Method and apparatus for change control in multiple development environments.

Claim 2

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas are implemented and maintained in a first and second standard delta structure files using standard maintenance functions of a standard source code control system which employs delta structures.

Claim 3

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said first and second standard delta structure files comprises, a list of deltas reflecting said source module and all changes to said source module known in the particular environment, each of said deltas comprising zero or more delta text lines reflecting a particular change, and a table of corresponding time ordered entries preceding said list of deltas reflecting the hierarchical relationships of said deltas.

Claim 4

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 3, wherein, each of said deltas further comprises, a first delta control line preceding said delta text lines of the particular delta marking the beginning of said delta text lines of the particular delta, said first delta control line comprising a first delta control code and a first delta serial number, said first delta control code being one of two delta control codes indicating one of two delta control actions to be performed using said delta text lines of the particular delta, said two delta control codes comprising an insert delta control code and a delete delta control code, said first delta serial number uniquely identifying said delta text lines of the particular delta, and a second delta control line following said delta text lines of the particular delta marking the end of said delta text lines of the particular delta, said second delta control line comprising a second control code, said second control code being an end delta control code.

Claim 5

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 4, wherein, some of said deltas further comprise at least one delta control line indicating a delta control action to be performed with the particular delta, each of said delta control lines comprising a delta control code identifying one of three delta control actions, and a fourth delta serial number identifying said particular delta said identified control action is to be performed with, said three control actions being an insert control action, an exclude control action, and an ignore control action.

Claim 6

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 3, wherein, each of said table entries comprises, a delta relationship line reflecting a particular delta relationship, said delta relationship line comprising a delta relationship line code, a change identifier indicating a revision/edition level of said source module, a second delta serial number identifying the corresponding delta, and a third delta serial number identifying the corresponding delta's predecessor delta, said second delta serial number being equal said corresponding delta's first delta serial number, said third delta serial number being equal said corresponding delta's predecessor delta's first delta serial number; a first entry control line preceding said entry relationship line marking the beginning of the particular table entry, said first table control line comprising a begin entry control code and a counter indicating the number of delta text lines in the corresponding delta, and a second entry control line following said entry relationship line marking the end of the particular table entry, said second entry control line comprising an end entry control code.

Claim 7

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 6, wherein, some of said table entries further comprise at least one table entry comment line, each of said table entry comment lines comprising a table entry comment line control code, and zero or more characters of commentary.

Claim 8

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 3, wherein, said step of merging said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas comprises the steps of: building a combined table of time ordered entries from said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas; building a combined list of deltas from said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas; building a new standard delta structure file using said combined table of time ordered entries and said combined list of deltas; and replacing said first standard delta structure file with said new standard delta structure file.

Claim 9

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 8, wherein, said step of building a combined table of time ordered entries comprises the steps of: initializing a first and second input tables to equal to said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltaS respectively; initializing an output table for receiving said time ordered table entries of said first and second input tables to empty; initializing a first and second two way associative arrays for cross referencing said time ordered table entries of said first and second input tables and said time order table entries of said output table to each other to empty; removing table entries from said first and second input tables selectively, one table entry at a time, until all table entries from said first and second input tables have been removed; updating said first and second two way associative arrays based on said removed table entries accordingly, as each of said table entries is removed; modifying said removed table entries conditionally, one removed table entry at a time, as said first and second two way associative arrays are updated according to each of said removed table entries; and outputting each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified.

Claim 10

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said step of removing table entries from said first and second input tables for processing selectively, one table entry at a time, until all table entries from said first and second input tables have been removed, comprises the steps of: determining if said first and second input tables remain non-empty, and if both of said first and second input tables remain non-empty, determining if the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are duplicates; and removing a table entry from one of said first and second input tables according to said determinations; said determining and removing steps being performed until both of said first and second input tables become empty.

Claim 11

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 10, wherein, if said first input table is empty, the least recent entry of said second input table is removed; if said second input table is empty, the least recent entry of said first input table is removed; if both of said first and second input tables are non-empty and the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are duplicates, the least recent entry of said second input table is removed; and if both of said first and second input tables are non-empty and the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are not duplicates, the least recent entry of said first and second tables is removed.

Claim 12

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said step of updating said first and second two way associative arrays based on said removed table entries accordingly, as each of said table entries is removed, comprises, updating said first two way associative array to cross reference said table entry removed from said first input table and the next table entry of said output table to each other, if the table entry removed for processing is the least recent entry of said first input table, and updating said second two way associative array to cross reference said table entry removed from said second input table and the next table entry of said output table to each other, if the table entry removed for processing is the least recent entry of said second input table.

Claim 13

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said step of modifying said removed table entries conditionally, one removed table entry at a time, after said first and second two way associative arrays are updated, comprises the steps of: replacing a change identifier in said removed table entry with a new change identifier, said change identifier indicating a revision/edition level of said source module, said new change identifier being generated using said standard source code control system, and in accordance to whether a new branch for said removed table entry is needed; replacing a first delta serial number in said removed table entry with a first new unique delta serial number, said first delta serial number identifying its corresponding delta, said first new unique delta serial number being generated in accordance to the number of table entries having been outputted to said output table so far, and replacing a second delta serial number in said removed table entry with a second new unique delta serial number, said second delta serial number identifying its corresponding delta's predecessor delta, said second new unique delta serial number being generated using said cross references maintained in said first and second two way associative arrays, and in accordance to said second delta serial number in said removed table entry; said change identifier replacement, first delta serial number replacement, and second delta serial number replacement, being performed for each of said removed table entries that is not a duplicate table entry removed from said second input table.

Claim 14

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 13, wherein, said removed table entry requires a new branch if said removed table entry is removed from said second input table, said removed table entry is not a duplicate of any table entry in said first input table, and said removed table entry's predecessor table entry cross references a table entry in said output table which also cross references a table entry in said first input table, furthermore, said cross referenced table entry in said first input table is a predecessor table entry to another table entry in said first input table which is on the same branch said removed table entry is on.

Claim 15

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 13, wherein, said first new unique delta serial number equals the number of table entries having been outputted to said output table plus one.

Claim 16

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 13, wherein, said second new unique delta serial number is retrieved from said first and second two way associative arrays, said second new unique delta serial number being equal to the cross referenced first new unique delta serial number of said first delta serial number equaling said second delta serial number, said cross references in said first and second two way associative arrays being maintained using said first delta serial numbers of said table entries in said first and second input tables and said first new unique delta serial numbers of said table entries in said output table.

Claim 17

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said step of outputting each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified, comprises the steps of: appending each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified; and reversing the order of said appended table entries in said output table, after all conditionally modified table entries have been appended to said output table; said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas being kept in decreasing chronological order.

Claim 18

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 9, wherein, said step of building a combined list of deltas from said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas comprises the steps of: initializing a first and second work lists to equal to said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas respectively; initializing an output list for receiving said lists of deltas of said first and second work lists to empty; removing deltas from one of said first and second work lists corresponding to said removed table entries, one delta at a time after each of said table entires is removed, until all deltas from said first and second work lists have been removed; replacing delta serial numbers in said corresponding deltas conditionally, one corresponding delta at a time after each of said removed table entries is conditionally modified,said delta serial numbers uniquely identifying said deltas; and outputting said modified deltas into said output list, one modified corresponding delta at a time, as each of said corresponding deltas is modified.

Claim 19

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 18, wherein, said step of replacing delta serial numbers in said corresponding deltas conditionally, one corresponding delta at a time after each of said removed table entries is conditionally modified, comprises replacing said delta serial numbers with new delta serial numbers, said new delta serial numbers being generated using said cross references maintained in said two way associative arrays and in accordance to said delta serial numbers; said step of replacing delta serial numbers being performed for each of said corresponding deltas that is not a duplicate delta removed from said second work list.

Claim 20

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 1, wherein, said second hierarchy of incremental deltas is merged into said first hierarchy of incremental deltas for reconciling the latest revision of said source module in said first environment to the latest edition of said source module in said second environment; said first and second environments being parent and child environments in an hierarchy of software development environments, and said second hierarchy of incremental deltas being initially created in said second environment by replicating said first hierarchy of incremental deltas.

Claim 21

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 1, wherein, said second hierarchy of incremental deltas is merged into said first hierarchy of incremental deltas for resynchronizing the latest edition of said source module in said first environment to the latest revision of said source module in said second environment; said first and second environments being child and parent environments in an hierarchy of software development environments, and said first hierarchy of incremental deltas being initially created in said first environment by replicating said second hierarchy of incremental deltas.

Claim 22

The method for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 21, wherein, said resynchronization is initiated due to an attempt to merge said first hierarchy of incremental deltas into said second hierarchy of incremental deltas for reconciling the latest revision of said source module in said second environment to the latest edition of said source module in said first environment, and said second hierarchy of incremental deltas have changed since said first hierarchy of incremental deltas was initially created by replicating said second hierarchy of incremental deltas into said first environment.

Claim 24

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 23, wherein said first and second maintenance means are the same maintenance means comprising: first and second file storage means for storing said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas in a first and second standard delta structure files; and execution means coupled to said first and second file storage means for executing standard maintenance functions of a standard source code control system which employs delta structures to implement and maintain said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas in said first and second standard delta structure files.

Claim 25

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 24, wherein each of said first and second standard delta structure files comprises, a list of deltas reflecting said source module and all changes to said source module known in the particular environment, each of said deltas comprising zero or more delta text lines reflecting a particular change, and a table of corresponding time ordered entries preceding said list of deltas reflecting the hierarchical relationships of said deltas.

Claim 26

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 25, wherein, each of said deltas further comprises, a first delta control line preceding said delta text lines of the particular delta marking the beginning of said delta text lines of the particular delta, said first delta control line comprising a first delta control code and a first delta serial number, said first delta control code being one of two delta control codes indicating one of two delta control actions to be performed using said delta text lines of the particular delta, said two delta control codes comprising an insert delta control code and a delete delta control code, said first delta serial number uniquely identifying said delta text lines of the particular delta, and a second delta control line following said delta text lines of the particular delta marking the end of said delta text lines of the particular delta, said second delta control line comprising a second control code, said second control code being an end delta control code.

Claim 27

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 26, wherein, some of said deltas further comprise at least one delta control line indicating a delta control action to be performed with the particular delta, each of said delta control lines comprising a delta control code identifying one of three delta control actions, and a fourth delta serial number identifying said particular delta said identified control action is to be performed with, said three control actions being an insert control action, an exclude control action, and an ignore control action.

Claim 28

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and seoncd software development environments as set forth in claim 25, wherein, each of said table entries comprises, a delta relationship line reflecting a particular delta relationship, said delta relationship line comprising a delta relationship line code, a change identifier indicating a revision/edition level of said source module, a second delta serial number identifying the corresponding delta, and a third delta serial number identifying the corresponding delta's predecessor delta, said second delta serial number being equal said corresponding delta's first delta serial number, said third delta serial number being equal said corresponding delta's predecessor delta's first delta serial number; a first entry control line preceding said entry relationship line marking the beginning of the particular table entry, said first table control line comprising a begin entry control code and a counter indicating the number of delta text lines in the corresponding delta, and a second entry control line following said entry relationship line marking the end of the particular table entry, said second entry control line comprising an end entry control code.

Claim 29

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 28, wherein, some of said table entries further comprise at least one table entry comment line, each of said table entry comment lines comprising a table entry comment line control code, and zero or more characters of commentary.

Claim 30

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 25, wherein, said merge means comprises said execution means for executing: a first build function for building a combined table of time ordered entries from said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas; a second build function for building a combined list of deltas from said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas; a third build function for building a new standard delta structure file using said combined table of time ordered entries and said combined list of deltas; and a replacement function for replacing said first standard delta structure file with said new standard delta structure file.

Claim 31

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 30, wherein, first build function builds said combined table of time ordered entries by initializing a first and second input tables to equal to said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas respectively; initializing an output table for receiving said time ordered table entries of said first and second input tables to empty; initializing a first and second two way associative arrays for cross referencing said time ordered table entries of said first and second input tables and said time order table entries of said output table to each other to empty; removing table entries from said first and second input tables selectively, one table entry at a time, until all table entries from said first and second input tables have been removed; updating said first and second two way associative arrays based on said removed table entries accordingly, as each of said table entries is removed; modifying said removed table entries conditionally, one removed table entry at a time, after said first and second two way associative arrays are updated; and outputting each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified.

Claim 32

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 31, wherein, said first build function removes said table entries from said first and second input tables for processing selectively, one table entries at a time, until all table entries from said first and second input tables have been removed by determining if said first and second input tables remain non-empty, and if both of said first and second input tables remain non-empty, determining if the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are duplicates; and removing a table entry from one of said first and second input tables according to said determinations; said determining and removing steps being performed until both of said first and second input tables become empty.

Claim 33

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 32, wherein, if said first input table is empty, said first build function removes the least recent entry of said second input table; if said second input table is empty, said first build function removes the least recent entry of said first input table; if both of said first and second input tables are non-empty and the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are duplicates, said first build function removes the least recent entry of said second input table; and if both of said first and second input tables are non-empty and the least recent entries of said first and second input tables are not duplicates, said first build function removes the least recent entry of said first and second tables.

Claim 34

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 31, wherein, said first build function updates said first and second two way associative arrays based on said removed table entries accordingly, as each of said table entries is removed, by updating said first two way associative array to cross reference said table entry removed from said first input table and the next table entry of said output table to each other, if the table entry removed for processing is the least recent entry of said first input table, and updating said second two way associative array to cross reference said table entry removed from said second input table and the next table entry of said output table to each other, if the table entry removed for processing is the least recent entry of said second input table.

Claim 35

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 31, wherein, said first build function modifies said removed table entries conditionally, one removed table entry at a time, after said first and second two way associative arrays are updated, by: replacing a change identifier in said removed table entry with a new change identifier, said change identifier indicating a revision/edition level of said source module, said new change identifier being generated using said standard source code control system, and in accordance to whether a new branch for said removed table entry is needed; replacing a first delta serial number in said removed table entry with a first new unique delta serial number, said first delta serial number identifying its corresponding delta, said first new unique delta serial number being generated in accordance to the number of table entries having been outputted to said output table so far, and replacing a second delta serial number in said removed table entry with a second new unique delta serial number, said second delta serial number identifying its corresponding delta's predecessor delta, said second new unique delta serial number being generated using said cross references maintained in said first and second two way associative arrays, and in accordance to said second delta serial number in said removed table entry; said change identifier replacement, first delta serial number replacement, and second delta serial number replacement, being performed only if said removed table entry is not a duplicate table entry removed from said second input table.

Claim 36

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 35, wherein, said removed table entry requires a new branch if said removed table entry is removed from said second input table, said removed table entry is not a duplicate of any table entry in said first input table, and said removed table entry's predecessor table entry cross references a table entry in said output table which also cross references a table entry in said first input table, furthermore, said cross referenced table entry in said first input table is a predecessor table entry to another table entry in said first input table which is on the same branch said removed table entry is on.

Claim 37

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 35, wherein, said first new unique delta serial number equals the number of table entries having been outputted to said output table plus one.

Claim 38

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 35, wherein, said second new unique delta serial number is retrieved from said first and second two way associative arrays, said second new unique delta serial number being equal to the cross referenced first new unique delta serial number of said first delta serial number equaling said second delta serial number, said cross references in said first and second two way associative arrays being maintained using said first delta serial numbers of said table entries in said first and second input tables and said first new unique delta serial numbers of said table entries in said output table.

Claim 39

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 31, wherein, said first build function outputs each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified, by: appending each of said modified table entries into said output table, one removed table entry at a time, as each of said removed table entries is modified; and reversing the order of said appended table entries in said output table, after all conditionally modified table entries have been appended to said output table; said tables of time ordered entries of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas being kept in decreasing chronological order.

Claim 40

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 30, wherein, said second build function builds a combined list of deltas from said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files for said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas by: initializing a first and second work lists to equal to said lists of deltas of said standard delta structure files of said first and second hierarchies of incremental deltas respectively; initializing an output list for receiving said lists of deltas of said first and second work lists to empty; removing deltas from one of said first and second work lists corresponding to said removed table entries, one delta at a time after each of said table entires is removed, until all deltas from said first and second work lists have been removed; replacing delta serial numbers in said corresponding deltas conditionally, one corresponding delta at a time after each of said removed table entries is conditionally modified, said delta serial numbers uniquely identifying said deltas; and outputting said modified deltas into said output list, one modified corresponding delta at a time, as each of said corresponding deltas is modified.

Claim 41

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 40, wherein, said building function replaces said delta serial numbers with new delta serial numbers, said new delta serial numbers being generated using said cross references maintained in said two way associative arrays and in accordance to said delta serial numbers; said delta serial numbers being replaced by second building function for each of said corresponding deltas that is not a duplicate delta removed from said second work list.

Claim 42

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 23, wherein, said merge means merges said second hierarchy of incremental deltas into said first hierarchy of incremental deltas to reconcile the latest revision of said source module in said first environment to the latest edition of said source module in said second environment; said first and second environments being parent and child environments in an hierarchy of software development environments, and said second hierarchy of incremental deltas being initially created in said second environment by replicating said first hierarchy of incremental deltas.

Claim 43

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 23, wherein, said merge means merges said second hierarchy of incremental deltas into said first hierarchy of incremental deltas to resynchronize the latest edition of said source module in said first environment to the latest revision of said source module in said second environment; said first and second environments being child and parent environments in an hierarchy of software development environments, and said first hierarchy of incremental deltas being initially created in said first environment by replicating said second hierarchy of incremental deltas.

Claim 44

The apparatus for controlling changes to source modules in a first and second software development environments as set forth in claim 42, wherein, said resynchronization is initiated due to an attempt to merge said first hierarchy of incremental deltas into said second hierarchy of incremental deltas for reconciling the latest revision of said source module in said second environment to the latest edition of said source module in said first environment, and said second hierarchy of incremental deltas have changed since said first hierarchy of incremental deltas was initially created by replicating said second hierarchy of incremental deltas into said first environment.