Establishing contexts for use during automated product configuration

Abstract

A method and apparatus for validating a user configuration of a computer system are provided. The method generally includes receiving, through a user interface of a configuration system, a user configuration selection, wherein the user configuration selection modifies the configuration of the computer system. Based on the user configuration selection, one or more contexts in a collection of contexts may be modified. The collection of contexts may be applied to part information for a part of the computer system to determine applicable part information for the modified configuration.

1 . A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs operations for validating a user configuration of a computer system being configured with a configuration system, the operations comprising:
 receiving, through a user interface of the configuration system, a user configuration selection, wherein the user configuration selection modifies the configuration of the computer system;   based on the user configuration selection, modifying one or more contexts in a collection of contexts, wherein each modified context represents a condition of the configuration of the computer system which is related to the user selection;   applying the collection of contexts to part information for a part of the computer system to determine applicable part information for the modified configuration, wherein the part information comprises at least one of part data and part rules, wherein the part rules comprises one or more rules defining tests for determining the validity of the configuration and wherein the part data defines one or more necessary components for operation of the part;   determining whether the configuration is valid based on the collection of contexts and the part information; and   if the configuration is invalid, presenting an error message to the user, wherein:
 the error message specifies:
 the configuration is invalid; and 
 at least one of the reasons that the configuration is invalid; and 
 
 the error message comprises a suggested replacement message; and 
 a subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration based on the suggested replacement message, such that the configuration is valid. 
   
   
   
       2 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein modifying the configuration comprises adding a new part to the computer system, and wherein modifying the collection of contexts comprises adding the context to the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       3 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 2 , wherein the user configuration selection maps to the added context, wherein a subsequent user configuration selection maps to the same added context, and wherein subsequently removing the user configuration selection does not remove the added context from the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein modifying the configuration comprises removing a part from the computer system, and wherein modifying the collection of contexts comprises removing the context from the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       5 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the context is a hierarchical context, wherein the collection of contexts contains one or more other hierarchical contexts, and wherein the hierarchical context and the one or more other hierarchical contexts have non-overlapping hierarchies. 
   
   
       6 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the error message further comprises one or more suggested replacement parts; and   the subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration to replace the part with at least one of the suggested replacement parts such that the configuration is valid.   
   
   
       7 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the error message further comprises one or more suggested replacement contexts; and   the subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration to replace at least one context of the collection of contexts with at least one of the suggested replacement contexts such that the configuration is valid.   
   
   
       8 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage media containing a program, the program when executed by the processor performing the steps for validating a user configuration of a computer system being configured with a configuration system, the steps comprising:
 receiving, through a user interface of the configuration system, a user configuration selection, wherein the user configuration selection modifies the configuration of the computer system; 
 based on the user configuration selection, modifying one or more contexts in a collection of contexts, wherein each modified context represents a condition of the configuration of the computer system which is related to the user selection; 
   applying the collection of contexts to part information for a part of the computer system to determine applicable part information for the modified configuration, wherein the part information comprises at least one of part data and part rules, wherein the part rules comprises one or more rules defining tests for determining the validity of the configuration and wherein the part data defines one or more necessary components for operation of the part;   determining whether the configuration is valid based on the collection of contexts and the part information; and   if the configuration is invalid, presenting an error message to the user, wherein:
 the error message specifies:
 the configuration is invalid; and 
 at least one of the reasons that the configuration is invalid; and 
 
 the error message comprises a suggested replacement message; and 
 a subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration based on the suggested replacement message, such that the configuration is valid. 
   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein modifying the configuration comprises adding a new part to the computer system, and wherein modifying the collection of contexts comprises adding the context to the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user configuration selection maps to the added context, wherein a subsequent user configuration selection maps to the same added context, and wherein subsequently removing the user configuration selection does not remove the added context from the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein modifying the configuration comprises removing a part from the computer system, and wherein modifying the collection of contexts comprises removing the context from the collection of contexts. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the context is a hierarchical context, wherein the collection of contexts contains one or more other hierarchical contexts, and wherein the hierarchical context and the one or more other hierarchical contexts have non-overlapping hierarchies. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the error message further comprises one or more suggested replacement parts; and   the subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration to replace the part with at least one of the suggested replacement parts such that the configuration is valid.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the error message further comprises one or more suggested replacement contexts; and   the subsequent user configuration selection may modify the configuration to replace at least one context of the collection of contexts with at least one of the suggested replacement contexts such that the configuration is valid.