Operating system partitioning of different users for single-user applications

Abstract

Examples described herein generally relate to a computer device including a memory, and at least one processor configured to partition application files for multiple users of the computer device. The computer device creates a per-user location for a first user when installing an application package to an installation location. The application package includes a plurality of files for an application that are read-only for the first user. The computer device projects, via one or more filter drivers, installed package files from the installation location into the per-user location. The computer device receives a modification to the plurality of files for the application projected into the per-user location. The computer device writes at least one modified file into the per-user location. The computer device loads, during execution of the application by the first user, the at least one modified file from the per-user location for the first user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer device, comprising:
 a memory; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory, configured to:
 for an application package installed at an installation location and registered to a first user having a first per-user location, create a second per-user location for a second user when registering the application package at the installation location to the second user; 
 receive, from a central location that is common to multiple users, a modified file among a plurality of files of the application package from the first user; 
 write the modified file into the second per-user location; and 
 load, during execution of the application by the second user from the central location for the multiple users, the modified file from the second per-user location for the second user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the second per-user location is separate from the first per-user location, wherein the first per-user location is mutable for the first user and the second per-user location is mutable for the second user, wherein one or more files of the plurality of files of the application package that is stored outside the second per-user location is read-only for the second user, wherein files of the installed application package from the installation location are projected into the first per-user location and the second per-user location using one or more filter drivers. 
     
     
         3 . The computer device of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more filter drivers include an isolation filter driver that makes a target directory appear in a source directory for each per-user location, wherein changes to the source directory do not affect the target directory. 
     
     
         4 . The computer device of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more filter drivers include a virtual namespace filter driver that makes the second per-user location for the second user appear in the central location, wherein changes to the central location for the second user affect the second per-user location for the second user. 
     
     
         5 . The computer device of  claim 2 , wherein the application modifies one or more of the plurality of files for the application projected into the second per-user location when executed for the second user. 
     
     
         6 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the application indicates to load one or more of the plurality of files for the application from: the installation location, the first per-user location, the second per-user location, or a current location. 
     
     
         7 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the modified file is received into the central location from the first per-user location using a file modification system. 
     
     
         8 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to read a manifest entry indicating availability of per-user mutable locations among the plurality of other per-user locations and the second per-user location for at least the second user. 
     
     
         9 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to reset the application for the second user by deleting the modified file in the second per-user location for the second user. 
     
     
         10 . The computer device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to install an updated application package to the installation location, delete the modified file from the second per-user location if the modified file corresponds to a file in the updated application package and maintain the modified file from the second per-user location if the modified file does not correspond to any file in the updated application package. 
     
     
         11 . A method of allowing modifications of an application by multiple users, comprising:
 for an application package installed at an installation location and registered to a first user having a first per-user location, creating a second per-user location for a second user when registering the application package at the installation location to the second user;   receiving, from a central location that is common to multiple users, a modified file among a plurality of files of the application package from the first user;   writing the modified file into the second per-user location; and   loading, during execution of the application by the second user from the central location for the multiple users, the modified file from the second per-user location for the second user.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second per-user location is separate from the first per-user location, wherein the first per-user location is mutable for the first user and the second per-user location is mutable for the second user, wherein one or more files of the plurality of files of the application package that is stored outside the second per-user location is read-only for the second user, wherein files of the installed application package from the installation location are projected into the first per-user location and the second per-user location using one or more filter drivers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more filter drivers include an isolation filter driver that makes a target directory appear in a source directory for each per-user location, wherein changes to the source directory do not affect the target directory. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more filter drivers include a virtual namespace filter driver that makes the second per-user location for the second user appear in the central location, wherein changes to the central location for the second user affect the second per-user location for the second user. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the application modifies one or more of the plurality of files for the application projected into the second per-user location when executed for the second user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the application indicates to load one or more of the plurality of files for the application from: the installation location, the first per-user location, the second per-user location, or a current location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the modified file is received into the central location from the first per-user location using a file modification system. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising reading a manifest entry indicating availability of per-user mutable locations among the plurality of other per-user locations and the second per-user location for at least the second user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising resetting the application for the second user by deleting the modified file in the second per-user location for the second user. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising code executable by one or more processors for allowing modifications of an application by multiple users, the code comprising, for an application package installed at an installation location and registered to a first user having a first per-user location, code for:
 creating a second per-user location for a second user when registering the application package at the installation location to the second user;   receiving, from a central location that is common to multiple users, a modified file among a plurality of files of the application package from the first user;   writing the modified file into the second per-user location; and   loading, during execution of the application by the second user from the central location for the multiple users, the modified file from the second per-user location for the second user.