Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Jeffrey E Larsson

Kevin Joseph Fischer

Steven Miles Greenberg

Kirk A Glerum

Meredith Anne McClurg

Joel Wayne Downer

William Clifford Hunter

Gordon B Church

Eric B Fox

John C Delo

Paul Andrew Steckler

Brian T Hill

Michael Ronn Marcelais

Eric A LeVine

Robert Wayne Coffen

Malcolm S Haar

Chetan A Parulekar

Eric Snyder

Jeffery D Mitchell

Alan Richardson

A method and apparatus are provided for displaying help content corresponding to the occurrence of an event occurring within a computer. An alert help data file is periodically downloaded at a client computer. When a program alert occurs within a client computer, the alert help data file is searched to identify help content corresponding to the particular occurrence of the alert. An alert identifier may be uniquely assigned to each alert to assist in locating the corresponding help content. Moreover, an assert tag and a function result value may also be utilized to define and locate particular help content. Once located, the help content may be displayed to a user.

Method and apparatus for providing help content corresponding to the occurrence of an event within a computer

A method and system are provided for remotely controlling the reporting of events occurring within a computer. A remote control file identifying the events and conditions under which the events should be reported is periodically retrieved at a client computer. When an event occurs within a client computer, the remote control file is searched for data indicating that the event should be recorded. If data is located within the remote control file indicating that the event should be reported, data describing the event is collected. The collected data then may be subsequently reported. The remote control file may also include data identifying the type of data to be collected and a date and time after which data for a particular event should not be collected or reported.

Method and system for remotely controlling the reporting of events occurring within a computer system

The invention provides a method and computer-readable medium for generically reporting the occurrence of an event occurring within a computer system. When an event occurs, parameter values corresponding to one or more predefined parameters that describe the event are identified. The parameter values are then stored in a normalized database configured for storing event parameters corresponding to the occurrence of an unlimited number of event types.

Method and system for generically reporting events occurring within a computer system

Queued mode event reporting is provided. When an event occurs within a computer, an event report is generated describing the event. If the event report cannot be immediately transmitted, it is stored in a queue for future transmission. The queue for storing the report is chosen based on whether a user should have access to the report and on whether a notification should be provided to the user when the event occurs or prior to sending the event report or at both times. A queue trigger program is also configured to execute when the computer goes online and when a user logs into the computer. The queue trigger program causes the queued reports to be sent, if possible, and causes the appropriate notifications to be shown.

Queued mode transmission of event reports

Method and system for recovering information from open files during a failure in a program module. Once a failure is detected in the program module, control passes to an exception handler that determines whether the open files have been modified. If so, the open files are verified and stored as recovery versions of the files at the time of the failure. The program module is then terminated and restarted. Upon restarting the program module, the recovery version of the file at the time of the failure is opened and displayed to the user.

Method and system for recovering information during a program failure

A method and system for loading files into a spreadsheet application program (SAP) operating on a computer system, using an escalating load sequence. The SAP determines if a normal load mode failed while attempting to load the files. In response to determining that the normal load mode failed, the SAP escalates the load sequence to a safe load mode, where a plurality of checks are performed and the files are repaired. The SAP also determines if the safe load mode was successful in repairing and loading the files. If the SAP determines that the safe load mode was unsuccessful, the SAP escalates the load sequence to a data recovery mode, where the spreadsheet application program attempts to extract formulas and values from the file.

Method and system for repairing corrupt files and recovering data

Applying a system policy for a program module to binary-formatted data within registry of a computer system operating within an administered computer network environment. At program launch, a program can search a particular location in registry to locate certain registry values maintained at that registry location. The program enumerates the name/value pairs maintained at that registry location. These registry values typically have a format that describes an offset defining a location within a global data structure and the number of binary bits that can be processed at that data structure location. In this manner, registry data values maintained within a predetermined location of the registry can be encoded to include content that supports the application of a system policy to the binary values maintained in the global data structure. Although the application of system policy will change the original value stored at the specified location within the global data structure, this original value can be recorded prior to translating the policy value into a bit mask that can be applied to the data structure. At the conclusion of the program session, any changes applied to the global data structure can be rolled back to the original values to enable these original values to persist for subsequent use during another program session.

Method and system for applying a policy to binary data

A generic way of publishing globally available functionality that can be shared across applications. Utilizing an Installer Registry, an Installer, Descriptors and a Publish Component Table, related components can be retrieved using an qualifier. A request for a listing of related components, which includes a qualifier, is received from an application. The installer retrieves all the related components, matching the qualifier, from the Publish Component Table. The installer then retrieves the features associated with the components and presents the list of components to the application. The application then selects a specific component and the installer then determines the product associated with the selected component by using the feature and component information retrieved from the Publish Component Table. Once the product information is retrieved, the present invention searches the Installer Registry, using the product, feature and component information as a token, and returns a keypath for that token. If the keypath does not exist, the Installer installs the feature and associated component and then returns the keypath of the installed component.

Method for categorizing and installing selected software components

Creating and maintaining user data using an installation file that includes features and user data components. A user data component is associated with two features (or subfeatures), an application feature and a user settings feature. The application feature is used to create user data for the user that installs the application program and the user settings feature is used to create user data for another user that initiates the application program.

Method for creating and maintaining user data

The method and system for limiting the number of installations of a computer software program located on a read only disk from the read only disk to a computer. The read only disk is linked to a removable read/write memory by data on the removable read/write memory corresponding to data on the read only disk. Prior to installation of the computer software program from the read only disk to the computer, software residing on the removable read/write memory determines whether the installation is authorized. Such determination is made by comparing identification information corresponding to computers on to which the computer software program has previously been installed to installation limitations dictated by a software license agreement.

Method for preventing software piracy during installation from a read only storage medium

Storing settings related to an application in a settings file for transport to a second computer. A software module reads an initialization file identifying the possible settings related to the application, and identifying the locations of those settings. The software module reads the settings from those locations, including a system registry as well as individual files associated with the application. The software module stores the settings in a settings file. The settings file is transported to the second computer, or the second computer reads the settings file over a network. The software module may execute at the second computer and write the settings from the settings file to the appropriate locations on the second computer.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Jeffrey E Larsson