Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-31
2002-10-29
Mizrahi, Diane D. (Department: 2175)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06473766
ABSTRACT:
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT STATEMENT
This invention was not developed in conjunction with any Federally sponsored contract.
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems, methods, tools, programs, and data structures employed to design and implement scripts and programs which modify computer text files, especially text files which determine and control the configuration of a computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems and computer-based systems often contain text files, or “ASCII files”, stored in their memories and on their non-volatile disk drives. Common text files on IBM-compatible personal computers include the system AUTOEXEC.BAT file and the CONFIG.SYS file, as well as other batch script (*.BAT) and command (*.cmd) files. Many computer systems also have standard text files used by the operating system, such as program registry files and initialization files for Win32 systems. Most operating systems, including IBM's OS/2 and AIX, Microsoft's Windows, UNIX, and LINUX employ text files extensively for storage of system parameters and configuration information. When new programs or applications are installed on the computer, typically several text files must be updated to reflect the presence and settings of the new program.
When writing an installation program, the installation program developer must create a program, usually in the form of a script file, to update certain system configuration files that are stored in text or ASCII format. For example, in the Windows operating system, the AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files may need to be updated after installing a program to place the directory of the installed program in the “path” line of the AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Current installation-specific tools available to software programmers such as “InstallShield” from InstallShield Software Corporation, and “Install Anywhere” from ZeroG, allow the programmer to script these changes to system text files using low-level commands typically from a proprietary scripting language. The software developer uses these low-level commands to create a program which will read each line of the text file to be modified, parse the line, modify the line, and re-write the line (or file).
As these scripting languages are not similar or related to well-known programming languages such as “C”, “C++”, and Java, the software developer must learn and develop expertise with these scripting languages, which results in a loss of programming efficiency.
In the related application, systems, methods, and data structures are disclosed which allow software developers to create programs to modify computer system text files using a class of objects in Java, thereby increasing the efficiency of the process to develop an installation program. However, while this method is an improvement over the existing available technologies of proprietary scripts, it still requires familiarity and expertise in a standard programming language, such as Java.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system and method which allows creation of programs to modify computer system text files without the need for in-depth expertise in either a proprietary or standard programming language. This system and method should preferably allow creation of these programs using a visual development methodology to allow a user to “point and click” to build a program. Further, there is a need for this new system and method to be compatible with a wide variety of computer platforms, hardware, and operating systems, as the need for the ability to modify text files is present on many system types.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numbers represent like parts of the invention.
A product action bean is provided which allows updating lines and keywords in a flat text or ASCII file, which is especially useful for installation of software applications on computer systems. In its embodiment as a Java Bean, it is available for use with visual application builders across multiple computing platforms. The primary bean is a container bean, which includes an engine, and which provides a graphical user interface (“GUI”) that developers can easily specify the required changes along with the file name to be changed when an application is installed or uninstalled. The container bean also contains a set of action beans which perform operations to modify the ASCII file, such as finding strings or lines, adding strings or lines, and deleting strings or lines. The specified actions are performed as a “unit of work” by the product action bean. Alternate classes of objects for modifying text files may be included in the container bean to expand the action options available to the developer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5974256 (1999-10-01), Matthews et al.
patent: 5978834 (1999-11-01), Simonoff et al.
patent: 5991534 (1999-11-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 6005568 (1999-12-01), Simonoff et al.
patent: 2001318791 (2001-11-01), None
Brown Rosalie Jensen
Curtis Bryce Allen
Leiserson Jay L.
Lewis Paul David
Spring Educardo N.
Frantz Robert H.
Mims Jr. David A.
Mizrahi Diane D.
Mofiz Apu M
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