Search for specific files from browser window

• US 20040078358A1
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Nathan Raymond, Uretsky, Michelle Ann, Rao, Nishant Srinath
• Application Number:
  US10/273,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078358A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A method, program and system for searching for files in a computer system employing a Windows operating system are provided. The invention comprises receiving search criteria through a browser window input field, wherein the search criteria include: a directory and at least one wildcard symbol that represents any number of unspecified characters. The wildcard symbol may represent characters in a file name or character desginating a file type. The search criteria may also include a definite identifying character (e.g., t), which may be part of the file name or file type. The invention searches the directory specified in the search criteria and retrieves and displays, in the browser window, a list of the files in the directory that match the search criteria.

Claims

1. A method for searching for files in a computer system employing a Windows operating system, the method comprising:

receiving search criteria through a browser window input field, wherein the search criteria include;

a directory; and

at least one wildcard symbol that represents any number of unspecified characters;

searching the directory specified in the search criteria; and

retrieving and displaying, in the browser window, a list of the files in the directory that match the search criteria.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wildcard character represents characters in a file name.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wildcard character represents characters in a file type designation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search criteria further include at least one identifying character.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the identifying character come before the wildcard symbol.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the identifying character come after the wildcard symbol.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the identifying character is part of a file name.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the identifying character is part of a file type designation.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wildcard symbol is an asterisk.

10. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for searching for files in a computer system employing a Windows operating system, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving search criteria through a browser window input field, wherein the search criteria include;

a directory; and

at least one wildcard symbol that represents any number of unspecified characters;

second instructions for searching the directory specified in the search criteria; and

third instructions for retrieving and displaying, in the browser window, a list of the files in the directory that match the search criteria.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the wildcard character represents characters in a file name.

12. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the wildcard character represents characters in a file type designation.

13. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the search criteria further include at least one identifying character.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the identifying character come before the wildcard symbol.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the identifying character come after the wildcard symbol.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the identifying character is part of a file name.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the identifying character is part of a file type designation.

18. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the wildcard symbol is an asterisk.

19. A system for searching for files in a computer system employing a Windows operating system, the system comprising:

an input component for receiving search criteria through a browser window input field, wherein the search criteria include;

a directory; and

at least one wildcard symbol that represents any number of unspecified characters;

a search engine for searching the directory specified in the search criteria; and

a retrieval and display mechanism for retrieving and displaying, in the browser window, a list of the files in the directory that match the search criteria.