Method and system for updating attachment files

• US 20030182323A1
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloud Software Group Switzerland GmbH
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Szabo, Robert M., Demsky, Scott H., Ferguson, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method of updating a file attached to an electronic document can include attaching a file to an electronic document and storing a reference to the attached file. The reference can specify a location from which the attached file was obtained. Responsive to a user input, the attached file can be replaced with a file specified by the reference. The attached file also can be updated from newly specified locations.

Claims

1. A method of updating a file attached to an electronic document comprising:

attaching a file to an electronic document;

storing a reference to the attached file, said reference specifying a location from which the attached file was obtained; and

responsive to a user input, replacing the attached file with a file specified by said reference.

2. The method of claim 1, said attaching step comprising:

making a copy of said file; and

including said copy of said file with said electronic document.

3. The method of claim 1, said attaching step comprising:

including said file with said electronic document.

4. The method of claim 1, said storing step comprising:

storing said reference within said electronic document.

5. The method of claim 1, said storing step comprising:

storing said reference within said attached file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said replacing step replaces the attached file responsive to a single user command.

7. The method of claim 1, said replacing step comprising:

replacing said attached file with a file selected from the group consisting of an updated version of the attached file and a different file.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to said step of replacing the attached file, replacing said reference with a second user specified reference, said second reference specifying a different location of a file to be used in said replacing step.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if said replacing step is unsuccessful, requesting a new location of the file to be used in the updating step.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said storing step comprises storing a fully qualified location and a filename of the attached file.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said location of the attached file.

12. A system for updating a file attached to an electronic document comprising:

a capture processor configured to capture and store the location of an attached file;

a graphical user interface configured to display at least one option for updating the attached file from a particular location; and

a replacement processor configured to replace the attached file with a file specified by a stored reference.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said capture processor is further configured to display the location of the attached file.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said at least one option of updating the attached file is selected from the group consisting of updating the attached file from a default location and updating the attached file from a new location.

15. A graphical user interface configured to update a file attached to an electronic document, said graphical user interface including at least one option for updating the attached file from a particular location wherein said at least one option of updating the attached file is selected from the group consisting of updating the attached file from a default location and updating the attached file from a new location.

16. A machine-readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

attaching a file to an electronic document;

storing a reference to the attached file, said reference specifying a location from which the attached file was obtained; and

responsive to a user input, replacing the attached file with a file specified by said reference.

17. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said attaching step comprising:

making a copy of said file; and

including said copy of said file with said electronic document.

18. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said attaching step comprising:

including said file with said electronic document.

19. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said storing step comprising:

storing said reference within said electronic document.

20. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said storing step comprising:

storing said reference within said attached file.

21. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, wherein said replacing step replaces the attached file responsive to a single user command.

22. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, said replacing step comprising:

replacing said attached file with a file selected from the group consisting of an updated version of the attached file and a different file.

23. The machine-readable storage of claim 22, further comprising:

prior to said step of replacing the attached file, replacing said reference with a second user specified reference, said second reference specifying a different location of a file to be used in said replacing step.

24. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising:

if said replacing step is unsuccessful, requesting a new location of the file to be used in the updating step.

25. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, wherein said storing step comprises storing a fully qualified location and a filename of the attached file.

26. The machine-readable storage of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying said location of the attached file.