Method of upgrading a software application in the presence of user modifications

A program product residing on one or more computers and comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for causing upgrading a software application from a user modified prior version thereof to a subsequent version, wherein the user modified prior version includes user customized object definition files, the computer readable program means comprising:
• a) computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect querying attributes in the software applications;
• b) computer readable program code for comparing differences in the attributes between the two versions of the software applications;
• c) computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect enumerating the differences in attributes between the two versions of the software applications;
• d) computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect determining which differences in attributes between the two versions of the software applications are conflicting and which are compatible;
• and
• e) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect making the changes associated with compatible attributes.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for upgrading a software application from a user modified prior version thereof to a subsequent version thereof, said software application having at least one attribute and wherein the user modified prior version includes user customized object definition files, said method steps comprising:

• a) comparing attribute differences between attributes of the two versions of the software applications;
• b) enumerating the attribute differences between the two versions of the software applications;
• c) determining which attribute differences between the two versions of the software are conflicting and which are compatible;
• and
• d) making the changes associated with compatible attributes.

A method of upgrading a software application from a user modified prior version thereof, said software application having at least one attribute and wherein the user modified prior version includes user customized object definition files, to a subsequent version thereof, said method comprising:

• a) enumerating and comparing the attribute differences between the user modified prior version, an unmodified prior version, and the subsequent version of the software applications;
• b) determining which attribute differences between the three versions of the software are conflicting and which are compatible;
• and
• c) applying changes associated with compatible attributes.

A system for upgrading a software application from a user modified prior version thereof to an upgrade version thereof, said software application having at least one attribute and wherein the user modified prior version includes user customized object definition files, said system being configured to carry out the method comprising:

• a) querying the application attributes for each of
• i) an unmodified prior version,
• ii) the user modified prior version, and
• iii) the upgrade version of the software application;
• b) enumerating and comparing differences in attributes between
• i) the user modified prior version,
• ii) the unmodified prior version, and
• iii) the upgrade version of the software application;
• c) determining which differences in the attributes between the three versions of the software application are conflicting and which are compatible;
• and
• d) applying changes associated with compatible attributes.