Method, system, and program for transforming files from a source file format to a destination file format

• US 20030140055A1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Doney, Gary Charles, Huang, Hsin-Liang, Golding, Michael Morris
• Granted Patent: US 6,862,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Provided is a method, system, and program for transforming files from a source file format to a destination file format. A data structure is generated in a computer readable medium indicating available transforms from a plurality of source file formats to at least one destination file format. A graphical representation of available transforms from the source file formats to the at least one destination file format is generated based on the available transforms indicated in the data structure. User input is received indicating a selected source file having a source file format and a selected destination file having a selected destination file format, wherein the data structure indicates one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format. The selected source file in the source file format is transformed to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

Claims

1. A method for transforming files from a source file format to a destination file format, comprising:

generating a data structure in a computer readable medium indicating available transforms from a plurality of source file formats to at least one destination file format;

generating a graphical representation of available transforms from the source file formats to the at least one destination file format based on the available transforms indicated in the data structure;

receiving user input indicating a selected source file having a source file format and a selected destination file having a selected destination file format, wherein the data structure indicates one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

transforming the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a new transform to add to the data structure, wherein the new transform is capable of transforming at least one source file format to at least one destination file format; and

updating the data structure to indicate as available the new transform.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, before updating the data structure, whether the data structure indicates one available transform to perform a transformation of one source file format to one destination file format that is also capable of being performed by the new transformation; and

requesting user input selecting one of the determined available transform or the new transform to use to transform the source file format to the destination file format if both the available transform and new transform are capable of performing the transformation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical representation further comprises:

generating graphical representations of each file format indicated as one source or destination file format in the data structure; and

generating a graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair for which there is one available transform indicated in the data structure.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying entry fields in which the user input indicating the source file and destination file are entered.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

enabling access to a file navigator for selection of the source and destination files in the displayed entry fields;

displaying, with the file navigator, only files in the selected source file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the source file; and

displaying, with the file navigator, only files in the selected destination file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the destination file.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair further comprises:

generating a line to display between the graphical representations of the source file format and destination file format to indicate the availability of one transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating each line further comprises generating at least one arrow on the line indicating a direction of the transformation from the source file format to the destination file format.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating each line further comprises generating two arrows on the line to indicate at least one available transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format and transform the destination file format to the source file format if there is at least one available transform to perform the transformations between the source file format and the destination file format.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the graphical representations are generated to be displayed in a circular arrangement.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a graphical representation of a transformation operation to be displayed between a graphical representation of the selected source file format and a graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generated graphical representation of the transformation operation comprises an arrow displayed from the graphical representation of the selected source file format to the graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

13. The method of claim 11, firther comprising:

generating a progress bar to display with the graphical representation of the transformation operation indicating an approximate percent completion of the transformation operation of the selected source file to the selected destination file.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure further indicates at least one program to perform the available transforms from the plurality of source file formats to the at least one destination file format, and wherein transforming the selected source file further comprises:

calling the program indicated in the data structure to transform the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform for the selected source file format; and

generating indication that there is no available transform for the selected source file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available file transform for the selected source file format.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

generating indication that there is no available transform for the selected destination file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available transform for the selected source file format to the selected destination file format.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user selection of attributes for the transform from the selected source file to the selected destination file, wherein the user selected attributes are used to control the step of transforming the selected source file to the selected destination file.

18. A system for transforming files from a source file format to a destination file format, comprising:

a display monitor;

a computer readable medium;

means for generating a data structure in the computer readable medium indicating available transforms from a plurality of source file formats to at least one destination file format;

means for generating on the display monitor a graphical representation of available transforms from the source file formats to the at least one destination file format based on the available transforms indicated in the data structure;

means for receiving user input indicating a selected source file having a source file format and a selected destination file having a selected destination file format, wherein the data structure indicates one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

means for transforming the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving a new transform to add to the data structure, wherein the new transform is capable of transforming at least one source file format to at least one destination file format; and

means for updating the data structure to indicate as available the new transform.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for determining, before updating the data structure, whether the data structure indicates one available transform to perform a transformation of one source file format to one destination file format that is also capable of being performed by the new transformation; and

means for requesting user input selecting one of the determined available transform or the new transform to use to transform the source file format to the destination file format if both the available transform and new transform are capable of performing the transformation.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for generating the graphical representation further performs:

generating graphical representations of each file format indicated as one source or destination file format in the data structure; and

generating a graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair for which there is one available transform indicated in the data structure.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for displaying on the display monitor entry fields in which the user input indicating the source file and destination file are entered.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for enabling access to a file navigator for selection of the source and destination files in the displayed entry fields;

means for displaying on the display monitor, with the file navigator, only files in the selected source file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the source file; and

means for displaying on the display monitor, with the fie navigator, only files in the selected destination file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the destination file.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for generating the graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair further performs:

generating on the display monitor a line between the graphical representations of the source file format and destination file format to indicate the availability of one transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for generating each line further generates at least one arrow on the line indicating a direction of the transformation from the source file format to the destination file format.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for generating each line further generates two arrows on the line to indicate at least one available transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format and transform the destination file format to the source file format if there is at least one available transform to perform the transformations between the source file format and the destination file format.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the graphical representations are generated to be displayed in a circular arrangement.

28. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for generating a graphical representation of a transformation operation to be displayed between a graphical representation of the selected source file format and a graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the generated graphical representation of the transformation operation comprises an arrow displayed from the graphical representation of the selected source file format to the graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for generating a progress bar to display with the graphical representation of the transformation operation indicating an approximate percent completion of the transformation operation of the selected source file to the selected destination file.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the data structure further indicates at least one program to perform the available transforms from the plurality of source file formats to the at least one destination file format, and wherein the means for transforming the selected source file further performs:

calling the program indicated in the data structure to transform the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

32. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform for the selected source file format; and

means for generating indication that there is no available transform for the selected source file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available file transform for the selected source file format.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

means for determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

means for generating an alert indicating that there is no available transform for the selected destination file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available transform for the selected source file format to the selected destination file format.

34. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for receiving user selection of attributes for the transform from the selected source file to the selected destination file, wherein the user selected attributes are used to control the step of transforming the selected source file to the selected destination file.

35. An article of manufacture including code for transforming files from a source file format to a destination file format by:

generating a data structure in a computer readable medium indicating available transforms from a plurality of source file formats to at least one destination file format;

generating a graphical representation of available transforms from the source file formats to the at least one destination file format based on the available transforms indicated in the data structure;

receiving user input indicating a selected source file having a source file format and a selected destination file having a selected destination file format, wherein the data structure indicates one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

transforming the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving a new transform to add to the data structure, wherein the new transform is capable of transforming at least one source file format to at least one destination file format; and

updating the data structure to indicate as available the new transform.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 36, further comprising:

determining, before updating the data structure, whether the data structure indicates one available transform to perform a transformation of one source file format to one destination file format that is also capable of being performed by the new transformation; and

requesting user input selecting one o f the determined available transform or the new transform to use to transform the source file format to the destination file format if both the available transform and new transform are capable of performing the transformation.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein generating the graphical representation further comprises:

generating graphical representations of each file format indicated as one source or destination file format in the data structure; and

generating a graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair for which there is one available transform indicated in the data structure.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 38, further comprising:

displaying entry fields in which the user input indicating the source file and destination file are entered.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39, further comprising:

enabling access to a file navigator for selection of the source and destination files in the displayed entry fields;

displaying, with the file navigator, only files in the selected source file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the source file; and

displaying, with the file navigator, only files in the selected destination file format when the file navigator is invoked to select the destination file.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 38, wherein generating the graphical association for each source file format and destination file format pair further comprises:

generating a line to display between the graphical representations of the source file format and destination file format to indicate the availability of one transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 41, wherein generating each line further comprises generating at least one arrow on the line indicating a direction of the transformation from the source file format to the destination file format.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, wherein generating each line further comprises generating two arrows on the line to indicate at least one available transform to transform the source file format to the destination file format and transform the destination file format to the source file format if there is at least one available transform to perform the transformations between the source file format and the destination file format.

44. The article of manufacture of claim 42, wherein the graphical representations are generated to be displayed in a circular arrangement.

45. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

generating a graphical representation of a transformation operation to be displayed between a graphical representation of the selected source file format and a graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

46. The article of manufacture of claim 45, wherein the generated graphical representation of the transformation operation comprises an arrow displayed from the graphical representation of the selected source file format to the graphical representation of the selected destination file format.

47. The article of manufacture of claim 45, further comprising:

generating a progress bar to display with the graphical representation of the transformation operation indicating an approximate percent completion of the transformation operation of the selected source file to the selected destination file.

48. The article of manufacture of claim 35, wherein the data structure further indicates at least one program to perform the available transforms from the plurality of source file formats to the at least one destination file format, and wherein transforming the selected source file further comprises:

calling the program indicated in the data structure to transform the selected source file in the source file format to the selected destination file in the destination file format.

49. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform for the selected source file format; and

generating an alert indicating that there is no available transform for the selected source file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available file transform for the selected source file format.

50. The article of manufacture of claim 49, further comprising:

determining whether the data structure indicates at least one available transform to transform the selected source file format to the selected destination file format; and

generating an alert indicating that there is no available transform for the selected destination file format if the data structure does not indicate at least one available transform for the selected source file format to the selected destination file format.

51. The article of manufacture of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving user selection of attributes for the transform from the selected source file to the selected destination file, wherein the user selected attributes are used to control the step of transforming the selected source file to the selected destination file.