File Management Apparatus and Its Control Method

• US 20060174054A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuki, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/166 File name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0048 Indicating an illegal or impossible operation or selection to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32625 Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32651 Indicating or reporting details of user-machine interface H04N1/0035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32683 Preventive counter-measures, e.g. using redundant hardware, or anticipating a fault arrangements for keeping a communication line open H04N1/32795
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3229 further additional information (metadata) being comprised in the file name (including path, e.g. directory or folder names at one or more higher hierarchical levels)

Abstract

A new filename after change is generated based on rules set using a filename setting menu (301), extension format selection menu (302), basic setting menu (303), and format setting menu (304), and is displayed on a new filename list display window (306). In this case, if the new filename is unusable, it is displayed in distinction from other filenames, thus informing the user of it. A file management apparatus can detect in advance whether or not an error may occur upon changing the filename and can notify the user of such error.

Claims

1. A file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

to-be-renamed file selection means for selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

rename rule setting means for prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

new filename generation means for generating new filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means in accordance with the rules set via said rename rule setting means; and

filename change means for changing the filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means to the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means, and

in that said new filename generation means generates same new filenames except for extensions for a plurality of files having the same filenames except for extensions.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said rename rule setting means comprises:

insert character string input means for inputting an arbitrary character string to be inserted into the new filenames, and

said insert character string input means detects and disables input of a predetermined inhibited character.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said new filename generation means comprises:

photographing information acquisition means for, when the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means are photograph image files, acquiring photographing information; and

photographing information character string insertion means for inserting a character string which expresses specific information extracted from the photographing information acquired by said photographing information acquisition means into the new filenames.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that said new filename generation means comprises:

serial number insertion means for inserting serial numbers having an initial value based on the specific information acquired by said photographing information acquisition means into the new filenames.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the specific information includes an image photographing date and time.

19. A computer program characterized by making a computer function as a file management apparatus of claim 1.

20. A computer-readable recording medium characterized by storing a computer program of claim 19.

2. A file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

to-be-renamed file selection means for selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

rename rule setting means for prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

new filename generation means for generating new filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means in accordance with the rules set via said rename rule setting means;

new filename conflict checking means for checking conflict of the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means;

in-use filename acquisition means for acquiring filenames of files which are in use by another file management apparatus; and

filename change means for changing the filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means to the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means, and

in that when the new filenames include a plurality of identical filenames, or when the same filenames as the filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means are included in the filenames acquired by said in-use filename acquisition means, said new filename conflict checking means determines that the new filenames generated for the files to be renamed are unusable.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said new filename conflict checking means comprises:

preview display means for preview-displaying the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means, and

said preview display means displays new filenames which are determined to be unusable by said new filename conflict checking means in distinction from other filenames.

3. A file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

to-be-renamed file selection means for selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

rename rule setting means for prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

new filename generation means for generating new filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means in accordance with the rules set by said rename rule setting means;

new filename conflict checking means for checking conflict of the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means;

to-be-generated filename acquisition means for acquiring filenames of files which are planned to be generated by another file management apparatus; and

filename change means for changing the filenames of the files selected by said to-be-renamed file selection means to the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means, and

in that when the new filenames include a plurality of identical filenames, or when the same filenames as the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means are included in the filenames acquired by said to-be-generated filename acquisition means, said new filename conflict checking means determines that the filenames are unusable.

9. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said new filename conflict checking means comprises:

preview display means for preview-displaying the new filenames generated by said new filename generation means, and

said preview display means displays new filenames which are determined to be unusable by said new filename conflict checking means in distinction from other filenames.

10. A method of controlling a file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

a to-be-renamed file selection step of selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

a rename rule setting step of prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

a new filename generation step of generating new filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step in accordance with the rules set via the rename rule setting step; and

a filename change step of changing the filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step to the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step, and

in that said new filename generation step includes a step of generating same new filenames except for extensions for a plurality of files having the same filenames except for extensions.

13. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the rename rule setting step comprises:

an insert character string input step of inputting an arbitrary character string to be inserted into the new filenames, and

the insert character string input step includes a step of detecting and disabling input of a predetermined inhibited character.

14. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the new filename generation step comprises:

a photographing information acquisition step of acquiring, when the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step are photograph image files, photographing information; and

a photographing information character string insertion step of inserting a character string which expresses specific information extracted from the photographing information acquired in the photographing information acquisition step into the new filenames.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the new filename generation step comprises:

a serial number insertion step of inserting serial numbers having an initial value based on the specific information acquired in the photographing information acquisition step into the new filenames.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that the specific information includes an image photographing date and time.

11. A method of controlling a file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

a to-be-renamed file selection step of selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

a rename rule setting step of prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

a new filename generation step of generating new filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step in accordance with the rules set via the rename rule setting step;

a new filename conflict checking step of checking conflict of the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step;

an in-use filename acquisition step of acquiring filenames of files which are in use by another file management apparatus; and

a filename change step of changing the filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step to the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step, and

in that the new filename conflict checking step includes a step of determining, when the new filenames include a plurality of identical filenames, or when the same filenames as the filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step are included in the filenames acquired in the in-use filename acquisition step, that the new filenames generated for the files to be renamed are unusable.

17. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the new filename conflict checking step comprises:

a preview display step of preview-displaying the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step, and

the preview display step includes a step of displaying new filenames which are determined to be unusable in the new filename conflict checking step in distinction from other filenames.

12. A method of controlling a file management apparatus for changing a filename of a file stored in a storage medium, characterized by comprising:

a to-be-renamed file selection step of selecting files specified as files to be renamed from files in the storage medium;

a rename rule setting step of prompting a user to set rules for generating new filenames;

a new filename generation step of generating new filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step in accordance with the rules set in the rename rule setting step;

a new filename conflict checking step of checking conflict of the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step;

a to-be-generated filename acquisition step of acquiring filenames of files which are planned to be generated by another file management apparatus; and

a filename change step of changing the filenames of the files selected in the to-be-renamed file selection step to the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step, and

in that the new filename conflict checking step includes a step of determining, when the new filenames include a plurality of identical filenames, or when the same filenames as the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step are included in the filenames acquired in the to-be-generated filename acquisition step, that the filenames are unusable.

18. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the new filename conflict checking step comprises:

a preview display step of preview-displaying the new filenames generated in the new filename generation step, and

the preview display step includes a step of displaying new filenames which are determined to be unusable in the new filename conflict checking step in distinction from other filenames.