Automatic pre-render pinning of change isolated assets methods and apparatus

Abstract

A method for a computer system includes receiving a selection of a plurality of assets to be rendered from a user, wherein the selection comprises a plurality of symbolic references, determining respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in response to the plurality of symbolic references, rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data associated with the respective static references to form a rendered image, storing the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in a pinset file, and associating the rendered image with the pinset file.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for a computer system including a memory, a processor and a user input device comprises:
 receiving a selection of a plurality of assets to be rendered from a user with the user input device, wherein the selection comprises a plurality of symbolic references; 
 determining respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in response to the plurality of symbolic references with the processor; 
 rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data associated with the respective static references to form a rendered image with the processor; 
 storing the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in a pinset file in the memory; 
 associating the rendered image with the pinset file in the memory; 
 wherein the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprises respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the plurality of assets; 
 storing the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in the pinset file comprises storing the respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in the pinset file in memory; 
 retrieving the pinset file from the memory; 
 determining the respective absolute directory path locations for the plurality of assets in response to the pinset file in the memory; and 
 re-rendering the plurality of assets in response to data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations to form a re-rendered image with the processor. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of symbolic references comprises references to versions of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the references to versions comprise at least one of (a) a reference to a specific numeric version of an asset, (b) a reference to a latest version of an asset, and (c) a reference to a stable version of an asset. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein determining the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprises:
 providing references to the versions of the plurality of assets to an asset management system with the processor; and 
 receiving the respective static reference associated with each asset from the asset management system with the processor. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 
 wherein rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations comprises rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a first version of a first asset to form the rendered image with the processor; and 
 wherein re-rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations comprises rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a second version of the first asset to form the re-rendered image with the processor. 
 
     
     
       6. A computer system comprising:
 a processor configured to receive a selection of assets from a plurality of assets to be rendered from a user with a user input device, wherein the plurality of assets comprises a plurality of symbolic references, 
 wherein the processor is configured to determine respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in response to the plurality of symbolic references, 
 wherein the processor is configured to render the plurality of assets in response to asset data associated with the respective static references to form a rendered image; and 
 a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is configured to store respective static references associated with each asset from the selection of assets in a pinset file, 
 wherein the processor is configured to associate the rendered image with the pinset file; 
 wherein the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprises respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the plurality of assets; 
 wherein the memory is configured to store respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the election of assets in the pinset file; 
 wherein the processor is configured to retrieve the pinset file from the memory; 
 wherein the processor is configured to determine the respective absolute directory path locations for the selection of assets in response to the pinset file; and 
 wherein the processor is configured to re-render the plurality of assets in response to data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations to form a re-rendered image. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer system of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of symbolic references comprises references to versions of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
       8. The computer system of  claim 7  wherein the references to versions comprise at least one of (a) a reference to a specific numeric version of an asset, (b) a reference to a latest version of an asset, and (c) a reference to a stable version of an asset. 
     
     
       9. The computer system of  claim 7 
 wherein the processor is configured to provide references to the versions of the plurality of assets to an asset management system; and 
 wherein the processor is configured to receive the respective static reference associated with each asset from the asset management system. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 6 
 wherein the processor is configured to render the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a first version of a first asset to form the rendered image; and 
 wherein the processor is configured to render the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a second version of the first asset to form the re-rendered image. 
 
     
     
       11. A computer program product that comprises a non-transitory media storing computer-executable code for execution upon a computer system including a processor, the computer program product comprising:
 code that directs the processor to receive a selection of assets from a plurality of assets to be rendered from a user with a user input device, wherein assets from the plurality of assets are associated with a plurality of symbolic references; 
 code that directs the processor to determine respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets in response to the plurality of symbolic references; 
 code that directs the processor to render the plurality of assets in response to asset data associated with the respective static references to form a rendered image; 
 code that directs the processor to store respective static references associated with each asset from the selection of assets in a pinset file in a memory; 
 code that directs the processor to associate the rendered image with the pinset file in the memory; code that directs the processor to retrieve the pinset file from the memory; 
 code that directs the processor to determine the respective absolute directory path locations for the selection of assets in response to the pinset file; and 
 code that directs the processor to re-render the plurality of assets in response to data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations to form a re-rendered image; 
 wherein the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprises respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the plurality of assets; and 
 wherein the computer program product further comprises: code that directs the processor to store respective absolute directory path locations associated with each asset from the selection of assets in the pinset file in the memory. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of symbolic references comprises references to versions of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the references to versions comprise at least one of (a) a reference to a specific numeric version of an asset, (b) a reference to a latest version of an asset, and (c) a reference to a stable version of an asset. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 12  further comprising:
 code that directs the processor to provide references to the versions of the plurality of assets to an asset management system with the processor; and 
 code that directs the processor to receive the respective static reference associated with each asset from the asset management system. 
 
     
     
       15. A method for rendering images using symbolic and static references for a plurality of assets, the method comprising:
 receiving a selection of the plurality of assets to be rendered, in electronically readable form readable by one or more processors of one or more computer systems, wherein each selection comprises a symbolic reference to a corresponding asset or a version of the corresponding asset;   determining, using the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, for each asset in the selection, a respective static reference, thus forming a plurality of respective static references for the selection, wherein determining a respective static reference associated with a selected asset uses the corresponding symbolic reference, each respective static reference comprising a respective absolute directory path location associated with the corresponding selected asset;   storing the plurality of respective static references in a pinset file in a memory of the one or more computer systems, wherein a respective static reference associated with an asset includes the respective absolute directory path location associated with the asset;   determining the respective absolute directory path locations for the plurality of assets in response to the pinset file in the memory; and   rendering, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, the plurality of assets in response to data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations to form a rendered image, wherein rendering is repeatable using a given set of assets and the respective absolute directory path locations in the pinset file.   
     
     
       16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pinset file is a database file. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of symbolic references comprises references to versions of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17, wherein the references to versions comprise one or more of (a) a reference to a specific numeric version of an asset, (b) a reference to a latest version of an asset, and/or (c) a reference to a stable version of an asset. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprises:
 providing, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, references to the versions of the plurality of assets to an asset management system; and   receiving, at the one or more computer systems, the respective static reference associated with each asset from the asset management system.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 15,
 wherein rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations comprises rendering, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a first version of a first asset to form the rendered image; and   wherein rendering the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations comprises rendering, with the one or more processors of the one or more computer systems, the plurality of assets in response to asset data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations and in response to a second version of the first asset to form the re-rendered image.   
     
     
       21. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving a selection comprises receiving a selection of assets from a user via a user input device. 
     
     
       22. A system for rendering images, using symbolic and static references, for a plurality of assets, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory, in communication with the processor, configured to store a set of instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
 store a selection of the plurality of assets to be rendered, wherein each selection comprises a symbolic reference to a corresponding asset or a version of the corresponding asset; 
 determine, for each asset in the selection, a respective static reference, thus forming a plurality of respective static references for the selection, wherein a respective static reference associated with a selected asset depends on the corresponding symbolic reference, each respective static reference comprising a respective absolute directory path location associated with the corresponding selected asset; 
 store a pinset file containing the plurality of respective static references, wherein a respective static reference associated with an asset includes the respective absolute directory path location associated with the asset; 
 determine the respective absolute directory path locations for the plurality of assets in response to the pinset file; and 
 render the plurality of assets in response to data stored in the respective absolute directory path locations to form a rendered image to be stored in rendered image storage, wherein rendering is repeatable using a given set of assets and the respective absolute directory path locations in the pinset file. 
   
     
     
       23. The system of claim 22, wherein the pinset file is a database file. 
     
     
       24. The system of claim 22, wherein the plurality of symbolic references comprises references to versions of the plurality of assets. 
     
     
       25. The system of claim 24, wherein the references to versions comprise one or more of (a) a reference to a specific numeric version of an asset, (b) a reference to a latest version of an asset, and/or (c) a reference to a stable version of an asset. 
     
     
       26. The system of claim 24, wherein the respective static references associated with each asset from the plurality of assets comprise logic for providing references to the versions of the plurality of assets to an asset management system and for receiving the respective static reference associated with each asset from the asset management system. 
     
     
       27. The system of claim 22, further comprising a user input for receiving the selection of assets from a user via a user input device.