Specifying, Determining and Overriding Software Dependencies
There is disclosed apparatus and processes for managing dependencies of program packages available to be run on a processor. The program packages have respective version numbers, and plural versions of at least one of the program packages are available to be run on the processor. Default dependency settings may be overridden by a user. During run-time, the override settings are referenced and utilized.
1 . Apparatus comprising a storage medium storing a manager program having instructions which when executed by a processor will cause the processor to manage dependencies of a plurality of program packages, wherein the program packages have respective version numbers, and plural versions of at least one of the program packages are available to be run on the processor, the instructions of the manager program for:
for a first one of the program packages
identifying as second program packages those program packages that are depended upon by the first program package
identifying versions of the second program packages that are compatible with the first program package
providing to a user an option to select a specific one of the identified versions of at least one of the second program packages
receiving a user input indicative of which of the identified versions the second program packages to use as selected versions
causing the first program package to depend on the selected versions of the second program packages.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the instructions of the manager program further for performing the identifying steps, the providing step and the causing step with respect to additional program packages.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the instructions of the manager program further for performing the identifying steps, the providing step and the causing step with respect to multiple versions of the first program package.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the providing comprises
displaying a name of the first program package
displaying a name of at least one of the second program packages
displaying the version numbers of the identified versions of the second program packages, in association with the name of the second program packages.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the providing further comprises displaying a default option in addition to the identified versions of the second program packages, wherein when a user input indicative of the default option is received, setting as the selected version a highest of the version numbers of the identified versions.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the storage medium further storing a dependency list for the first program package, the dependency list comprising
a list of at least one of the program packages upon which the first program package is dependent
for at least one of the listed program packages, a sub-list of version numbers of versions with which the first program package is compatible.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the sub-list comprises at least one range.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein
the storage medium stores for the first program package, either
a default setting for the first program package, the default setting corresponding to a highest of the version numbers of the identified versions
an override of the default setting corresponding to the selected versions
the causing comprises obtaining from the storage medium the default setting or the override of the default setting.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , the manager program further for
identifying a third program package upon which the first program package is dependent, wherein even if multiple versions of the third program package are available, the version selection is made without user input.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the processor.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 consisting of the storage medium.
12 . The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program packages are installed on the storage medium.
13 . A process for managing dependencies of program packages available to be run on a processor, wherein the program packages have respective version numbers, and plural versions of at least one of the program packages are available to be run on the processor, the process comprising:
for a first one of the program packages
identifying as second program packages those program packages that are depended upon by the selected program package
identifying versions of the second program package that are compatible with the first program package
providing to a user an option to select a specific one of the identified versions of at least one of the second program packages
receiving a user input indicative of which of the identified versions of the second program packages to use as a selected versions
causing the first program package to depend on the selected version of the second program package.
14 . The process of claim 13 further comprising performing both of the identifying, the providing and the causing with respect to additional program packages.
15 . The process of claim 13 further comprising performing both of the identifying, the providing and the causing with respect to multiple versions of the first program package.
16 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the providing comprises
displaying a name of the first program package
displaying a name of at least one of the second program packages
displaying the version numbers of the identified versions of the second program package, in association with the name of the second program packages.
17 . The process of claim 16 wherein the providing further comprises displaying a default option in addition to the identified versions of the second program packages, wherein when a user input indicative of the default option is received, setting as the selected version a highest of the version numbers of the identified versions.
18 . The process of claim 13 wherein
the causing comprises obtaining either
a default setting for the first program package, the default setting corresponding to a highest of the version numbers of the identified versions, or
an override of the default setting corresponding to the selected versions.
19 . The process of claim 13 further comprising
identifying a third program package upon which the first program package is dependent, wherein even if multiple versions of the third program package are available, the version selection is made without user input.