Method and system for locating and accessing resources
In a method for accessing resources provided by an operating system, a request for a resource is received by an application program executing inside an environment. A first identifier associated with the resource is acquired. A registry is consulted, responsive to an association between a first identifier associated with the resource and a second identifier associated with the resource, the association associated with the environment. The resource and an environment on which to launch the resource are identified, responsive to consulting the registry. The second identifier is associated with the resource, with the environment, and with the environment on which to launch the resource. A registry key for the resource is stored in the registry, the registry key comprising the second identifier. The request for the resource is redirected to the identified instance of the resource, responsive to the second identifier. The request for the resource is responded to using the instance of the resource located in the environment on which the resource resides. The requested resource is launched in the identified environment, responsive to the second identifier.
1. A method for accessing resources provided by an operating system, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving, by an application program executing inside an isolation environment comprising an application isolation layer and a user isolation layer, a request for a resource;
(b) acquiring a first identifier associated with the resource;
(c) consulting a registry, responsive to the request for the resource, for an association between the first identifier and a second identifier associated with the isolation environment;
(d) identifying the resource and an application scope provided by the application isolation layer on which to launch the resource, responsive to consulting the registry;
(e) associating the second identifier with the resource, the isolation environment, and the application scope on which to launch the resource;
(f) storing in the registry a registry key for the resource, the registry key comprising the second identifier;
(g) redirecting the request for the resource to the application scope, responsive to the second identifier;
(h) responding to the request for the resource using an instance of the resource located in the application scope on which the resource resides; and
(i) launching, responsive to the second identifier, the requested resource in the application scope of the isolation environment.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) comprises making, by an application program executing in an isolation environment comprising an application isolation layer and a user isolation layer, a request for a resource.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises consulting a registry in the isolation environment on which the application program resides.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises consulting a second registry in a second isolation environment comprising a second application isolation layer and a second user isolation layer.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein step (d) further comprises identifying the second isolation environment on which the resource resides.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises consulting a registry, responsive to failing to receive a second identifier from the association.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) further comprises associating the second identifier with the resource, the isolation environment, the application scope on which to launch the resource, and a description of a method for launching the resource into second isolation environment comprising a second application isolation layer and a second user isolation layer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (g) further comprises transmitting to a second process the second identifier.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein step (g) further comprises executing, by the second process, the resource.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (g) further comprises communicating, by the application program with the resource.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (g) further comprises making, by the resource, a modification to a display region associated with the application program.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the application isolation scope and a user isolation scope provided by the user isolation layer each comprising an instance of the resource.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the application program storing the association of the first identifier and the resource in the registry.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising storing the first identifier with information needed to launch the resource.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a mapping table storing the association of the first identifier and the resource, the second identifier, and launch parameters for the resource.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising dynamically creating an association between a resource and an isolation scope to the second identifier.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) further comprises the request specifying an isolation scope to be used.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising executing a resource into a isolation scope according to a pre-determined preference listing.
19. A system for accessing resources provided by an operating system executing on a computer processor, comprising:
a processor;
a resource provided by an operating system executing on a computer processor;
an application program executing inside an isolation environment comprising an application isolation layer and a user isolation layer, receiving a request for the resource;
an association between a first identifier associated with the resource and a second identifier associated with the isolation environment;
a hook process
acquiring the first identifier associated with the resource;
identifying the resource and an application scope provided by the application isolation layer on which to execute the resource;
storing in the association the second identifier;
storing a registry key for the resource; and
a second process, redirecting to the resource, responsive to the second identifier, the request for the resource, and launching, reponsive to the second identifier, the requested resource in the application scope of the isolation environment.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the resource further comprises a COM server.
21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the resource further comprises at least one registry entry in the isolation environment on which the resource resides.
22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the resource resides on a second isolation environment comprising a second application isolation layer and a second user isolation layer.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the application program further comprises executing inside second application scope provided by the second isolation environment.
24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the application program comprises executing inside the application scope of the isolation environment.
25. The system of claim 19 , wherein the application program executing inside the isolation environment comprises making a request for a resource.
26. The system of claim 19 , wherein the association further comprises a mapping from the first identifier identifying at least one resource and second isolation environment comprising a second application isolation layer and a second user isolation layer in which the resource resides to the second identifier.
27. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process further comprises consulting the association, responsive to the first identifier.
28. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process further comprises determining, responsive to consulting the association, to consult a registry within second isolation environment comprising a second application isolation layer and a second user isolation layer.
29. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process further comprises determining, responsive to consulting the association, to consult a registry within the application scope.
30. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process further comprises determining, responsive to consulting the association, to consult a registry within the second isolation environment.
31. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process further comprises identifying the resource and second isolation environment on which it resides, responsive to consulting the registry.
32. The system of claim 19 , wherein the hook process and the second process are the same process.