Edit command delegation program for editing electronic files

• US 6,449,617 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kennedy, William, Virmani, Mandira, Olson, Marc A., Quinn, Andrew K., McAteer, Sean E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, Hyung-Sub
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US09/333,592
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/100-102, 709/328, 709/329
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An edit command delegation (ECD) utility that provides a user with the ability to edit an electronic file in a creator application program while the electronic file is open in a separate viewing application program operable only for viewing the electronic file. In response to a user input to edit the electronic file, the ECD utility opens the electronic file and reads an application identification tag contained within the content of the electronic file. The application identification tag identifies a creator application program, which was used to create the electronic file and is operable for editing the content data of the electronic file. Once the ECD utility reads the application identification tag, the ECD launches the creator application program. The ECD utility then causes the creator application program to open the electronic file. Once the electronic file is open, the content data is displayed in a window controlled by the creator application program to allow the user to edit the content data.

Claims

1. A method for editing content data associated with an electronic file, while the electronic file is being viewed in a viewing application program operable for viewing the electronic file but not operable for editing the content data, comprising the steps of:

installing an edit command delegation utility operative for launching the creator application program, in a computer system, wherein the step of installing the edit command delegation utility comprising the steps of;

determining whether a first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with a default application program, the default application program being associated with the electronic file;

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with the default application program, copying the entry to a second computer system location;

deleting the entry from the first location in the system and disassociating the default application program with the electronic file, and

inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility;

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system does not contain an entry, inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility;

receiving a user command to edit the content data;

reading an identification tag within the electronic file indicating a creator application program that is operable for editing the content data;

launching the creator application program;

opening the electronic file in the creator application program;

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program; and

receiving user commands to edit the content through commands associated with the creator application program.

2. A method for editing content data associated with an electronic file, while the electronic file is being viewed in a viewing application program being operable for viewing the electronic file but not operable for editing the content data, the electronic file comprising a first file format, the first file format being defined by a hypertext markup language (HTML) and a uniform resource locator (URL), comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command to edit the content data;

reading an identification tag within the electronic file indicating a creator application program that is operable for editing the content data;

launching the creator application program;

opening the electronic file in the creator application program, wherein opening the electronic file comprises;

changing the first file format to a second file format;

reading a directory path within the electronic file indicating the location in a computer system where the electronic file is stored for the URL;

determining whether the creator application program is configured to open the electronic file using the URL by checking a URL locator entry associated with the creator application program;

if the URL locator entry is set to a first value, passing the URL associated with the electronic file to the creator application program; and

if the URL locator entry is set to a second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program;

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program; and

receiving user commands to edit the content through commands associated with the creator application program.

3. A computer-controlled apparatus configured to perform a method for editing content data associated with an electronic file, while the electronic file is being viewed in a viewing application program operable for viewing the electronic file but not operable for editing the content data, the electronic file comprising a first file format, the first file format being defined by a hypertext markup language (HTML) and a uniform resource locator (URL), comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command to edit the content data;

reading an identification tag wit the electronic file indicating a creator application program that is operable for editing the content data;

launching the creator application program;

opening the electronic file in the creator application program, wherein opening the electronic file comprises;

changing the first file format to a second file format;

reading a directory path within the electronic file indicating the location in a computer system where the electronic file is stored for the URL;

determining whether the creator application program is configured to open the electronic file using the URL by checking a URL locator entry associated with the creator application program;

if the URL locator entry is set to a first value, passing the URL associated with the electronic file to the creator application program; and

if the URL locator entry is set to a second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program;

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program; and

receiving user commands to edit the content through commands associated with the creator application program.

4. A method for editing content data associated with an electronic file, while the electronic file is being viewed in a viewing application program operable for viewing the electronic file but not operable for editing the content data, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command to edit the content data;

searching for an identification tag within the electronic file indicating a creator application program that is operable for editing the content data;

in response to finding the identification tag within the electronic file;

searching the computer system for the creator application program;

in response to finding the creator application program on the computer system;

launching the creator application program,

opening the electronic file in the creator application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the creator application program; and

in response to not finding the creator application program on the computer system;

launching a default application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the default application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the default application program; and

in response to not finding the identification tag within the electronic file;

launching the default application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the default application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the default application program.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of:

installing an edit command delegation utility operative for launching the creator application program, in a computer system, wherein the step of installing the edit command delegation utility comprising the steps of;

determining whether a first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with a default application program, the default application program being associated with the electronic file;

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with the default application program, copying the entry to a second location in the computer system;

deleting the entry from the first location in the computer system and disassociating the default application program with the electronic file, and

inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility; and

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system does not contain an entry, inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility.

6. A computer-controlled apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 5.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein a file format of the electronic file is defined by a hypertext markup language (HTML) and a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein the step of opening the electronic file in the creator application program comprises:

determining whether a directory path tag is set to a first value;

if the directory path tag is set to a first value;

determining that the electronic file is not open in the creator application program;

in response to determining that the electronic file is not open in the creator application program;

reading the URL associated with the electronic file indicating the location where the electronic file is stored,

determining whether the creator application program is configured to open the electronic file using the URL by checking a URL locator entry associated with the creator application program,

if the URL locator entry is set to the first value, passing the URL associated with the electronic file to the creator application program, and

if the URL locator entry is set to a second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program; and

if the directory path tag is set to the second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program.

8. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 4.

9. A method for editing content data associated with an electronic file, while the electronic file is being viewed in a viewing application program operable for viewing the electronic file but not operable for editing the content data, comprising the steps of:

receiving a user command to edit the content data;

searching for a first application identification tag within the electronic file indicating a creator application program that is operable for editing the content data;

in response to finding the first application identification tag within the electronic file;

launching the creator application program,

opening the electronic file in the creator application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the creator application program; and

in response to not finding the first application identification tag within the electronic file;

searching for a second application identification tag within the electronic file,

in response to finding the second application identification tag within the electronic file;

mapping the second application identification tag to the creator application program;

launching the creator application program,

opening the electronic file in the creator application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the creator application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the creator application program;

in response to not finding the second identification tag within the electronic file;

searching for a default application program that is registered for editing the content data;

launching the default application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the default application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the default application program; and

in response to not finding the default application program;

launching an alternative default application program,

displaying the content data in a window controlled by the alternative default application program, and

receiving user commands to edit the content through a command associated with the alternative default application program.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of finding the first application identification tag within the electronic file further comprises:

determining that the creator application program is not present in the computer system;

in response to determining that the creator application program is not present on the computer system, proceeding to the step of searching for a default application program that is registered for editing the content data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of finding the second application identification tag within the electronic file further comprises the steps of:

determining that the creator application program is not present in the computer system; and

in response to determining that the creator application program is not present in the computer system, proceeding to the step of searching for a default application program that is registered for editing the content data.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

installing an edit command delegation utility operative for launching the creator application program, in a computer system, wherein the step of installing the edit command delegation utility comprising the steps of;

determining whether a first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with a default application program, the default application program being associated with the electronic file;

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system contains an entry associated with the default application program, copying the entry to a second location in the computer system;

deleting the entry from the first location in the computer system and disassociating the default application program with the electronic file, and

inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility; and

in response to determining that the first location in a computer system does not contain an entry, inserting an entry in the first location in the computer system associated with the edit command delegation utility.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein a file format of the electronic file is defined by a hypertext markup language (HTML) and a uniform resource locator (URL), and wherein the step of opening the electronic file in the creator application program comprises:

determining whether a directory path tag is set to a first value;

if the directory path tag is set to a first value;

determining that the electronic file is not open in the creator application program;

in response to determining that the electronic file is not open in the creator application program;

reading the URL associated with the electronic file indicating the location where the electronic file is stored,

determining whether the creator application program is configured to open the electronic file using the URL by checking a URL locator entry associated with the creator application program,

if the URL locator entry is set to the first value, passing the URL associated with the electronic file to the creator application program, and

if the URL locator entry is set to a second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program; and

if the directory path tag is set to the second value, passing the directory path to the creator application program.

14. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 13.

15. A computer-controlled apparatus configured to perform the method of claim 13.