1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of computing systems, and more specifically in the fields of computer programming and provisioning.
2. Related Art
In a typical computing model source code is generated by a programmer using an editor. This source code may be configured to be interpreted at the time it is executed or compiled into executable code using a compiler. Compiled code typically executes more quickly than interpreted code because the compiling process includes parsing and syntax checking prior to execution. Compiling the code also places the code in a form (e.g., object code) that may be directly executable using an operating system.
The compiled code is stored using a filing system, typically provided with an operating system configured to execute the compiled code. For example, the compiled code may be stored in an “.exe” file for execution within the Windows operating system. The compiled code may be linked to other files containing executable code, data or scripts. This linking may occur prior to or at the time the code is executed. When the code is executed the file system is used to identify the file within which the code is stored and this file is opened and processed by the operating system.
There are several disadvantages to this computing model. For example, modification of the compiled code typically involves recompiling an entire source code or file thereof. If a single function, among many functions, within source code, is modified, then the entire source code, on a file-by-file basis, is recompiled. Further, specific permissions and specific software (e.g., an editor) are required to modify the source code. This can be cumbersome when the editor and code are on different computing devices.
Databases and database programs configured to manage the databases are commonly used to store and access data. Sometimes this data is used by computer programs external to database programs. For example, an external program may use a database program to retrieve data that is then operated on by the external program. Database programs may also include “database stored procedures” which are functions prepared by a user of the database program to operate on a database. Database stored procedures are limited to operating on stored data and are differentiated from other types of computer programs in that these procedures are run under the control of (e.g., within) the database program rather than under direct control of an external operating system.
Compiled code is typically executed using a command line that includes a name of the compiled code, e.g., a program name, and optionally a path to the compiled code. This command line is optionally represented by a graphical icon in a graphical user interface. A command line optionally further includes parameters, sometimes referred to as switches, that are used as input to the compiled code and may be used to control operation of the compiled code. For example, the DOS command line “CD lib” includes a program identifier “CD” and a parameter “lib.” The program identifier is used to identify compiled code, which in this case is configured for changing a file directory. The parameter is used to pass, to the compiled code, an identity of the directory to change to.
Compiled code is optionally accessed over a computer network, such as the internet, using a universal resource locator (URL). For example, the URL www.xsevo.com/login.esp may be used to execute a login program hosted at xsevo.com. The URL may also be used to pass parameters to a program. For example, the URL www.xsevo.com/login.esp?lvl=high may be used to pass a value of “high” for a parameter “lvl” to the program login.esp. URLs and command lines may, thus, be used to provide parameters to previously established compiled code.