# US 2014/0157237 A1 · Overriding System Attributes and Function Returns in a Software Subsystem

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- Number: US 2014/0157237 A1
- Document ID: US20140157237A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/741,349
- Filed: 2013-01-14
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: John Farrugia; Michael J. Jones; David Dean Sanner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157237A1

## CPC

- G06F 8/70: Software maintenance or management
- G06F 9/44505: {Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files}
- G06F 11/3672: {Test management}
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

An approach is provided in which a request is received from a software module to retrieve a value stored in a pre-defined location. Prior to retrieving the value, an override tank is checked for a corresponding override value. When the override tank includes an override value, the override value in the override tank is provided to the software module. When the override tank fails to include a corresponding override value, an actual value is retrieved from a pre-defined storage location and provided to the software module. In one embodiment, the override value is an override system attribute value. In another embodiment, the override value is an override function return value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
receiving a request from a software module to retrieve a system attribute value stored in a first storage location;
determining whether an override system attribute value corresponding to the request is available in a second storage location;
in response to determining that the override system attribute value is available:
retrieving the override system attribute value from the second storage location; and
providing the override system attribute value to the software module; and
in response to determining that the override system attribute value fails to be available in the second storage location:
retrieving the system attribute value from the first storage location; and
providing the system attribute to the software module.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
creating an override file based upon one or more override values received from a developer;
generating one or more override system attribute values according to the override file, wherein the override system attribute value is included in the one or more override system attribute values; and
storing the one or more override system attribute values in the second storage location.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the override file is a text file and the one or more system attribute values stored in the second storage location are binary data structures.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving a request from the software module to change the system attribute value stored in the first storage location;
determining whether a non-constant override system attribute value corresponding to the request is available in the second storage location;
clearing the non-constant override system attribute value in response to determining that the non-constant override system attribute value is available; and
changing the system attribute value stored in the first storage location.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the system attribute value is implicitly unknown to the software module and the first storage location is a pre-defined storage location.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the first storage location is selected from the group consisting of a vital product data attribute location, a memory attribute location, and an algorithm generated attribute location.

### Claim 7

A method comprising:
receiving a request from a software module to retrieve a function return value stored in a first storage location;
determining whether an override function return value corresponding to the request is available in a second storage location;
in response to determining that the override function return value is available:
retrieving the override function return value from the second storage location; and
providing the override function return value to the software module; and
in response to determining that the override function return value fails to be available in the second storage location:
retrieving the function return value from the first storage location; and
providing the function return value to the software module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the determining of whether the override function return value is available further comprises:
sending a request to an attribute get macro, wherein the attribute get macro accesses the second storage area; and
receiving a response from the attribute get macro that indicates whether the override function return value is available in the second storage area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 further comprising:
creating an override file based upon one or more override values received from a developer;
generating one or more override function return values according to the override file, wherein the override function return value is included in the one or more override function return values; and
storing the one or more override function return values in the second storage location.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the override file is a text file and the one or more system attribute values stored in the second storage location are binary data structures.