Apollo Computer Inc.

Atria Software, Inc.

Hewlett-packard Company

Robert P Chase, Jr

David B Leblang

Bryan Phil Douros

Gordon D McLean, Jr

Howard Spilke

Debra A Minard

Larry W Allen

David E Jabs

Douglas B Robinson

Paul J Leach

Gordon McLean, Jr

David C Lubkin

Daniel L McCue, Iii

A data processing system and method for controlling versions of data, features a processor, a storage device for storing versions of objects, and an object version selector for providing the processor with access only to specific versions of target data objects as determined by a set of selection rules. The selection rules are evaluated for an object when that object is accessed by the processor. The version selector includes a means for viewing the selected versions of the target objects as a transparent file system having directories, files, and links. The version selector applies the existing version selection rules to newly created objects, and can also store the identity of a selected object version in a cache memory. The version selection rules include a rule for selecting that version of an object that was the most recent version of that object at a specific time in the past, and a rule for selecting that version of an object that was the most recent version of that object at the specific time that a process requiring that object began. The time that the process began is adjusted to compensate for time skew among the storage devices storing the required objects. The process includes a system build.

Dynamic rule-based version control system

A data processing system and method features an object selector including an auditor for recording, as an audit record, which versions of objects are accessed by a processor during a data processing process. Each derived object is associated with an audit record. A system build process starts the auditor prior to executing commands which produce derived objects, and stops the auditor when those commands are completed. The process also includes any arbitrary sequence of commands. An audit cache memory stores the most recent audit entries made by the auditor while producing an audit record. A linker is also provided for linking a common identifying label to each object version whose identity is recorded as an entry in an audit record associated with the identifying label. An audit record comparator is provided for determining the difference between source object versions used in building two or more derived object versions.

Dynamic software version auditor which monitors a process to provide a

A heterogeneous configuration management tool enables building of a software system in a heterogeneous network of computers. In building a desired software system, the tool enables at least one component of the system to be translated by a foreign computer of the network and other components of the system to be translated by other computers of the network. A reference to a version indicator is passed to the foreign computer to provide the foreign computer an indication of user-specified version of the component being translated by the foreign computer. The reference is expanded during processing on the foreign computer. Pathname transformation files are employed to provide transformation of a pathname in one computer of the network to a corresponding pathname in another computer of a network. Binaries resulting from component translations are stored in split pools. In turn, split releases of the built software system are enabled.

Heterogenous software configuration management apparatus

A software configuration management system that uses a network computing environment to build large software systems in parallel. A configuration manager assigns the compilation of buildable components of a software system to different processors in the network. Buildable components are assigned in order, according to dependencies between components, independent components taking precedence. Processors are chosen according to the amount of idle time during a sampled time segment. A display provides processor compilation status messages for each compilation discrete from status messages of other compilations. A continuously updated overall status report of the system being built is simultaneously displayed with, but segregated from, the compilation status messages.

Device for managing software configurations in parallel in a network

A support system for Computer-Aided Software Engineer (CASE) applications provides configuration management and features such as transparent retrieval of named versions of program sequences on a line by line basis as well as task monitoring and reporting. A modification record is maintained for all changes to the modules in the system build library by version numbers. Any version of a module can be obtained on a line by line basis as well as several different versions simultaneously thus supporting multiple concurrent system work on different versions by multiple users. Module monitoring is provided whereby if a module is modified when it is being monitored, all persons who might be affected thereby are notified. Task monitoring also provides notification and monitoring of tasks being accomplished as well as 'blueprints' to follow in the future for the accomplishment of the same or similar tasks.

Computer device for aiding in the development of software system

Growing community of inventors

Newton, MA, United States of America

Robert P Chase, Jr