Generating customized documentation for a software product

• US 8,694,965 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Eykholt, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US13/620,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 717102-110, 717120-124, 717172-176, 709203-204
• US Class Current: 717/123
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation

Abstract

A system and method for creating customized documentation is disclosed. The method comprises storing one or more documents such that each of the one or more documents corresponds to one of a plurality of versions of a software product. The version of the software product which is installed in an installation environment is detected. The configuration of the installation environment is also detected. At least one document from the one or more documents that corresponds to the version of the software product installed in the installation environment is selected. A subset of the selected document that includes the version of the software product installed in the installation environment and the configuration of the installation environment is then determined. A customized document is composed, based on one ore more subsets of the selected document.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

detect which one of a plurality of versions of a software product is installed in an installation environment;

detect a configuration of the installation environment;

select a document from one or more documents that corresponds to the version of the software product installed in the installation environment;

determine a subset of the selected document that includes the version of the software product installed in the installation environment and the configuration of the installation environment; and

compose a customized document based on the subset of the selected document.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the one or more documents include support documentation on the software product.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the installation environment is detected automatically by a discovery application.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the installation environment is detected automatically by receiving a selection from a user through one or more selection menus.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes an operating system associated with the installation environment.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more hardware devices associated with the installation environment.

7. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more applications associated within the installation environment.

8. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the one or more documents are stored in a version control system.

9. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein a determination is made that there is a deficiency in the customized document by monitoring a counter, the counter having been increased for each subsequent report of a same issue.

10. A method comprising:

detecting, with a processor of a computer, which one of a plurality of versions of a software product is installed in an installation environment;

detecting a configuration of the installation environment;

selecting a document from one or more documents that corresponds to the version of the software product installed in the installation environment;

determining a subset of the selected document that includes the version of the software product installed in the installation environment and the configuration of the installation environment; and

composing a customized document based on the subset of the selected document.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more documents include support documentation on the software product.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein detecting the configuration of the installation environment is performed automatically by a discovery application.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein detecting the configuration of the installation environment is performed by receiving a selection from a user through one or more selection menus.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes an operating system associated with the installation environment.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more hardware devices associated with the installation environment.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more applications associated within the installation environment.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more documents are stored in a version control system.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein a determination is made that there is a deficiency in the customized document by monitoring a counter, the counter having been increased for each subsequent report of a same issue.

19. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and wherein the computer program is executable by the processor to;

detect which one of a plurality of versions of a software product is installed in an installation environment;

detect a configuration of the installation environment;

select a document from one or more documents that corresponds to the version of the software product installed in the installation environment;

determine a subset of the selected document that includes the version of the software product installed in the installation environment and the configuration of the installation environment; and

compose a customized document based on the subset of the selected document.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein a document selection module that selects the document comprises a database engine.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more documents include support documentation on the software product.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes an operating system associated with the installation environment.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more hardware devices associated with the installation environment.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the configuration of the installation environment includes a listing of one or more applications associated within the installation environment.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more documents are stored in a version control system.

26. The system of claim 19 wherein a determination is made that there is a deficiency in the customized document by monitoring a counter, the counter having been increased for each subsequent report of a same issue.