein the generated filename is based on a filename associated with the input file.

10. A method for creating a self-extracting file, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of an input file to be used in creating a self-extracting file, wherein the input file is of any file type; and

automatically creating a self-extracting file configured to automatically launch the received input file responsive to execution of the self-extracting file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the creation of the self-extracting file comprises:

opening an output file;

attaching a decompression engine to the output file, wherein the decompression engine is capable of decompressing compressed data to a temporary file;

attaching a loader to the output file, wherein the loader configures the output file so as to automatically launch the temporary file after execution of the self-extracting file;

compressing the received input file according to a data compression method;

attaching an archive header including information about the compressed input file; and

closing the output file, wherein the closed output file is the self-extracting file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the input file is received from a user enabled electronic device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the input file is received from a software routine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data compression method is the same method for all received input files.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data compression method is determined based on the file type of the received input file.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the loader attached to the output file depends on the file type of the input file.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the loader automatically unloads the temporary file.

18. The method claim 11, further comprising attaching an unloader to the output file to automatically unload the temporary file.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the unloader performs cleanup processes on the temporary file.

20. A method for creating an executable file, comprising:

in response to only a single action, creating a self-extracting file from an input file, wherein the input file is one of a plurality of file types; and

automatically selecting a loader based on the input file'"'"'s type; and

wherein the input file will be automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file.

21. A method of creating a self-extracting file comprising:

displaying a first frame used to allow a user to specify an input file to be converted to a self-extracting file;

receiving the input file specified by the user, wherein the received input file is automatically configured as a self-extracting file, and wherein the input file is automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file; and

displaying a second frame, wherein the second frame includes a link related to the self-extracting file created from the user specified input file.

22. A system for creating a self-extracting file comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive an input file, wherein the input file received is one of a plurality of file types and wherein the input file includes an associated filename;

a naming module configured to create and name an output file, wherein the output filename is generated from the associated filename of the input file and wherein the naming module receives the input file from the receiving module;

a self-extracting module configured to transform the output file into a executable file, wherein the self-extracting module receives the input file and the output file from the naming module;

a loader module configured to setup the executable file to launch the input file upon execution of the executable file, wherein the loader module receives the executable file and the input file from the self-extracting module; and

a compressing module configured to compress the input file and attach the compressed input file to the executable file, wherein the compressing module receives the input file and the executable file from the loader module;

wherein each module is embodied in hardware, in firmware, or in a collection of software instructions stored in a tangible computer-readable medium.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the loader module is further configured to setup the executable file to perform unload processes.

24. A system for creating, in response to a single action, a self-extracting file from an associated input file, wherein the associated input file is automatically launched upon execution of the self-extracting file, and wherein a user is not required to separately choose a data compression method, create a compressed archive using the chosen compression method, select an input file to be launched upon decompression of the compressed archive, and create a self-extracting file from the compressed archive, the system comprising:

a first module for receiving a user selection of an input file to be compressed, wherein the input file is one of a plurality of file types;

a second module for compressing the received input file according to a data compression method; and

a third module for creating, in response to only a single action by a user, an executable file from the compressed input file, wherein the input file will be automatically launched upon execution of the executable fie.

25. A tangible computer-readable medium carrying computer-executable instructions configured to cause a computer to:

provide a compressed input data portion corresponding to an input data file, the compressed input data portion including data compressed according to a preselected data compression method;

provide an archive header portion, wherein the archive header portion includes information about the compressed input data portion; and

provide a self-extracting stub portion, wherein the self-extracting stub portion is automatically attached to the compressed input data portion and the archive header portion, and wherein the self-extracting stub portion includes

a decompression engine to decompress the compressed input data portion, and

a loader operable to launch the decompressed input data portion with appropriate application software for handling the input data file.

26. A method for creating an executable file, the method comprising:

receiving, in response to a single action, an input file to be used in creating an executable file, wherein the input file is one of a plurality of file types; and

without further instructions, creating an executable file using the received input file, wherein the executable file includes a compressed copy of the input file, and wherein the compressed copy of the input file is automatically decompressed and launched upon execution of the executable file.

27. A process for producing, in response to a single action, a computer file, the process comprising:

receiving an input file;

automatically opening an output file;

automatically adding a decompression engine to the output file for decompressing compressed data;

automatically adding loader code to the output file for launching the input file with the appropriate application software for handling the input file;

automatically adding an archive header to the output file, wherein the archive header includes information relating to the input file;

automatically compressing the input file according to a data compression method;

automatically updating the archive header to include information about the compressed input file; and

automatically closing the output file.

28. The product produced by the process of claim 27.

29. A method for creating an executable file, the method comprising:

in response to a single action, receiving an input file to be used in creating an executable file, wherein the input file is one of a plurality of file types; and

without further instruction, creating an executable file using the received input file, wherein the executable file comprises;

a compressed input data portion including data compressed according to a data compression method;

an archive header portion including information about the compressed input data portion; and

a stub portion, wherein the stub portion is automatically attached to the compressed input data portion and the archive header portion, and wherein the stub portion includes a decompression engine to decompress the compressed input data portion and a loader to launch the decompressed input data portion.

30. A method for using an executable file, the method comprising:

in response to a first action, creating an executable file from an input file, wherein the executable file includes a compressed copy of the input file, and wherein the executable file includes code to decompress and to load the compressed input file; and

in response to a second action, executing the executable file to decompress the compressed copy of the input file and launching the decompressed input file with appropriate application software.

31. A method for creating a self-extracting file, the method comprising:

receiving, in response to a single action, an input file to be used in creating a self-extracting file;

without further instruction, creating a self-extracting file using the input file and automatically launching the input file upon execution of the self-extracting file.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the input file is an executable routine and wherein a function of the executable routine is called upon loading of the executable routine.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the input file is a dynamic link library file.