Patent ID: 8266589

Claim:
A method for optimizing the handling of source code requests by a software configuration management (SCM) system using projected ancillary data comprising: receiving a request for a source code file from a software integrated development environment (IDE) by a software configuration management (SCM) system; generating a response message for the request, wherein the response message contains the requested source code file; projecting ancillary data for the requested source code file, wherein the ancillary data comprises at least one of a supplementary source code file and a revision update; appending the projected ancillary data to the response message; and transmitting the response message with the projected ancillary data to the software IDE; wherein when the ancillary data being projected is a supplementary source code file, the projecting step further comprises: accessing a plurality of projection settings, wherein the plurality of projection settings define criteria for projecting at least one supplementary source code file; identifying the at least one supplementary source code file based upon the plurality of projection settings for the requested source code file; and retrieving the at least one identified supplementary source code file from a source code repository; and wherein when the ancillary data being projected is a revision update, the projecting step further comprises: ascertaining a usage context for the software IDE, wherein the usage context details source code files and associated revision information currently in use by the software IDE; identifying an existence of at least one newer revision within the SCM system for the source code files in use by the software IDE; and for each identified newer revision, generating the revision update for the source code file, wherein the revision update defines at least one difference between the newer revision in the SCM system and the source code file in use by the software IDE.