U.S. patent application number 09/099570 was filed with the patent office on 2001-10-11 for software package management.
Invention is credited to FORBES, JONATHAN A., PARTHASARATHY, SRIVATSAN, SLIGER, MICHAEL V., STONE, JEREMY D., TOUTONGHI, MICHAEL.
Application Number | 20010029605 09/099570 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22275644 |
Filed Date | 2001-10-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010029605 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FORBES, JONATHAN A. ; et
al. |
October 11, 2001 |
SOFTWARE PACKAGE MANAGEMENT
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.
Inventors: |
FORBES, JONATHAN A.;
(BELLEVUE, WA) ; STONE, JEREMY D.; (BELLEVUE,
WA) ; PARTHASARATHY, SRIVATSAN; (ISSAQUAH, WA)
; TOUTONGHI, MICHAEL; (SEATTLE, WA) ; SLIGER,
MICHAEL V.; (ISSAQUAH, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KLARQUIST SPARKMAN CAMPBELL LEIGH & WHINSTON LLP
121 S.W. SALMON STREET
SUITE 1600
PORTLAND
OR
97204
US
|
Family ID: |
22275644 |
Appl. No.: |
09/099570 |
Filed: |
June 19, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
717/170 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 707/99953 20130101;
G06F 8/62 20130101; Y10S 707/99954 20130101; G06F 8/61
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
717/11 |
International
Class: |
G06F 009/44 |
Claims
We claim:
1. A computerized method for managing software packages on a
computer comprising the steps of: acquiring a manifest file that
describes a distribution unit for a software package; resolving
software dependencies for the software package as specified by the
manifest file; acquiring the distribution unit for the software
package; extracting components in the software package from the
distribution unit into a directory on the computer; causing the
installation of the software package on the computer; and updating
a code store data structure on the computer with information from
the manifest file pertaining to the software package.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of resolving the
dependencies comprises the steps of: acquiring, for each of the
software dependencies in turn, a dependency manifest file that
describes a dependency distribution unit for a dependency software
package; resolving software dependencies for the dependency
software package as specified by the dependency manifest file;
acquiring the dependency distribution unit for the dependency
software package; extracting components in the dependency software
package from the dependency distribution unit into a directory on
the computer; causing the installation of the dependency software
package on the computer; and updating a code store data structure
on the computer with information from the dependency manifest file
pertaining to the dependency software package.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software dependencies are
nested so that the step of resolving the dependencies is processed
recursively.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: locating
the directory containing the components for the software package
using the code store data structure when the execution of software
in the software package is requested.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: modifying
the code store data structure to reflect the removal of the
software package when the uninstallation of the software package is
requested; and deleting each component for the software package
from the directory when the code store data structure indicates no
other software package uses the component.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest file specifies the
directory into which the components of the software package are
extracted.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest file is Open
Software Description format.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution unit is a
compressed file.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest file and the
distribution unit comprise a distribution unit file and the
manifest file and the distribution unit are acquired by extracting
each from the distribution unit file.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the distribution unit file
comprises a dependency distribution unit.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the distribution unit file
comprises a plurality of distribution units.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the distribution unit file is a
compressed file.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the manifest file and the
distribution unit are distributed on a computer-readable
medium.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the components in the software
package and the dependencies comprise native code components.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the components in the software
package and the dependencies comprise Java classes.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the components in the software
package and the dependencies comprise a mixture of native code
components and Java classes.
17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the
components comprises the steps of: copying the components from the
distribution unit into a file structure having a file directory;
updating the file directory with information about each component
in the file; and storing the file structure into the directory on
the computer.
18. The method of claim 1, wherein the code store data structure
resides in an existing system data structure and the step of
updating the code store data structure comprises the step of
interfacing with an existing system data structure manager.
19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining when a component in the software package already exists
on the computer; comparing the versions of the components; and
updating the code store data structure with the location for the
component which is the later version.
20. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
determining if the manifest file specifies a that the software
package cannot shared components with software packages previously
installed on the computer; and isolating the components in the
software package by associating the components in the code store
data structure with a unique execution space specified by the
manifest file.
21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable
instructions to a cause a client computer to perform a method
comprising: downloading a manifest file and a distribution unit for
a software package described by the manifest file from a server
computer; resolving software dependencies for the software package
as specified by the manifest file; extracting components in the
software package from the distribution unit into a directory on the
client computer; causing the client computer to install the
software package; and updating a code store data structure in the
client computer with information from the manifest file pertaining
to the software package.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of resolving the
dependencies comprises the steps of: acquiring, from a server
computer for each of the software dependencies in turn, a
dependency manifest file that describes a dependency distribution
unit for a dependency software package; resolving software
dependencies for the dependency software package as specified by
the dependency manifest file; extracting components in the
dependency software package from the dependency distribution unit
into a directory on the client computer; causing the client
computer to install the dependency software package; and updating a
code store data structure on the client computer with information
from each dependency manifest file pertaining to the dependency
software package.
23. The method of claim 21, wherein the software dependencies are
nested so that the client computer processes the step of resolving
the software dependencies recursively.
24. The method of claim 21, wherein the code store data structure
resides in an existing system data structure managed by the
operating system in the client computer and the step of updating
the code store data structure comprises the step of interfacing
with the operating system.
25. A computer system comprising: a plurality of clients; and a
server, communicatively coupled to each of the clients through a
transport medium and having local storage holding a manifest file
and a distribution unit, wherein each client acquires the manifest
file and the distribution unit through the transport medium.
26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the manifest file and
the distribution unit comprise a distribution unit file, and each
client acquires the distribution unit file through the transport
medium.
27. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a code store
data structure comprising: a name field containing data
representing a name of a distribution unit for a software package
installed on a computer; a unit version field containing data
representing a version for the distribution unit represented by the
first field; a component field containing data representing a list
of components in the distribution unit represented by the first
field; a location field containing data representing a location on
the computer for each component in the list represented by the
first field; and a source field containing data representing a
source for the distribution unit represented by the first
field.
28. The data structure of claim 27, wherein the component field
further comprising a component name field for each component in the
distribution unit.
29. The data structure of claim 27, further comprising: a component
version field containing data representing a version for a
component in the list represented in the component field; and a
component type field containing data representing a data type for
the component represented in the component version field.
30. The data structure of claim 27, further comprising: a digital
signature data field containing data representing a digital
signature affixed to the distribution unit.
31. A computer system comprising: a processing unit; a system
memory coupled to the processing unit through a system bus; a
computer-readable medium coupled to the processing unit through the
system bus; and a software package manager executed from the
computer-readable medium by the processing unit, wherein the
software package manager comprises: a software installation
function that causes the processing unit to store components
comprising software and contained in a distribution unit onto a
computer-readable medium as directed by a manifest file, to install
the software, and to update a code store data structure stored on a
computer-readable medium with information contained in the manifest
file; a software execution function that causes the processing unit
to locate the appropriate components using the code store data
structure when the processing unit is instructed to execute the
software; and an uninstallation function that causes the processing
unit to remove the components from the computer-readable medium and
to modify the code store data structure when the processing unit is
instructed to uninstall the software.
32. The computer system of claim 31, further comprising a transport
medium coupled to the system bus and further communicatively
coupled to a server computer, and wherein the software installation
function causes the processing unit to acquire the manifest file
and the distribution unit from the server computer through the
transport medium.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 08/764040, titled AUTOMATIC SOFTWARE DOWNLOADING FROM A
COMPUTER NETWORK, filed on Dec. 12, 1996, and assigned to the
assignee of the present application.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE/PERMISSION
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. The following notice
applies to the software and data as described below and in the
drawing hereto: Copyright @ 1997, Microsoft Corporation, All Rights
Reserved.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates generally to software distribution,
and more particularly to the management of software packages after
distribution.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Historically, the primary medium for software distribution
has been either the traditional floppy disk or the more recent
compact disc (CD-ROM). However, more and more individuals are
acquiring software by downloading it from remote server computers
connected to the client computers through the Internet.
Additionally, companies and organizations are distributing software
to their users across their local area networks. The physical
medium is the network cable itself and the supporting communication
hardware, a fixed cost associated with the establishment of the
network. Therefore, distributing and installing software over an
existing network bypasses the cost overhead of producing CDs or
floppy disks.
[0005] In addition, using the network as the distribution medium
profoundly reduces the software's total cost of ownership to an
extent that cannot be achieved by CDs or floppies even when the
media cost almost nothing to manufacture. Software distribution via
CDs and floppies obey the "pull" paradigm, where every action is
user-initiated. Distribution over the network has the ability to
apply a "push" paradigm which provides three main benefits.
[0006] First, the installation is "hands-free" in that the user
does not have to manually install the software. Second, the
software can be easily and timely upgraded from a designated
location because the burden of upgrading is borne by the software
itself. Third, because different types of computer hardware and
operating systems can connect to a common network, software
distributed over the network can be made to work across platforms
or intelligent so that only the correct version of
platform-specific software is pushed down to the user.
[0007] However, current methods of software distribution over a
network do not fully exploit the benefits. Existing distribution of
platform-specific, or "native code," software relies on
installation file formats that are hard to create, not extensible,
and specific to a particular operating system. Although most
current software is written in modules, there is no current
mechanism that handles the situation where one component in a
software program requires the presence of another to operate. If a
user downloads software from a Web page, the user may discover that
the program requires an external library which necessitates another
network session to download, assuming the user can find the right
location, and then the user must manually install the library
before installing the software.
[0008] Software programs written in the popular
platform-independent Java language require that the Java classes be
"packaged" for distribution but the package does not contain
persistent information so once Java software is installed on a
client computer, all information about it is lost. It is impossible
to tell what the version number is, where it came from, or whom the
author is. Additionally, the current network distribution methods
make it difficult to digitally sign a Java package for security
purposes.
[0009] More problems arise when a user wants to execute an
application which depends on both native code components and Java
components since the distribution methods are completely different.
Finally, once the software is downloaded and successfully installed
on the client computer, no mechanism exists to track all of the
components so that older versions can be easily superceded when
newer version are available or that all the related components can
be readily uninstalled when necessary.
[0010] Therefore, there is a need for a software distribution and
tracking mechanism that handles cross-platform software, specifies
the component dependencies, and is applicable to both the older
distribution media as well as to the network distribution
paradigm.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems
are addressed by the present invention, which will be understood by
reading and studying the following specification.
[0012] 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.
For installation, the package manager acquires the manifest file
and parses it to learn if the software package depends on any
additional components. The package manager resolves any
dependencies by acquiring a distribution unit containing the needed
component and installs the dependency's distribution unit as
described below. Because dependencies can nested within
dependencies, the package manager recursively processes all the
dependencies before finishing the installation of the software
package that depends upon the additional components.
[0013] The software package manager acquires the distribution unit
and extracts the components in the distribution unit into a
directory on the computer. The package manager causes the operating
system of the computer to install the software. The package manager
then updates a code store data structure with information in the
manifest file. The fields in the code store data structure contains
such information as the name and version of the distribution unit,
a list of the components and their location on the computer, and
the source of the distribution unit. Additional fields in the code
store data structure can also contain a component version, a
component data type, and a digital signature if one was affixed to
the distribution unit.
[0014] During the installation, the package manager can optionally
scan the code store data structure to determine if a component to
be installed already exists on the computer and updates the code
store data structure with the location of the later version of the
component.
[0015] When a user requests execution of software, the package
manager uses the code store data structure to locate the
appropriate components for the operating system to use. When the
user requests the uninstallation of a software package, the package
manager deletes the appropriate components from the computer and
updates the code store data structure accordingly.
[0016] The manifest file and distribution unit optionally are
combined into a distribution unit file.
[0017] The manifest file format is common across all types of code
and operating systems and easily extended to embrace new code types
are they arise. The manifest file and distribution unit can be
stored on all types of media from traditional magnetic and optical
disks to networked servers. The distribution units for dependencies
do not have to reside on the same type of media as the distribution
unit or the manifest file that refers to the dependency. More than
one distribution unit can be resident in a distribution unit file
and a distribution unit file can contain a mixture of distribution
units containing different code types.
[0018] Thus, the software package manager, the manifest file, the
distribution unit and the code store data structure of the present
invention solve the problems with existing distribution mechanisms.
The manifest file is not particular to a particular code type or
operating system and allows for the specification of nested
software dependencies. Because the manifest file contains the
location of the distribution units for any dependencies, the
software package manager can acquire and install the dependencies
without requiring manual intervention by the user. Different types
of distribution units can be mixed in a distribution unit file so
that a single mechanism is used to acquire and install all types of
code.
[0019] The code store data structure maintained by the software
package manage contains information about the installed software
such as version and installation location, and is used to resolve
version discrepancies among software programs that share
components. The code store data structure is used by the package
manager to locate necessary component when the software is executed
so that a component stored in one directory can be readily shared
by software programs with components in different directories.
Finally, the code store data structure eases the uninstallation
process by centralizing all the information about installed
components.
[0020] The present invention describes systems, clients, servers,
methods, and computer-readable media of varying scope. In addition
to the aspects and advantages of the present invention described in
this summary, further aspects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent by reference to the drawings and by reading the
detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the hardware and operating
environment in conjunction with which embodiments of the invention
may be practiced;
[0022] FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams illustrating a system-level
overview of an exemplary embodiment of a package manager of the
invention;
[0023] FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are flowchart of methods to be
performed by a client according to an exemplary embodiment of the
package manager of the invention; and
[0024] FIG. 4 is a diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an entry
in a code store data structure suitable for use by the methods
shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] In the following detailed description of exemplary
embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of
illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention
may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient
detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the
invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be
utilized and that logical, mechanical, electrical and other changes
may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the
present invention. The following detailed description is,
therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of
the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.
[0026] The detailed description is divided into five sections. In
the first section, the hardware and the operating environment in
conjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be
practiced are described. In the second section, a system level
overview of the invention is presented. In the third section,
methods for an exemplary embodiment of the invention are provided.
In the fourth section, a particular Open Software Description
implementation of the invention is described. Finally, in the fifth
section, a conclusion of the detailed description is provided.
Hardware and Operating Environment
[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the hardware and operating
environment in conjunction with which embodiments of the invention
may be practiced. The description of FIG. 1 is intended to provide
a brief, general description of suitable computer hardware and a
suitable computing environment in conjunction with which the
invention may be implemented. Although not required, the invention
is described in the general context of computer-executable
instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a
computer, such as a personal computer. Generally, program modules
include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures,
etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular
abstract data types.
[0028] Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
invention may be practiced with other computer system
configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor
systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,
network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. The
invention may also be practiced in distributed computing
environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices
that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed
computing environment, program modules may be located in both local
and remote memory storage devices.
[0029] The exemplary hardware and operating environment of FIG. 1
for implementing the invention includes a general purpose computing
device in the form of a computer 20, including a processing unit
21, a system memory 22, and a system bus 23 that operatively
couples various system components, including the system memory 22,
to the processing unit 21. There may be only one or there may be
more than one processing unit 21, such that the processor of
computer 20 comprises a single central-processing unit (CPU), or a
plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel
processing environment. The computer 20 may be a conventional
computer, a distributed computer, or any other type of computer;
the invention is not so limited.
[0030] The system bus 23 may be any of several types of bus
structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a
peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus
architectures. The system memory may also be referred to as simply
the memory, and includes read only memory (ROM) 24 and random
access memory (RAM) 25. A basic input/output system (BIOS) 26,
containing the basic routines that help to transfer information
between elements within the computer 20, such as during start-up,
is stored in ROM 24. The computer 20 further includes a hard disk
drive 27 for reading from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a
magnetic disk drive 28 for reading from or writing to a removable
magnetic disk 29, and an optical disk drive 30 for reading from or
writing to a removable optical disk 31 such as a CD ROM or other
optical media.
[0031] The hard disk drive 27, magnetic disk drive 28, and optical
disk drive 30 are connected to the system bus 23 by a hard disk
drive interface 32, a magnetic disk drive interface 33, and an
optical disk drive interface 34, respectively. The drives and their
associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of
computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules
and other data for the computer 20. It should be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that any type of computer-readable media
which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as
magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks,
Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only
memories (ROMs), and the like, may be used in the exemplary
operating environment.
[0032] A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk,
magnetic disk 29, optical disk 31, ROM 24, or RAM 25, including an
operating system 35, one or more application programs 36, other
program modules 37, and program data 38. A user may enter commands
and information into the personal computer 20 through input devices
such as a keyboard 40 and pointing device 42. Other input devices
(not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite
dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often
connected to the processing unit 21 through a serial port interface
46 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other
interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal
serial bus (USB). A monitor 47 or other type of display device is
also connected to the system bus 23 via an interface, such as a
video adapter 48. In addition to the monitor, computers typically
include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as
speakers and printers.
[0033] The computer 20 may operate in a networked environment using
logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as remote
computer 49. These logical connections are achieved by a
communication device coupled to or a part of the computer 20; the
invention is not limited to a particular type of communications
device. The remote computer 49 may be another computer, a server, a
router, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common
network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements
described above relative to the computer 20, although only a memory
storage device 50 has been illustrated in FIG. 1. The logical
connections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local-area network (LAN)
51 and a wide-area network (WAN) 52. Such networking environments
are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks,
intranets and the Internet.
[0034] When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer 20
is connected to the local network 51 through a network interface or
adapter 53, which is one type of communications device. When used
in a WAN-networking environment, the computer 20 typically includes
a modem 54, a type of communications device, or any other type of
communications device for establishing communications over the wide
area network 52, such as the Internet. The modem 54, which may be
internal or external, is connected to the system bus 23 via the
serial port interface 46. In a networked environment, program
modules depicted relative to the personal computer 20, or portions
thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. It is
appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and
other means of and communications devices for establishing a
communications link between the computers may be used.
[0035] The hardware and operating environment in conjunction with
which embodiments of the invention may be practiced has been
described. The computer in conjunction with which embodiments of
the invention may be practiced may be a conventional computer, a
distributed computer, or any other type of computer; the invention
is not so limited. Such a computer typically includes one or more
processing units as its processor, and a computer-readable medium
such as a memory. The computer may also include a communications
device such as a network adapter or a modem, so that it is able to
communicatively couple to other computers.
System Level Overview
[0036] A system level overview of the operation of an exemplary
embodiment of the invention is described by reference to FIGS. 2A,
2B and 2C. The exemplary embodiment is implemented in an wide-area
networking environment 52 having a server computer, such as remote
computer 49 and a user or client computer, such as local computer
20, all of which are shown in FIG. 1 and described in the previous
section.
[0037] Fred's Software Company has written a software package named
"CoolestApp" that runs as a "plug-in application" in a World Wide
Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 4. A plug-in
application is often employed to provide additional capabilities,
such as multimedia or interactive controls, to browsers. One type
of control application is that written to conform with Microsoft's
ActiveX specifications. The plug-ins are usually written in
object-oriented languages such as C++ or Java and are typically
used on Web pages. The user may be prompted to download the plug-in
or it may be automatically downloaded when needed.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2A, Fred's Software Company wants to
distribute the CoolestApp over the Internet from Fred's Software
Company's Web server 201 to a user's computer 203. Fred's Software
Company logically groups the components for the CoolestApp together
into a "distribution unit" 209. The components can include
platform-specific compiled binary files such as dynamic linking
library (.dll) files used by the Microsoft Windows family of
operating systems, Java bytecode (.class) files, or files that
contain optional installation instructions for how to use certain
components contained in the distribution unit, for example, ActiveX
controls may need to be registered before use. The distribution
unit 209 can be a separate file or can be a portion of a
"distribution unit file" 205 as explained below.
[0039] Fred's Software Company also creates a "manifest" file 207
describing the CoolestApp. The CoolestApp manifest file 207
contains information about CoolestApp, including the name of the
CoolestApp distribution unit 209, the version number of the
software package (all components in the distribution unit 209 have
the same version number in this embodiment), and the operating
systems under which the CoolestApp executes. Fred's Software
Company bundles the CoolestApp distribution unit 209 and manifest
file 207 into a distribution unit file 205 for storage on the
server 201.
[0040] The names of other files in the distribution unit file 205,
such as a text file containing licensing information or a "readme"
file containing special instructions for the software package, are
listed in the manifest file 207. The manifest file 207 also
contains entries for software that is required to run CoolestApp
but which is not included in the distribution unit file 205. Such
required software represent "dependencies" and frequently include
such items as language libraries and common object class libraries.
A dependency can also be another software package. The manifest
file 207 provides the ability to describe the software dependencies
in a recursive tree format, also known as a "directed graph."
[0041] In the present example, CoolestApp is an enhanced version of
a software program named "CoolApp" previously distributed by Fred's
Software Company. Rather than completely rewriting CoolestApp,
Fred's Software Company used the CoolApp components as a base and
created additional components for the new features in CoolestApp.
In the interest of minimizing download time, Fred's Software
Company does not include the original components for CoolApp in the
CoolestApp distribution unit 205. Instead Fred's Software Company
inserts a dependency entry in the manifest file 205 which directs a
user's browser to the location on Fred's Software Company server
201 holding the distribution unit file 215 for CoolApp as
illustrated in FIG. 2B.
[0042] The browser begins the installation of the CoolestApp
software package to the local computer by downloading the
CoolestApp distribution unit file 205. A software package manager
211 running in the underlying operating system on the user's
computer 203 extracts the manifest file 207 from the distribution
unit file 209 and accesses an installed package database 213 to
determine that Fred's Software Company's CoolestApp is not already
installed. The dependency entry in CoolestApp manifest file 207
alerts the package manager 211 that the CoolestApp depends on
Fred's Software Company's CoolApp. The package manager 211
determines that CoolApp has not been previously installed and
directs the browser to download the CoolApp distribution unit file
215 from the server location specified in the dependency entry.
[0043] Once the CoolApp distribution unit file 215 has been
downloaded to the user's computer 203, the package manager extracts
the CoolApp manifest file 217 and determines that CoolApp does not
have any dependencies. The package manager 211 creates a private
directory 221 for Fred's Software Company applications, named FSC,
extracts the CoolApp components from the distribution unit 219 into
the FSC directory, and calls the underlying operating system
installation facility to install the CoolApp components. The
package manager 211 registers the CoolApp components in the
installed package database 213 when the installation is
successful.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 2C, the package manager 213 extracts the
CoolestApp components from the CoolestApp distribution unit 209 to
the FSC directory 221, calls the installation facility, and
registers the CoolestApp components in the installed package
database 213. The browser now can run the CoolestApp helper
application from the FSC directory 221.
[0045] If the user downloads additional Fred's Software Company
applications that depend upon the components in either CoolApp or
CoolestApp, the package manager 211 will use the already installed
components to satisfy any dependencies that reference installed
software package unless the additional applications require
versions later than that installed.
[0046] If after running the CoolestApp helper application, the user
decides that CoolestApp is not needed, the user employs the
underlying operating systems uninstall facility to uninstall
CoolestApp. The uninstall facility invokes the package manager 211
which determines if the CoolApp and CoolestApp components are being
used by other applications and deletes the software packages from
the FSC directory 221 if not. The package manager 211 also deletes
the package entries from the installed package database 213 when
the packages have been deleted from the FSC directory 221.
[0047] The system level overview of the operation of an exemplary
embodiment of the invention has been described in this section of
the detailed description. The package manager and its supporting
files have been described in relation to installing a software
package having a single dependency. While the invention is not
limited to any particular distribution media, for sake of clarity a
simplified version of Internet software distribution has been
described.
Methods of an Exemplary Embodiment of the Invention
[0048] In the previous section, a system level overview of the
operation of an exemplary embodiment of the invention was
described. In this section, the particular methods performed by a
client or local computer of such an exemplary embodiment are
described by reference to a series of flowcharts. The methods to be
performed by the client computer constitute computer programs made
up of computer-executable instructions. Describing the methods by
reference to a flowchart enables one skilled in the art to develop
such programs including such instructions to carry out the methods
on suitable computerized clients (the processor of the clients
executing the instructions from computer-readable media).
[0049] The software package manager of the present invention is
described as providing three major functions to the runtime
environment of the local computer on which it runs as illustrated
in FIGS. 3A-3D. It manages the installation of software packages,
it locates necessary components when software is executed, and it
supports the uninstallation of software. The package manager uses
the installed package database, also called a "code store" data
structure, to track components of software packages that have been
installed on the local computer. One of skill in the art will, upon
reading the following description of the code store data structure,
recognize that any type of organized data structure, including
various type of data bases, is suitable for use with the package
manager.
[0050] As in the exemplary embodiment described in the previous
section, the manifest file contains dependency entries specifying
locations of distribution units containing required software
components. The distribution unit file is suitable for distributing
software packages on traditional media, such as CD-ROM or floppy
disk, as well as over a wide area network, such as the Internet.
The package manager extracts the manifest file and the distribution
unit from the distribution unit file. In an alternate embodiment,
the distribution unit and the manifest file can be stored
separately on a network and the manifest file contains the network
location of its corresponding distribution unit.
[0051] Installation
[0052] Referring first to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a flowchart of methods
to be performed by a client according to an exemplary embodiment of
the invention when installing new software is shown. This method is
inclusive of the steps or acts required to be taken by the package
manager.
[0053] When the distribution unit file for a software package is
loaded onto a computer for installation, the software package
manager running in the computer acquires the manifest file for
processing (step 301). In an embodiment in which the manifest file
is distributed in a distribution unit file, the package manager
acquires the distribution unit file and extracts the manifest file
from the distribution unit file. The package manager checks the
name and version of the software package contained in the manifest
file against the code store data structure to determine if the
software package has already been installed (step 303). If so, the
package manager exits (step 321).
[0054] If the software package is not installed, the package
manager checks the manifest file to determine if the software
package requires the installation of other software components
(dependencies) not supplied as part of the distribution file unit
(step 305) before installing the software package from the
distribution unit. Such is frequently the case when a software
package is written in a common programming language such as Java or
C++ which depend on object class or language libraries being
present.
[0055] If there are dependencies, the package manager checks the
code store data structure to determine if the dependencies are
installed on the local computer (step 327). If not, the package
manager uses information stored in the manifest file about the
dependencies to locate a source for the dependencies. The package
manager than acquires a dependency from the source specified in the
manifest file (step 329). In one embodiment, the source is a remote
server designated by a uniform resource locator (URL) path name. In
an alternate embodiment, the source is a server on a local area
network and the path name is a network drive.
[0056] After acquiring the dependency from the source, the package
manager installs the dependent software components on the local
computer. The installation of the dependent components is identical
to the installation process for the original software package which
will be described in detail below in conjunction with steps 307
through 325. Because each dependency can itself include
dependencies, the package manager will install all the nested
dependencies prior to finishing the installation of the original
software package.
[0057] Once all the dependencies are installed, the package manager
determines if a directory for the software package exists (step
307) and creates one if it does not (step 309). The package manager
assigns the directory a unique name that has a high probability of
being different for every computer on which the software package is
installed. In one embodiment, the unique name is generated using a
standard hashing algorithm having the software package name as
input.
[0058] The package manager extracts the components for the software
package from the distribution unit file into the directory (step
311). In one embodiment, the components are gathered into an
uncompressed "zip" formatted data file which contains a directory
of the files within it. Other embodiments which use similar file
structures to group the components together with a directory
structure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. The
package manager then invokes the installation facility provided by
the operating system to install the components (step 313).
[0059] When the installation is successful (step 315), the package
manager updates the code store data structure with the information
contained in the manifest file (step 317 and FIG. 3B).
[0060] The package manager creates an entry in the code store data
structure for the software package that includes the name of the
software package, the version number, and the name of the directory
(step 331). The names of the components in the software package are
stored in the corresponding software package entry in code store
data structure (step 333).
[0061] In one alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 3B, as part of the
update process for the code store data structure, the package
manager scans the code store data structure to determine if any of
the components in the software package are shared with other
software packages registered in the code store data structure (step
335). If so, the package manager performs one of three basic
actions depending on the version information stored in the code
store data base entries for the component (step 337) If the newly
stored component is a newer version of the previously stored
component (step 339) and the code store data structure entry for
the previously installed software package that references the older
version does not indicate it is version dependent (step 341), the
package manager removes the older version from the directory in
which it is stored (step 343) and updates the code store data
structure entry for the previously installed software package to
point to the newer version (step 345). If there is a version
dependency noted, the package manager leaves the older version in
the directory (step 347).
[0062] If the newly stored component is older that the previously
stored component (step 349) and the software package does not
indicate a version dependency (step 351), the package manager
removes the older version from the newly created directory (step
353) and updates the code store data structure entry for the newly
installed software package to point to the newer version (step
355). As before, if there is a version dependency noted, the
package manager does nothing to the older version (step 347).
[0063] If the components are the same version, the package manager
chooses one to remove from its directory (step 359) and updates the
corresponding entry to point to the other component (step 361).
[0064] In the embodiment in which the components are stored in an
uncompressed zip file, or the like, the package manager uses the
file directory to find the component to be deleted within the file
in the appropriate directory. The package manager can, alternately,
actually delete the component from the file and update the file
directory or mark the component entry in the file directory as
deleted depending on the particular file structure employed to hold
the components.
[0065] In an alternate embodiment, the package manager does not
attempt to determine if there are mismatched versions installed and
each software package uses the version of the component that is
indicated by its entry in the code store data structure.
[0066] Execution
[0067] Referring next to FIG. 3C, a flowchart of a method to be
performed by a client computer according to an exemplary embodiment
of the invention when a software package registered through the
package manager is executed in the runtime environment is shown.
This method is inclusive of the steps or acts required to be taken
by the software package manager.
[0068] When the user requests execution of the software package,
the runtime environment invokes the package manager (step 370) to
locate the components necessary to run the software. The package
manager matches the software package name to the corresponding
entry in the code store data structure (step 371) to determine the
directory, or directories, holding the components (step 373). In
the embodiment in which the components are stored in an
uncompressed zip file, or the like, the package manager uses the
directory to find the particular components within the file. The
package manager returns the location of the components to the
runtime environment (step 375).
[0069] Uninstall
[0070] Finally, referring to FIG. 3D, a flowchart of a method to be
performed by a client computer according to an exemplary embodiment
of the invention when a software package registered through the
package manager is uninstalled is shown. This method is inclusive
of the steps or acts required to be taken by the software package
manager.
[0071] When the user wants to uninstall a software package from the
local computer, a standard uninstall routine provided by the
runtime environment invokes the package manager to update the code
store data structure accordingly (step 380). The package manager
removes the corresponding software package entry in the code store
data structure (step 381). The package manager does not delete a
component from the directory unless no other installed software
package references it (step 383).
[0072] In one embodiment, the package manager scans every entry in
the code store data structure to determine if another the entry for
another software package references the local directory holding the
component in question. In a first alternate embodiment, the package
manager creates and maintains a tree structure of all shared
components, so it can quickly determine if the component is shared
with another software package. In a second alternate embodiment,
the component is not deleted at the time the software package is
uninstalled but instead a "garbage collection" routine is
periodically run by the package manager. The garbage collection
routine uses the code store data structure to determine if a
component is referenced by any of the software packages installed
on the local computer. Those components which are not referenced
are then deleted.
[0073] Code Store Data Structure
[0074] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an entry in
the code store data structure 400 suitable for use by the methods
of the exemplary embodiments of the package manager described
above. Each entry contains, at a minimum, five fields: a name field
401 for the distribution unit, a version field 403 for the
distribution unit, a component field 405 that contains a list of
the components in the distribution unit, a location field 407 that
contains the location of the components on the client computer, and
a source field 409 that contains a pointer to the source of the
distribution unit, such as a URL for a downloaded distribution
unit. If a component is a platform-specific ("native code") file,
such as a Microsoft Windows DLL, the file name is the component is
stored in the component field. If a component is a package of Java
classes, the component field contains the name of the Java package.
In the case of a Java package, the code store entry has the
following additional fields: a component version field 411 (which
may be different from the version of the distribution unit; both
are used by the package manager in resolving version dependencies),
and a component type field 413 that indicates what type of Java
classes the package contains, i.e., system, application, etc., both
shown in phantom in FIG. 4 An optional data signature field 415,
also shown in phantom, contains a digital signature affixed to the
distribution unit, if it was signed. As well be familiar to one of
skill in the art, the digital signature itself can contain security
attributes about the package. The security attributes can be used
by the package manager to prevent versions updates from a source
other than the signer. Furthermore, a vendor may include software
packages from third parties as dependencies in the distribution
unit and the package manager uses the digital signatures on each
dependent package to direct the corresponding components into
different local directories.
[0075] In one embodiment of the code store data structure
implemented in the Microsoft Windows environment, the system
registry file is used as the repository for the code store entries
and the package manager accesses the entries through the standard
registry interface provided by the operating system.
[0076] Summary
[0077] The particular methods performed by the package manager of
an exemplary embodiment of the invention have been described. The
method performed by the package has been shown by reference to
flowcharts including the steps from 300 to 355 during installation
of a software package, the steps 370 to 375 during execution of a
software package, and steps 380-385 during uninstallation of a
software package. Additionally, an exemplary embodiment of a code
store data structure has been described.
Open Software Description Implementation
[0078] In this section of the detailed description, a particular
implementation of the invention is described that formats the
manifest file using an Open Software Description (OSD) format. OSD
specifies a vocabulary used for describing software packages and
their dependencies for client computers which is a subset of the
Extensible Markup Language (XML). XML is similar to the Hypertext
Markup Language (HTML) used to write Web pages and provides a
general method of representing structured data in the form of
lexical trees. Using the XML model, markup tags in the OSD
vocabulary are represented as elements of a tree. The three basic
relationships between elements are "parent-of," "child-of," and
"sibling-of." Distant relationships can be formed from recursive
applications of the three basic ones. The basic XML elements that
compose the OSD format are shown in Table 1 below. Additional
information on the OSD vocabulary can be found in the Specification
for the Open Software Description (OSD) Format published on Aug.
11, 1997, and available for download from either Microsoft
Corporation or Marimba, Inc.
1TABLE 1 Element ABSTRACT Content <string> Child of SOFTPKG
Element CODEBASE Attributes SIZE=<max-KB> -- the maximum
allowable size for the software archive file. "Kilobytes" is the
unit of measure. If SIZE is exceeded, then the software will not be
downloaded. HREF=<URL> -- points to the archive to be
downloaded. FILENAME=<string> -- specifies a file contained
within the same archive as the OSD. If the OSD is used as a stand-
alone file, then this attribute is ignored. Child of IMPLEMENTATION
Element DEPENDENCY Attributes ACTION= (Assert I Install) -- Assert
means: Ignore this SOFTPKG entirely if the dependency is not
already present on the client's machine. Install means: If the
dependency is not already present on the client's machine, go get
it, then install it, so that the SOFTPKG has all the pieces it
needs. Child of SOFTPKG, IMPLEMENTATION Parent of SOFTPKG Element
DISKSIZE Attributes VALUE=<KB-number> -- approximate minimum
number of bytes of disk space required by this implementation.
"Kilobytes" is the unit of measure. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element
IMPLEMENTATION Attributes None Supported Child of SOFTPKG Parent of
CODEBASE, DEPENDENCY, DISKSIZE, IMPLTYPE, LANGUAGE, OS, PROCESSOR,
VM Element IMPLTYPE Attribute VALUE=<string> -- the type of
the implementation. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element LANGUAGE
Attributes VALUE= <string> -- uses language codes as
specified in ISO 639. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element LICENSE
Attributes HREF Child of SOFTPKG Element MEMSIZE Attributes VALUE =
<KB-number> approximate minimum number of bytes of memory
required by this implementation during execution. "Kilobytes" is
the unit of measure. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element OS Attributes
VALUE= <string> -- see Appendix B for a list of possible
values. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element OSVERSION Attributes
VALUE=<string> Child of OS Element PROCESSOR Attributes
VALUE= <string> -- see Appendix B for a list of possible
values. Child of IMPLEMENTATION Element SOFTPKG Attributes HREF --
indicates the Web page associated with a software distribution.
Optional. NAME=<string> -- the name of the distribution. For
a given SOFTPKG, this attribute should be a unique identifier. The
client can use NAME to distinguish one SOFTPKG from all others. A
software package's "friendly-name" is specified by using the TITLE
element. VERSION=<string> Child of DEPENDENCY Parent of
ABSTRACT, CODEBASE, IMPLEMENTATION, DEPENDENCY, TITLE Element TITLE
Content <string> Child of SOFTPKG Element VM Attributes VALUE
Child of IMPLEMENTATION
[0079] The OSD vocabulary can be used in a stand-alone XML manifest
file to declare the dependencies between different software
components for different operating systems and languages. The OSD
file provides instructions that can be used to locate and install
only the required software components depending on the
configuration of the target machine and what software is already
present. The OSD formatted manifest file also can be embedded in an
archive file, such as a Java Archive (.JAR) file, or a composite,
compressed file, such as a cabinet (.CAB) file, that contains the
component's distribution unit to form a distribution unit file.
[0080] Additionally, the manifest file can specify an XML tag,
"namespace," that causes the package manager to isolate software
packages from one another even if the same component is used by
multiple packages:
[0081] <JAVA>
[0082] . . .
[0083] <NameSpace>Fred's Software
Company</NameSpace>
[0084] Thus the use of namespaces avoids version mismatches among
software packages.
[0085] A namespace is analogous to a directory in a file system,
such as implemented in the Windows family of operating systems, in
that installing applications in different directories provides
isolation for the applications. Previously a namespace was global
to all applications installed on a system so that all files and
components in the namespace were accessible by the applications.
The global nature of previous namespaces presents difficulties in
naming files and components because an application programmer has
to avoid common names to prevent potential conflicts with
identically named files and components for another application
installed in the same namespace. Installing the second of the two
applications would likely cause one or both applications to fail,
just as placing all files for all applications installed on a
computer into a single directory frequently causes conflicts
between the applications.
[0086] In the present invention, the presence of a namespace XML
tag in the manifest file causes the package manager to associate
the files and components of the corresponding application in the
code store data structure with the unique namespace specified in
the tag. When an application is executed, the package manager
passes the associated namespace name to the computer's runtime
environment so that any files and components installed in that
namespace are visible to the application while files and components
installed in other namespaces are not. Using the example XML tag
above, Fred's CoolestApp is associated with a namespace called
"Fred's Software Company," would execute in the "Fred's Software
Company" namespace, and have access to any files or components
installed in the "Fred's Software Company" namespace. Similarly, an
XML tag for Bob's identically named "CoolestApp" would specify
"Bob's Software Company" as the namespace, execute in the "Bob's
Software Company" namespace, and have access to any files or
components installed in the "Bob's Software Company" namespace.
Neither Bob's CoolestApp nor Fred's CoolestApp can access a common
component or file installed in the other's namespace. Therefore,
because of the isolation that namespaces provide, both Fred and Bob
are assured their applications will function correctly even though
identically named and having common components or files, and that
the applications will continue to function correctly irregardless
of the number of CoolestApps using the same components or file
which may be installed on the computer.
[0087] Continuing with the distribution of Fred's Software
Company's CoolestApp, the manifest file in a first exemplary
embodiment in this section is stored separately from the
distribution unit at http://www.fsc.comncoolestapp.osd. The
corresponding distribution unit is stored in a cabinet file at
http://www.fsc.org/coolestapp.cab. The CoolestApp's dependency on
the components of the earlier CoolApp is indicated with a
"DEPENDENCY" tag and refers the package manager to the CoolApp
manifest file at http://www.fsc.org/coolapp.osd (not shown). The
CoolApp manifest file directs the package manager to the location
of the distribution unit for the CoolApp.
2 <SOFTPKG NAME="com.fsc.www.coolestapp"VERSION="1,0,0,0- ">
<TITLE>CoolestApp</TITLE> <ABSTRACT>CoolestApp by
Fred's Software Company </ABSTRACT> <LICENSE
HREF="http://www.fsc.com/coolestapp- /license. html" />
<!--FSC's CoolestApp is implemented in native code -->
<IMPLEMENTATION> <OS VALUE="WinNT"><OSVERSION VALUE=
"4,0,0,0"/></OS> <OS VALUE="Win95"/> <PROCESSOR
VALUE="x86" /> <LANGUAGE VALUE="en" /> <CODEBASE
HREF="http://www.fsc.org/coolestapp.cab" /> <!--CoolestApp
needs CoolerApp --> <DEPENDENCY> <CODEBASE
HREF="http://www.fsc.org/coolapp.osd" /> </DEPENDENCY>
</IMPLEMENTATION> </SOFTPKG>
[0088] Had the CoolApp manifest file been stored in a cabinet
distribution unit file along with the CoolApp components, the
location of the distribution unit file would have been
http://www.fsc.org/coolapp.cab.
[0089] In a second exemplary embodiment of the invention for
purposes of this section, components contained in a distribution
unit file are caused to be installed by OSD tags embedded on a Web
page. If Fred's Software Company's Web page requires additional
software to be downloaded and installed for viewing the page, FSC
can use the OSD vocabulary within HTML commands to have the user's
browser download the necessary components as shown in the two
examples below.
3 <OBJECT CLASSID= "clsid:9DBAFCCF-592F-101B-85C-
E-00608CEC297B" VERSION="1,0,0,0" CODEBASE="http://www.fsc-
.com/coolestapp.osd" HEIGHT=100 WIDTH=200 > </OBJECT> -or-
<APPLET code=myapplet.class id=coolestapp width=320
height=240> <PARAM NAME=useslibrary VALUE="coolestapp">
<PARAM NAME=useslibraryversion VALUE="1,0,0,0"> <PARAM
NAME=useslibrarycodebase VALUE= +L,4
"http://www.fsc.com/coolestapp.osd "> </APPLET>
[0090] The HTML <0BJECT> or <APPLET> tag informs an
OSD-aware client browser, such as Microsoft Explorer 4, that there
is additional software required to view the Web page. The browser
invokes the package manager to execute the software package if it
is already installed or to install it if not. If not already
installed, the package manager instructs the browser to download
the distribution file unit and proceeds with the installation as
described in the previous section. The "CODEBASE" element in
<OBJECT> and the "useslibrarycodebase" tag in <APPLET>
can point to the manifest file or to the distribution unit
file.
[0091] In a third exemplary embodiment of the invention for
purposes of this section, a distribution unit file is used to
automatically distribute software from Fred's Software Company's
server to the user's computer. This automatic distribution across a
network employs "channels" to which the user subscribes to
automatically "push" software components through a client agent
such as a browser. The channel is described using a Channel
Definition Format (CDF) which is also based on XML. A CDF file uses
the OSD elements to inform a CDF-aware client agent as to what
software components should be downloaded and installed.
4 <CHANNEL HREF="http://www.fsc.com.intropage.htm">
<SELF="http://www.fsc.com/software.cdf" /> <TITLE>A
Software Distribution Channel</TITLE> <SOFTPKG
HREF="http://www.fsc.com/aboutsoftware.htm" AUTOINSTALL="yes"
NAME="{D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000}" VERSION="1,0,0,0">
<IMPLEMENTATION> <OS VALUE="WinNT"><OSVERSION
VALUE="4,0,0,0"/> </OS> <OS VALUE="Win95"/>
<PROCESSOR VALUE="x86" /> <CODEBASE
HREF="http://www.fsc.com/coolestapp.cab" />
</IMPLEMENTATION> </SOFTPKG> </CHANNEL>
[0092] This section has described a particular implementation of
the package manager which is directed to install software by OSD
elements embedded in an XML document. The processing of a manifest
file described in previous section when written as XML document is
described. In addition, alternate embodiments in which a separate
XML document resides on a Web page to direct a browser to invoke
the package manager to install a software package is also described
in this section.
Conclusion
[0093] A software package manager has been described which manages
the installation, execution and uninstallation of software packages
acquired through various media. The software manager uses a
manifest file, a distribution unit, and a code store data structure
to accomplish its functions. Although specific embodiments have
been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by
those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement which is
calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the
specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover
any adaptations or variations of the present invention.
[0094] For example, those of ordinary skill within the art will
appreciate that the file and data structures described herein can
be easily adapted to future distribution media. Furthermore, those
of ordinary skill within the art will appreciate that future
extensible languages which are platform and operating system
independent can be used to direct the software package managers
actions.
[0095] The terminology used in this application with respect to is
meant to include all hardware and software platforms. Therefore, it
is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the
following claims and equivalents thereof.
* * * * *
References