User Interface Features to Manage a Large Number of Files and Their Application to Management of a Large Number of Test Scripts

• US 20070260613A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ippili, Chandra Sekhar, Vemula, Rajesh, Trivedi, Amit Kumar, Mantripragada, Satyasri Prabhakar
• Granted Patent: US 8,935,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/144 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/148 File search processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Improved user interface features to manage a large number of files and their application to management of a large number of test scripts. Various features related to selection of files of interest, locating files matching (or not containing) search strings potentially of several lines, highlighting the occurrences of desired strings in the content of a file, finding and replacing strings of interest potentially of several lines, are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a user to manage a plurality of files, wherein each of said plurality of files belongs to a corresponding one of a plurality of directories, wherein said plurality of directories are organized in a hierarchy in a plurality of levels, said method comprising:

receiving a search directory and a depth limit from said user, wherein said search directory is contained in said plurality of directories; and

identifying a set of files in a set of directories which are within a number of levels equaling said depth limit from said search directory in said hierarchy, wherein said set of files and said set of directories are respectively contained in said plurality of files and said plurality of directories.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying said set of files in a display.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said displaying displays a number of files in said set of files in said display.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving an option indicating whether a directory alone should be displayed, wherein said displaying displays only a directory name of each of said set of files in said display if said option indicates that said directory alone should be displayed.

5. A method of enabling a user to manage a plurality of files, wherein each of said plurality of files belongs to a corresponding one of a plurality of directories and has a corresponding one of a plurality of contents, said method comprising:

receiving a set of directories and a search string containing a plurality of lines of text, wherein said set of directories is contained in said plurality of directories; and

identifying a set of files belonging to any of said set of directories, wherein the content of each of said set of files contains said search string.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying said set of files in a display.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of directories are organized in a hierarchy in a plurality of levels, wherein said receiving receives a search directory and a depth limit, wherein said set of directories include said search directory and sub-directories of said search directory being within a number of levels equal to said depth limit.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said receiving receives a search directory and an option indicating whether subdirectories under said search directory are also to be included, wherein said set of directories include said search directory and also said subdirectories if said option indicates that subdirectories under said search directory are to be included.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein said identifying ignores white space at the beginning and end of each of said plurality of lines of text in determining said set of files.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising providing a user interface in which said user enters each of said plurality of lines of text on separate lines of a display.

11. A method of enabling a user to manage a plurality of files, wherein each of said plurality of files belongs to a corresponding one of a plurality of directories and has a corresponding one of a plurality of contents, said method comprising:

receiving a set of directories and a search string, wherein said set of directories is contained in said plurality of directories; and

identifying a set of files belonging to any of said set of directories, wherein the content of each of said set of files does not contain said search string.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying said set of files in a display.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said search string contains a plurality of lines of text.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said identifying ignores white space at the beginning and end of each of said plurality of lines of text in determining said set of files.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a user interface in which said user enters each of said plurality of lines of text on separate lines of a display.

16. A method of enabling a user to manage a plurality of files, wherein each of said plurality of files belongs to a corresponding one of a plurality of directories and has a corresponding one of a plurality of contents, said method comprising:

displaying a set of files in a display, wherein said set of files is contained in said plurality of files;

receiving a search string and a data indicating whether the search is to be conducted only in said set of files; and

identifying a first subset of files contained in said set of files displayed in said display, wherein the content of each of said first subset of files contains said search string.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising displaying said first subset of files in said display.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said receiving receives an option indicating whether the search is for not containing the search string and said identifying identifies each of said first subset of files whose content does not contain said search string if said option indicates the search is for not containing the search string.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second search string and said data;

identifying a second subset of files contained in said first subset of files, wherein the content of each of said second subset of files contains said second search string.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising displaying said second subset of files in said display.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiving said second search string receives a second option indicating whether the search is for not containing the search string and said identifying said second subset of files identifies each of said second subset of files whose content does not contain said second search string if said second option indicates the search is for not containing the search string.

22. A method of enabling a user to specify files in a selected state suitable to specify a future action to be performed, said method comprising:

displaying a set of identifiers in a display, wherein each of said set of identifiers uniquely identifies a corresponding one of a set of files in said display;

enabling said user to specify a desired identifier of a file of interest, wherein said file of interest is contained in said set of files; and

marking said file of interest as being in said selected state, whereby said user can then specify said future action to be performed on said file of interest.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said desired identifier comprises a name associated with said file of interest.

24. A method of enabling a user to search in a content of a file, said method comprising:

providing a user interface in which said user enters a sequence of characters representing multiple text lines in a display, wherein each text line is displayed in a corresponding physical line on said display;

enabling said user to enter a search string containing a plurality of text lines according to said user interface such that said plurality of text lines are displayed in corresponding plurality of physical lines in said display; and

identifying a plurality of occurrences of said search string in said content.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising displaying said plurality of occurrences in a first appearance and the rest of said content in a second appearance, such that said plurality of occurrences appear highlighted.

26. A method of enabling a user to search in a content of a file, said method comprising:

receiving a search string containing a plurality of lines;

identifying a plurality of occurrences of said search string in said content;

displaying said content in a display in a first appearance; and

highlighting each of said plurality of occurrences in a second appearance in said content in said display.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said displaying displays a number of occurrences in said plurality of occurrences in said display.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving an indication for changing said plurality of occurrences to a third appearance in said display; and

changing each of said plurality of occurrences to said third appearance in said display.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving an indication for removal of said highlighting in said display; and

changing each of said plurality of occurrences to said first appearance in said display.

30. A method of enabling a user to search in a content of a file, said method comprising:

displaying said content in a display;

enabling said user to specify a portion of said content in said display;

receiving an indication from said user that said portion of said content is to be used as a search string; and

identifying a plurality of occurrences of said search string in said content.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

highlighting each of said plurality of occurrences in said content in said display.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein said portion contains a plurality of lines of text in said display.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein said content is displayed with a first appearance, said portion is displayed with a second appearance, and said plurality of occurrences are displayed with a third appearance in said display.

34. A method of enabling a user to search in a content of a file, said method comprising:

receiving a plurality of search strings;

identifying a plurality of sets of occurrences, wherein each of said plurality of sets of occurrences matches a corresponding one of said plurality of search strings;

displaying said content in a display in a first appearance;

highlighting each of said plurality of sets of occurrences in said display with a corresponding one of a plurality of highlighted appearances,

whereby said user can visually detect the matching portions of said content for each of said plurality of search strings.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said displaying displays an aggregate number of occurrences in all of said plurality of sets of occurrences.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said displaying displays a number of occurrences matching corresponding to each of said plurality of search strings.

37. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving an indication for changing the appearances of said plurality of sets of occurrences to a second plurality of highlighted appearances in said display, wherein said highlighting highlights each of said plurality of sets of occurrences in said display with a corresponding one of said second plurality of highlighted appearances.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

receiving an indication for removal of said highlighting in said display; and

changing each of said plurality of sets of occurrences to said first appearance.

39. A method of enabling a user to modify a content of a file, said method comprising:

providing a user interface in which said user enters a sequence of characters representing multiple text lines in a display, wherein each text line is displayed in a corresponding physical line on said display;

enabling said user to enter a search string containing a first plurality of text lines and a replacement string containing a second plurality of text lines according to said user interface such that said first plurality of text lines and said second plurality of text lines are displayed in corresponding plurality of physical lines in said display;

receiving an indication that said user has requested replacement of each occurrence of said search string with said replacement string in said content; and

replacing each occurrence of said search string in said content with said replacement string.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising receiving a list of files from said user, wherein said replacing replaces each occurrence of said search string with said replacement string in the content of each of said list of files.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising storing the content resulting from said replacing in a secondary storage without requiring specific instruction from said user.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising displaying in said display a number of replacements performed by said replacing.

43. A method of enabling a user to modify a content of a file, said method comprising:

providing a user interface in which said user enters a sequence of characters representing multiple text lines in a display, wherein each text line is displayed in a corresponding physical line on said display;

enabling said user to enter a search string containing a first plurality of text lines and a replacement string containing a second plurality of text lines according to said user interface such that said first plurality of text lines and said second plurality of text lines are displayed in corresponding plurality of physical lines in said display;

displaying said content in said display;

enabling said user to select a portion of said content in said display;

receiving an indication that said user has requested replacement of each occurrence of said search string with said replacement string in said portion; and

replacing each occurrence of said search string in said portion with said replacement string in said display.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising receiving another indication that said user has requested that said content after said replacing is to be stored in said file in a secondary storage.

45. A method of enabling a user to modify a content, said method comprising:

displaying a plurality of pre-defined search strings in a display;

enabling said user to select a set of search strings, wherein said set of search strings is contained in said plurality of pre-defined search strings; and

identifying a set of occurrences of said set of search strings in said content, wherein each of said set of search strings has a corresponding subset of said set of occurrences.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

facilitating said user to specify a set of replacement strings, wherein each of said set of replacement strings corresponds to one of said set of search strings; and

replacing each of said subset of said set of occurrences to corresponding one of said set of replacement stings.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said facilitating comprises:

displaying a one of a set of default strings associated with corresponding one of said set of replacement strings; and

enabling said user to provide a different string for any of said set of replacement strings.

48. The method of claim 46, further comprising receiving a list of files from said user, wherein said replacing replaces each occurrence of each of said set of search strings with corresponding one of said set of replacement strings in the content of each of said list of files.

49. A method of enabling a user to manage a plurality of files stored on a secondary storage, said method comprising:

displaying a first set of files in a display, wherein said first set of files is contained in said plurality of files;

enabling said user to select a second set of files, wherein said second set of files is a subset of said first set of files;

receiving an indication to remove said second set of files from said display; and

updating said display by displaying only files which are contained in said first set of files and are not contained in said second set of files without removing said second set of files from said secondary storage.