File tracking on client machines synchronized with a content management system repository

• US 10,140,309 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2014
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyland UK Operations Limited (Hyland Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Alfresco Software Incorporated (Hyland Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kalsi, Harpritt, Melahn, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US14/300,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20150356111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 707610-664
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Using a first unique identifier of a local file on a client machine associated with a second unique identifier of a content item maintained at a content management system repository, synchronization of the local file and the content item can be restored after a synchronization break.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

associating, in a local database, a first unique identifier of a local file on a client machine with a second unique identifier of a content item maintained at a content management system repository, a local client synchronization application executing at the client machine tracking a synchronization between the local file and the content item, the first unique identifier being a non-system-based identifier and embedded within the local file;

detecting, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, a break in the synchronization between the local file and the content item;

retrieving, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine and from the local database, first unique identifier and the associated second unique identifier; and

re-associating, without reliance on file path information, the local file and the content item, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, based on the associating of the first unique identifier with the second unique identifier in the local database.

2. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the detecting of the break in the synchronization comprises determining that a file path of the local file at the client machine has undergone an alteration that is not unambiguously tracked by the local client synchronization application.

3. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the break comprises the local file being moved outside of a folder monitored by the local client synchronization application and returned to the folder.

4. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the break comprises the local file being deleted on the client machine and then restored by the client machine.

5. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the first unique identifier comprises at least one of an index node number of the local file at the client machine, a field identification of the local file at the client machine, an intermediate identifier abstracted from an operating system-specific identifier, and an identifier embedded into the local file.

6. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein the second unique identifier comprises at least one of a node identifier and a node reference corresponding to an index node number of the content item at the content management system repository.

21. A computer program product as in claim 1, wherein a non-system-based identifier is an identifier that is independent of a location in the content management system.

22. A computer program product as in claim 1, the instructions further causing operations of:

comparing, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, the re-associated local file and content item to determine what should take place in order to synchronize the local file and the content item; and

restoring, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, the synchronization based on the determination.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

associating, in a local database, a first unique identifier of a local file on a client machine with a second unique identifier of a content item maintained at a content management system repository, the first unique identifier being a non-system-based identifier and embedded within the local file;

tracking, by a local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, a synchronization between the local file and the content item;

detecting, by the local client synchronization application, a break in the synchronization between the local file and the content item;

retrieving, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine and from the local database, first unique identifier and the associated second unique identifier; and

re-associating, without reliance on file path information, the local file and the content item, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, based on the associating of the first unique identifier with the second unique identifier in the local database.

8. A computer implemented method as in claim 7, wherein the detecting of the break in the synchronization comprises determining that a file path of the local file at the client machine has undergone an alteration that is not unambiguously tracked by the local client synchronization application.

9. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, wherein the break comprises the local file being moved outside of a folder monitored by the local client synchronization application and returned to the folder.

10. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, wherein the break comprises the local file being deleted on the client machine and then restored by the client machine.

11. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, wherein the first unique identifier comprises at least one of an index node number of the local file at the client machine, a field identification of the local file at the client machine, an intermediate identifier abstracted from an operating system-specific identifier, and an identifier embedded into the local file.

12. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, wherein the second unique identifier comprises at least one of a node identifier and a node reference corresponding to an index node number of the content item at the content management system repository.

13. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, wherein at least one of the associating, the tracking, the detecting, and the re-associating are performed by a system comprising computer hardware.

23. A computer-implemented method as in claim 7, further comprising:

comparing, by the local client synchronization application, the re-associated local file and content item to determine what should take place in order to synchronize the local file and the content item; and

restoring, by the local client synchronization application, the synchronization based on the determination.

14. A system comprising:

computer hardware configured to perform operations comprising;

associating, in a local database, a first unique identifier of a local file on the client machine with a second unique identifier of a content item maintained at a content management system repository, the first unique identifier being a non-system-based identifier and embedded within the local file;

tracking a synchronization between the local file and the content item;

detecting a break in the synchronization between the local file and the content item;

retrieving, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine and from the local database, first unique identifier and the associated second unique identifier; and

re-associating, without reliance on file path information, the local file and the content item, by the local client synchronization application executing at the client machine, based on the associating of the first unique identifier with the second unique identifier in the local database.

15. A system as in claim 14, wherein the detecting of the break in the synchronization comprises determining that a file path of the local file at the client machine has undergone an alteration that is not unambiguously tracked by the local client synchronization application.

16. A system as in claim 14, wherein the break comprises the local file being moved outside of a folder monitored by the local client synchronization application and returned to the folder.

17. A system as in claim 14, wherein the break comprises the local file being deleted on the client machine and then restored by the client machine.

18. A system as in claim 14, wherein the first unique identifier comprises at least one of an index node number of the local file at the client machine, a field identification of the local file at the client machine, an intermediate identifier abstracted from an operating system-specific identifier, and an identifier embedded into the local file.

19. A system as in claim 14, wherein the second unique identifier comprises at least one of a node identifier and a node reference corresponding to an index node number of the content item at the content management system repository.

20. A system as in claim 14, wherein the computer hardware comprises:

a programmable processor; and

a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the programmable, cause the programmable processor to perform at least some of the operations.

24. A system as in claim 14, wherein the computer hardware is further configured to perform operations comprising:

comparing the re-associated local file and content item to determine what should take place in order to synchronize the local file and the content item; and

restoring the synchronization based on the determination.