Computer operating system that defines default document folder for application programs

• US 6,466,238 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 10/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Robert F., Berry, Jon R., Flo, Eric R., Turner, Richard S. Jr., Matthews, Joseph H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/107,110
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 345/765, 345/775, 345/809, 345/810, 345/846, 345/847, 345/853, 345/349, 395/800, 395/383, 707/1-10, 707/203, 707/204, 707/205, 707/511, 707/516
• US Class Current: 715/847
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

Conventional computer systems include numerous application programs which by default store files, or documents, in folders containing the application program that creates them. For example, wordprocessing documents are stored by default in the folder with the wordprocessing application program, and so forth. Thus, users who choose not to organize their documents according to subject matter or other criteria end up having their documents dispersed across numerous application-program folders, sometimes making them difficult to find. Accordingly, the inventors devised a computer operating system that defines a common default document folder for application programs. Moreover, to promote use of the default document folder, one embodiment of the operating system includes a graphical user interface which provides links, that is, one-button access to the common default folder, at file access points, such as in file-open and file-save dialog boxes accessed by the application programs.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for a computer, comprising:

a screen;

a predetermined file-container icon displayed on the screen;

one or more registered or unregistered application programs; and

one or more operating system provided file-operation dialog boxes accessed by any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs when any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed, wherein said operating system provided file-operation dialog boxes are defined independently of the one or more application programs to specify a file containers associated with the predetermined file-container icon as a default document container for files related to the one or more application programs.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, further comprising a destination menu item associated with a file to permit the file to be moved or copied to the file container associated with the file-container icon.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the predetermined file-container icon has an associated name “

My Documents.”

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein one or more of the operating system provided file-operation dialog boxes are associated with a file open or file save operation.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the computer is running a version of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

6. A computerized system comprising:

a predetermined file-storage container;

one or more registered or unregistered application programs; and

an operating system which defines the predetermined file-storage container as a default file-storage container on file-operation dialog windows when accessed by any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs when any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed.

7. The computerized system of claim 6, further comprising a master file containing global information pertinent to the computer system, such that information regarding a physical storage device to which the predetermined file-storage container relates is stored therein.

8. The computerized system of claim 7, further comprising a shell registry which stores the master file.

9. The computerized system of claim 7, wherein the master file is accessible by a network administrator over a computer network of which the computerized system is a part such that the network administrator is able to change the information regarding the physical storage device over the network.

10. The computerized system of claim 6, wherein the operating system comprises a version of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

11. The computerized system of claim 6, wherein the predetermined file-storage container is named “

My Documents.”

12. A method of operating a computer system including one or more registered or unregistered applications and an operating system, the method comprising:

when any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed;

determining whether one of the applications has specifeid a folder for storing files related to the one application;

determining whether the one application has redirected file storage from the folder to a current folder; and

determining whether files within the current folder are of one or more particular types; and

setting a default for storing, files related to the one application, wherein the operating system sets the default folder, provided that the one application has not specified a folder, that the one application has not redirected file storage to the current folder, and that no file stored within the current folder is of the one or more particular types.

13. A computer comprising:

a processor;

a memory;

one or more registered or unregistered application programs; and

an operation system executed by the processor from the memory to provide a predetermined file-storage folder as a default folder on file operation dialog boxes accessed by any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs when any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed, wherein the file operation dialog boxes are defined independently of the application programs.

14. A computer-readable medium having an operating system stored thereon for execution on a computer to provide a predetermined file-storage folder as a default application programs when an of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed, wherein the file operation dialog boxes are defined independently of the one or more computer application programs.

15. An operating system comprising one or more file-management modules defined to provide a default file-storage folder to one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed, wherein the one or more file-management modules are defined independently of the one or more computer application programs.

16. An operating system comprising a graphical user interface which includes:

a desktop that provides access to a predetermined file-storage container and to one or more registered or unregistered application programs; and

one or more file-operations windows accessed by registered or unregistered application programs when any of said one or more register or unregistered application programs are executed, wherein each file-operations window includes a link to the desktop.

17. A computer system for executing one or more registered or unregistered applications and an operating system, the system comprising:

when any of said one or more registered or unregistered application programs are executed;

means for determining whether one of the applications has specified a folder for storing files related to the one application;

means for determining whether the one application has redirected file storage from the folder to a current folder;

means for determining whether files within the current folder are of one or more particular types; and

operating system means for automatically setting a default folder for storing files related to the one application, provided that the one application has not specified a folder for storing files, that the application has nor redirected file storage to the current folder, and that no file stored within the current folder is of the one or more particular types.