Systems and methods for determining the software components included in a view of a software development project at a particular time

A computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-readable signals defining a data structure corresponding to a software project represented by a hierarchy of versions of a software project, each version comprising a set of software components and corresponding to one or more users of a software configuration management application executed on at least one processor, the application supporting creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instruction to perform the acts of:

• (A) accessing a data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy to determine at least one instruction specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, wherein (i) the hierarchy of versions includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version and (ii) accessing a data structure includes accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties;
• and
• (B) if it is determined that the first software component was included in the first view at the first time, displaying the first software component in a display of the subset of software components in the first version, and displaying the first software component in the display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time,
• wherein the data structure comprises a first entry specifying a first time and at least one first instruction specifying whether a first software component of a first version was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time,
• wherein the data structure further comprises at least a second entry specifying a second time different than the first time and a second version from which the first version inherits properties and specifying whether the first software component of the first version was included in the view of the second version at the second time, and
• wherein the software configuration management application determines whether to execute a display process to display to a user information regarding the first software component in a display of a subset of software components of the first version based at least in part on the data structure.

A system for use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the system enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by determining software components that were included in a first view of the first version at a first time, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the system comprising at least one processor to perform the acts of:

• a stream view engine to access a data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy to determine at least one instruction that defines at least in part a first associated subset associated with the first view by specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, wherein the stream view engine accesses a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties;
• and
• a user interface to recreate the previous display by including the first software component in a display of a subset of software components of the first version if it is determined that the first software component was included in the first view at the first time, wherein the first software component is displayed in the display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

A system for use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the system enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by determining software components that were included in a first view of the first version at a first time, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the system comprising at least one processor to perform the acts of:

• a means to accessing a data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy to determine at least one instruction that defines at least in part a first associated subset associated with the first view by specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, wherein the means accesses a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties;
• and
• a user interface to recreate the previous display by including the first software component in a display of a subset of software components of the first version if it is determined that the first software component was included in the first view at the first time, wherein the first software component is displayed in the display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

For use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, control the computer to perform a method for enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by determining software components that were included in a first view of the first version at a first time, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) accessing a data structure stored in a computer-readable storage device, the data structure containing data that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy, to determine at least one instruction that defines at least in part a first associated subset associated with the first view by specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, wherein the accessing comprises accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties;
• and
• (B) if it is determined that the first software component was included in the first view at the first time, recreating the previous display by displaying the first software component in a display of a subset of software components of the first version, wherein the first software component is displayed in the display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

A method for use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the method enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by recording an instruction indicating whether to include a first software component in a view of a first version of the software development project, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) receiving the instruction at a first time;
• and
• (B) using a processor,(i) recording an entry in a computer-readable data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy, the entry specifying the instruction and the first time at which the instruction was received, the instruction specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version and another version that inherits properties from the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, (ii) accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties, and (iii) effecting display of the first software component in a display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

A system for use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the system enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by recording an instruction indicating whether to include a first software component in a view of a first version of the software development project, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the system comprising at least one processor to perform the acts of:

• a user interface to receive the instruction at a first time;
• and
• a stream view engine to record an entry in a data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy, the entry specifying the instruction and the first time at which the instruction was received, the instruction specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version and another version that inherits properties from the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, such that upon accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties, the first software component is displayed if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

A system for use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, the system enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by recording an instruction indicating whether to include a first software component in a view of a first version of the software development project, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the system comprising at least one processor to perform the acts of:

• a user interface to receive the instruction at a first time;
• and
• means for recording an entry in a data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy, the entry specifying the instruction and the first time at which the instruction was received, the instruction specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version and another version that inherits properties from the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, such that upon accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties, the first software component is displayed if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.

For use in conjunction with a configuration management software application to manage a software development project represented by a hierarchy of versions of the software development project, where each version comprises a set of software components and the configuration management software application supports creation of views of a version to display subsets of the software components of the version, each view defining, at a particular time, an associated subset of software components included in the view such that modifications of definitions of the view over time result in modifications of the associated subset, a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable signals stored thereon that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, control the computer to perform a method enabling recreation of a previous display of a subset of software components of a first version of the software development project by recording an instruction indicating whether to include a first software component in a view of a first version of the software development project, wherein the hierarchy includes a second version higher than the first version in the hierarchy and where the first version is configured to inherit properties of the second version, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) receiving the instruction at a first time;
• and
• (B) using a processor, (i) recording an entry in a computer-readable data structure that represents a history of views of versions of the software development project included in the hierarchy, the entry specifying the instruction and the first time at which the instruction was received, the instruction specifying whether a first software component was to be displayed in a listing of contents of the first version and another version that inherits properties from the first version at the first time, where the first software component was included in the first version at the first time, (ii) accessing a first entry of the data structure, the first entry specifying a second time and specifying whether the first software component was included, at the second time, in the first view or in a second view of another version of the software development project from which the first version inherits properties, and (iii) effecting display of the first software component in a display if the first entry specifies that the first software component was included in the first or second view at the second time.