System for replicating and associating file types with application programs among plurality of partitions in a server

• US 6,047,312 A
• Filed: 03/13/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Young, Russell T., Brooks, Matthew G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US08/816,256
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.51, 395/200.47, 707/10, 707/1, 707/201, 707/203, 707/100, 709/203, 709/215
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548

Abstract

A method and apparatus according to various aspects of the present invention provides a system for associating files with relevant application programs in a network. The applications are available on a network, suitably as application objects. Each application object also includes file type information associated with the application. When a user logs onto the network, the file type information is retrieved from each accessible application object. The application launcher stores the retrieved information in the local memory of the user workstation. When a file is selected at the user workstation, the user workstation checks its local memory for the file type information corresponding to the selected file. Because the information is periodically updated by the application launcher, the current information is available to associate a particular file type extension with an application stored remotely. As a result, the appropriate application may be initiated.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing, to a user computer, file type extension data associated with a plurality of application objects stored with associated attributes in a synchronized-partition database in a memory associated with a server, wherein at least one of the application objects has an attribute representing an application program and that application object includes at least one file type extension indicia corresponding to the application program, comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link between the server and the user computer;

transferring the at least one file type extension indicia from the at least one of the application objects to a memory associated with the user computer via the communication link;

receiving input data at the user computer, wherein the input data identifies a file type extension which corresponds to the application program represented by the application object attribute; and

identifying the application program corresponding to the file type extension according to the application object file type extension indicia which was previously transferred to the memory associated with the user computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the application objects includes an icon indicia, further comprising the steps of:

transferring the icon indicia from the at least one of the application objects to the memory associated with the user computer; and

displaying an icon corresponding to the icon indicia at the user computer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of replicating at least one of the application objects and its file type extension indicia among a plurality of partitions of the database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the application objects are organized in a hierarchical structure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the at least one file type extension indicia comprises the steps of:

identifying a user account to be accessed via the user computer;

determining whether an access to the application program by the user account is authorized; and

copying the file type extension indicia to the memory associated with the user computer only if the access to the application program by the user account is authorized.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

copying a second file type extension indicia stored at the first location in the user computer memory to a second location in the user computer memory; and

storing the first file type extension indicia associated with the application objects at the first location in the user computer memory.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of determining whether the server is responsive to the user computer, and wherein the steps of copying a second file type extension indicia and storing the first file type extension indicia are performed only if the server is responsive to the user computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the application objects includes at least one command line parameter, and further comprising the step of transferring the at least one command line parameter specifying a format from the at least one of the application objects to the memory associated with the user computer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of initiating the application program corresponding to the file type extension and passing the file name to the application program in the format specified by the command line parameter.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the step of identifying the application object and the step of transferring the file type extension data is initiated by an application launcher.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of initiating an application launcher prior to the step of identifying the application program, and during the initiating step the application launcher determines which application objects are accessible to the user computer.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the application objects further includes a command line parameter, further comprising the steps of:

transferring the command line parameter from the at least one of the application objects to the memory associated with the user computer via the communication link;

initiating the application program corresponding to the file type extension; and

passing the file name to the application program in the format specified by the command line parameter.

13. A computer-implemented method of providing file type extension information associated by application objects with a plurality of programs stored on a server, the application objects defined according to a database schema, wherein at least one of the plurality of programs is available to a user account accessible via a user computer, comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link between the server and the user computer;

collecting file type extension information from at least one application object associated with the at least one program available to the user account from the server;

transferring the file type extension information associated with the at least one program to the user computer via the communication link; and

replicating among a plurality of partitions at least one application object which associates the at least one program available to the user account and the file type extension information.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

collecting an icon indicia associated by an application object with the at least one program available to the user account from the server;

transferring the icon indicia from the server to the user computer; and

displaying an icon corresponding to the icon indicia at the user computer.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of transferring the file type extension information comprises the steps of:

identifying the user account to be accessed via the user computer;

determining whether an access to the at least one of the plurality of programs by the user account is authorized; and

copying the file type extension information to the memory associated with the user computer only if the access to the application program by the user account is authorized.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

copying a second file type extension information stored at a first location in a memory associated with the user computer to a second location in the memory associated with the user computer; and

storing the file type extension information associated with the at least one program at the first location in the user computer memory.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one program available to the user account corresponds to at least one command line parameter specifying a format, and further comprising the step of transferring the at least one command line parameter from the server to the user computer via the communication link.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

receiving input data at the user computer, wherein the input data identifies a file having a file type extension, wherein the file type extension corresponds to the at least one program available to the user account;

initiating the at least one program available to the user account corresponding to the file type extension; and

passing the file name to the application program in the format specified by the command line parameter.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the step of collecting file type extension information and the step of transferring the file type extension information is initiated by an application launcher.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

collecting at least one command line parameter specifying a file name format associated by an application object with the at least one program available to the user account from the server;

transferring the at least one command line parameter to the user computer via the communication link;

initiating the at least one program; and

passing a file name to the application program in the format specified by the at least one command line parameter.

21. A computer system using file type extension information, comprising:

a server having a memory, the server memory containing a plurality of application objects, each of which represents one or more programs and includes at least one file type extension indicia, wherein at least one of the plurality of programs is associated by at least one application object with the at least one file type extension indicia, and wherein the server memory includes a plurality of partitions, and at least one of the plurality of programs and the at least one file type extension indicia are replicated among the plurality of partitions; and

a workstation having a memory, wherein the workstation is configured to be selectively connected to the server, including;

a retrieval system configured to be selectively connected to the server for retrieving the at least one file type extension indicia from the application object in the server memory; and

a storage system responsive to the retrieval system for storing the at least one file type extension indicia retrieved from the server memory in the workstation memory.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the workstation further includes an application initiation system, including:

a selection system for receiving selection data specifying a file having a file extension stored in the workstation memory for access;

an identifying system for identifying the at least one of the plurality of programs corresponding to the file extension based on the file type extension indicia stored in the workstation memory;

an initiation system for initiating the identified at least one of the plurality of programs associated with the file type extension indicia; and

a file name system for passing the file name to the initiated at least one of the plurality of programs in the format specified by the command line parameter.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein the application initiation system includes an application launcher.

24. The computer system of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of programs is associated with an icon indicia by an application object stored in the server memory, the retrieval system is configured to be selectively connected to the server for retrieving the icon indicia from the application object in the server memory, the workstation further comprising a display system configured to display an icon corresponding to the icon indicia.

25. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the application objects which represent the plurality of programs are organized in a hierarchical structure.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the user computer operates in conjunction with a selected user account among a plurality of user accounts, access to the at least one of the plurality of programs is authorized for at least one of a plurality of user accounts, and wherein said retrieval system is configured to retrieve the at least one file type extension indicia only if the selected user account is authorized to access the at least one of the plurality of programs.

27. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the workstation memory contains an outdated file type extension indicia at a first location in the workstation memory, and said storage system is further configured to copy the outdated file type extension indicia to a second location in the workstation memory and store the file type extension indicia retrieved from the server at the first location in the workstation memory.

28. The computer system of claim 27, wherein the storage system is configured to copy the outdated file type extension indicia to a second location in the workstation memory and store the file type extension indicia retrieved from the server at the first location in the workstation memory only if the server is responsive to the workstation.

29. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the at least one of the plurality of programs is associated with at least one command line parameter specifying a format stored in the server memory and the retrieval system is configured to be selectively connected to the server for retrieving the command line parameter from the server memory.

30. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the workstation further includes an application initiation system, including:

a selection system for receiving selection data specifying a file having a file extension stored in the workstation memory for access;

an identifying system for identifying the at least one of the plurality of programs corresponding to the file extension based on the file type extension indicia stored in the workstation memory;

an initiation system for initiating the identified at least one of the plurality of programs associated with the file type extension indicia; and

a file name system for passing the file name to the initiated at least one of the plurality of programs in the format specified by the command line parameter.

31. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the retrieval system includes an application launcher.

32. A computer system using file type extension information, comprising:

a network including a database having a plurality of application objects, wherein at least one of the application objects includes an application program and file type extension data associated with the application program, wherein the database includes a plurality of partitions, and the plurality of application objects is replicated among the plurality of partitions;

a user workstation configured to be selectively connected to the network, including;

a memory, including;

a registry portion of the memory; and

at least one file stored in the memory, wherein the file is associated with the application program and has a file type extension; and

an application launcher operating on the user workstation, wherein the application launcher includes;

a transfer system configured to be selectively connected to the database for transferring the file type extension data from the at least one of the application objects to the registry;

an identification system having access to the memory for identifying the application program associated with the at least one file according to the file type extension data in the registry and the file type extension of the file; and

an application initiation system responsive to the identification system and configured to be selectively connected to the network for initiating execution of the application program.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the identification system includes:

a selection system connected to an input device for receiving selection data from the input device specifying the at least one file for access; and

a matching system responsive to the selection system for matching the file type extension of the at least one file with the application program associated with the file based on the file type extension data transferred to the registry and the file type extension of the at least one file.

34. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the at least one of the application objects further includes a command line parameter specifying a format for providing a file name to the application program, and the transfer system is further configured to be selectively connected to the database for transferring the command line parameter from the at least one of the application objects to the memory.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the application initiation system includes:

an launching system configured to be selectably connected to the network for launching the identified application program associated with the at least one file; and

a file name system having access to the memory and responsive to the launching system for passing the file name to the initiated at least one of the plurality of programs in the format specified by the command line parameter.

36. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the application initiation system includes an application launcher.

37. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the at least one of the application objects includes an icon indicia stored in the database, the transfer system is configured to be selectively connected to the database for transferring the icon indicia from the database to the user workstation memory, the user workstation further comprising a display system configured to display an icon corresponding to the icon indicia.

38. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the plurality of application objects is organized in a hierarchical structure.

39. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the user workstation operates in conjunction with a selected user account among a plurality of user accounts, access to the application program is authorized for at least one of the plurality of user accounts, and wherein said transfer system transfers the file type extension data only if the selected user account is authorized to access the at least one of the plurality of programs.

40. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the user workstation memory contains outdated file type extension data in the registry, and the transfer system copies the outdated file type extension data to a backup location in the workstation memory prior to transferring the file type extension data from the at least one of the application objects to the registry.

41. The computer system of claim 40, wherein the transfer system copies the outdated file type extension data to a backup location in the workstation memory prior to transferring the file type extension data from the at least one of the application objects to the registry only if the user workstation is connected to the network.

42. A computer-implemented method for executing a program represented by an attribute of an application object to access a data file having a name and a file type designator via a workstation, comprising the steps of:

selecting the data file at the workstation using an input device connected to the workstation;

identifying the program for accessing the data file according to the file type designator and at least one file type designator datum stored in at least one of a server and the workstation;

initiating execution of the identified program on at least one of the server and the workstation;

determining a file name format associated by the application object with the identified program according to the file type designator and at least one command line parameter stored in the application object on at least one of the server and the workstation;

formatting the file name of the data file in the determined file name format; and

providing the formatted file name to the executing program.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of transferring the at least one file type designator datum stored in the server to the workstation.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the steps of:

copying an outdated file type designator datum stored at a first location in the workstation to a second location in the workstation; and

storing the file type designator datum from the server at the first location in the workstation.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of determining whether the workstation is connected to the server, and wherein the steps of copying an outdated file type designator datum and storing the file type designator datum from the server are performed only if the workstation is connected to the server.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of transferring the at least one file type designator datum comprises the steps of:

identifying a user account to be accessed via the workstation;

determining whether an access to the program by the user account is authorized; and

copying the file type designator datum to the workstation only if the access to the program by the user account is authorized.

47. The method of claim 42, wherein an icon indicia associated with the program is stored on the server, further comprising the steps of:

transferring the icon indicia from the server to the workstation; and

displaying an icon corresponding to the icon indicia at the workstation.

48. The method of claim 42, further comprising the step of replicating at least one application object representing the program among a plurality of partitions.

49. A computer system, comprising:

a server, including a plurality of programs stored on the server, wherein each of the programs is associated with a file name format by at least one application object;

a workstation, wherein the workstation is selectably responsive to the server, comprising;

a memory, wherein said memory contains;

a plurality of files, wherein at least one of the files includes a file name and a file type designator; and

a set of file type information in at least one application object attribute indicative of at least one of the plurality of programs as corresponding to the file type designator;

a file selector having access to the memory for designating the at least one of the files to be accessed; and

an application launcher responsive to the file selector and having access to the memory, wherein the application launcher identifies the at least one of plurality of programs based on the file type information and the file type designator, initiates the identified program stored on the server, and formats the file name of the selected file in the file name format of the identified program.

50. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the workstation further comprises a retrieval system configured to be selectively connected to the server for retrieving a second set of file type information from the server and storing the second set of file type information in the workstation memory.

51. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the application launcher comprises:

an identifying system for identifying the at least one of the plurality of programs corresponding to the file type designator based on the file type information;

an initiation system for initiating the identified at least one of the plurality of programs associated with the file type designator; and

a file name system for passing the file name to the initiated at least one of the plurality of programs in the file name format of the identified at least one of the plurality of programs.

52. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the at least one of the plurality of programs is associated with an icon indicia stored on the server and the application launcher is configured to be selectively connected to the server for retrieving the icon indicia from the server, the workstation further comprising a display system configured to display an icon corresponding to the icon indicia.

53. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the server includes a plurality of partitions, and the at least one of the plurality of programs and the file type information are replicated among the plurality of partitions.

54. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the workstation operates in conjunction with a selected user account among a plurality of user accounts on the server, access to the at least one of the plurality of programs is authorized for at least one of a plurality of user accounts, and wherein the application launcher initiates the at least one of the plurality of programs only if the selected user account is authorized to access the at least one of the plurality of programs.

55. The computer system of claim 49, wherein the workstation memory contains an outdated set of file type information at a first location in the workstation memory, and the application launcher selectively connects to the server for retrieving an updated set of file type information from the server, copies the outdated set of file type information to a second location in the workstation memory, and stores the updated set of file type information retrieved from the server at the first location in the workstation memory.

56. The computer system of claim 55, wherein the application launcher copies the outdated set of file type information to the second location in the workstation memory and stores the updated set of file type information retrieved from the server at the first location in the workstation memory only if the server is responsive to the workstation.