Generically Managing the Configuration of Heterogeneous Software Artifacts

摘要

A method for managing a configuration of heterogeneous software artifacts uses a common central configuration representation. An artifact of an unknown type, from an initial software solution, is submitted to a solution configuration tool. The solution configuration tool sends a request to a solution architect for locations of configuration files within the artifact. For each artifact whose configuration file locations have been requested from the solution architect, the solution configuration tool determines if each corresponding configuration file is a property file or an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file. If the corresponding configuration file is an XML file, then the solution architect provides a first and second xPath for locating the names and values of the configuration parameters in the XML configuration file. The configuration file and configuration parameter locator information is then stored in a configuration locator file. Information in the configuration locator file is used to introspect configuration parameters from the artifacts and store these generically in a central configuration file. Solution-level parameters are then defined and mapped to artifact-level parameters for use in configuring subsequent software solutions instantiated from the initial software solution.