US 6,687,902 B1Granted

Method, system, and program for deleting user selected file sets of a program

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsBryce Allen Curtis, Jimmy Ming-Der Hsu

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed is a system, method, and program for uninstalling a program and deleting files. The program is defined by a plurality of file sets. Each file set defines a set of functions performed by the program. A flag is provided with each file set of the program indicating one of a first and second value. The flag values indicate those files which are enabled and unenabled to be deleted. A determination is made as to the file sets having the first flag value. A graphical user interface (GUI) then displays at least one user selectable option to uninstall at least one determined file set or file having the first flag value. User input is then received indicating file sets or files to delete or uninstall and the file sets the user input indicated to uninstall are uninstalld.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A method for creating an installation package including components to uninstall an application program from a user computer, wherein the application program is defined by a plurality of file sets, comprising:

providing, by an installation developer creating an installation package to install the program file sets on the user computer, a flag with each file set of the application program included in the installation package indicating one of a first and second value, wherein the flag is maintained with the file set installed on the user computer;
setting, by the installation developer, the flag for one file set to the first value to enable a user of the installation package to uninstall the file set separate from other file sets in the application program or to the second value to preclude the user from uninstalling the file set separate from other file sets in the application program;
including code in the installation package that when installed on the user computer causes the user computer to perform:
(i) determining the file sets installed on the user computer having the first flag value;
(ii) displaying in a graphical user interface (GUI) at the user computer at least one user selectable option to uninstall at least one determined file set having the first flag value;
(iii) receiving user input indicating file sets displayed in the GUI to uninstall;
(iv) uninstalling the file sets the user input indicated to uninstall.

4 more elements

A computer system for creating an installation package including components to uninstall an application program from a user computer, comprising:

a computer;
a display monitor controlled by the computer;
a storage area including the application program, wherein the application program is defined by a plurality of file sets;
program logic executed by the computer, comprising:
(i) means for providing, by an installation developer creating an installation package to install the program file sets on the user computer, a flag with each file set of the application program included in the installation package indicating one of a first and second value, wherein the indicator is maintained with the file set installed on the user computer;
(ii) means for setting, by the installation developer, the flag for one file set to the first value to enable a user of the installation package to uninstall the file set separate from other file sets in the application program or to the second value to preclude the user from uninstalling the file set separate from other file sets in the program;
and
(iii) means for including code in the installation package that when installed on the user computer causes the user computer to perform:
(a) determining the file sets installed on the user computer having the first flag value;
(b) displaying on the monitor a graphical user interface (GUI) at the user computer including at least one user selectable option to uninstall at least one determined file set having the first flag value;
and
(c) receiving user input indicating file sets displayed in the GUI to uninstall;
and
(d) deleting the file sets the user input indicated to uninstall.

11 more elements

An article of manufacture for creating an installation package including components to use in uninstalling an application program from a user computer, wherein the application program is defined by a plurality of file sets, wherein each file set defines a set of functions performed by the application program, the article of manufacture comprising computer useable media accessible to a computer, wherein the computer usable media includes at least one computer program that is capable of causing the computer to perform:

providing, by an installation developer creating an installation package to install the application program file sets, a flag with each file set of the application program indicating one of a first and second value;
setting, by the installation developer, the flag for one file set to the first value to enable a user of the installation package to uninstall the file set separate from other file sets in the application program or to the second value to preclude the user from uninstalling the file set separate from other file sets in the application program;
and
including code in the installation package that when installed on the user computer causes the user computer to perform:
(i) determining the file sets having the first flag value;
(ii) displaying in a graphical user interface (GUI) at least one user selectable option to uninstall at least one determined file set having the first flag value;
(iii) receiving user input indicating file sets displayed in the GUI to uninstall;
and
(iv) deleting the file sets the user input indicated to uninstall.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.