Sending a file as a link and/or as an attachment

• US 6,687,741 B1
• Filed: 05/24/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Olsen, Thomas W., McAteer, Sean E., Ramaley, Alan, Tharamal, Suresh
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLINGER, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US09/577,651
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/206, 709/219, 709/232, 709/238, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A desktop application program provides a single entry point for indicating that a file is to be sent to a recipient. In response to an indication that the file is to be sent, a determination is automatically made as to whether the file should be sent as a link, as an attachment, or as both a link and an attachment. If the file has not been saved to a disk location or if the file has not been saved to a shared disk location, the file is sent as an attachment to an e-mail note. If the file has been saved to a shared disk location, the file is sent to the recipient as a link in an e-mail note. In order to determine if the file saved to the shared disk location should also be sent as an attachment, a registry is checked for a send preference regarding shared files. If a send preference indicates that shared files are to be sent as attachments, the file is sent as both a link and an attachment. If a send preference indicates that shared files are not to be sent as attachment, the file is sent only as a link. If the sender has not previously indicated a send preference, the sender may be prompted to input a signal indicating whether the file is to be sent as an attachment. A send preference may be created in response to the signal, if the sender so desires.

Claims

1. A method for sending a file opened in a desktop application program from a sender to a recipient comprising:

within the desktop application program, receiving an indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient;

in response to the indication that the file is to be sent, determining whether the file has been saved to a shared disk location;

in response to a determination that the file has been saved to the shared disk location, checking a registry in order to determine that the sender has previously indicated a send preference for sending shared files; and

in response to a determination that the send preference indicates that shared files are to be sent as attachments;

launching an e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create an e-mail note,

attaching a copy of the file to the e-mail note,

inserting a link to the shared disk location in a body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

2. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises in response to a determination that that send preference indicates that shared files are to be sent only as links:

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

inserting the link to the shared disk location in the body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

4. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 3.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to a determination that the file has not been saved to the shared disk location,

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of the file to the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

6. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 5.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a determination that the file has not been saved to the shared disk location, determining that the file has not been saved to a disk location; and

in response to determining that the file has not been saved to the disk location;

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of the file to the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

8. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 7.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient is received via a user interface having a single entry point;

and

wherein the indication does not specify whether the file is to be sent as an attachment or as the link.

10. A method for sending a file created in a desktop application program from a sender to a recipient comprising:

within the desktop application program, receiving an indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient;

in response to the indication that the file is to be sent, determining whether the file has been saved to a disk location;

if the file has been saved to the disk location, determining whether the disk location is a shared disk location;

in response to a determination that the file has not been saved to the disk location or a determination that the disk location is not a shared disk location;

launching an e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create an e-mail note,

attaching a copy of the file to the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient;

in response to a determination that the disk location is a shared disk location, checking a registry in order to determine if the sender has previously indicated a send preference for sending shared files;

in response to a determination that the sender has not previously indicated the send preference, prompting the sender to input a signal indicating whether the copy of the file is to be attached; and

in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is to be attached;

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of file to the e-mail note,

inserting a link to the shared disk location in a body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

11. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 10.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising in response to the determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is to be attached, setting the send preference to indicate that shared files are to be sent as attachments and as links.

13. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 12.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is not to be attached:

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

inserting the link to the shared disk location in the body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is not to be attached, setting the send preference to indicate that shared files are to be sent only as links.

16. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 15.

17. A computer system for sending a file opened in a desktop application program from a sender to a recipient comprising:

a memory for storing the desktop application, the file, and an e-mail application program;

an input device for generating an indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient; and

a processing unit in communication with the input device and the memory for executing the desktop application program, the e-mail application program, and computer-executable instructions for;

receiving from the desktop application program the indication that the file is to be sent;

in response to the indication that the file is to be sent, determining whether the file has been saved to a shared disk location;

in response to a determination that the file has been saved to the shared disk location, checking a registry in order to determine that the sender has previously indicated a send preference for sending shared files; and

in response to a determination that the send preference indicates that shared files are to be sent as attachments;

launching an e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create an e-mail note,

attaching a copy of the file to the e-mail note,

inserting a link to the shared disk location in a body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions in response to a determination that send preference indicates that shared files are to be sent only as links:

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

inserting the link to the shared disk location in the body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions for response to a determination that the file has not been saved to the shared disk location,

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of the file to the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions for:

in response to a determination that the file has not been saved to the shared disk location, determining that the file has not been saved to a disk location; and

in response to determining that the file has not been saved to the disk location;

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of the file to the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display device for displaying a user interface having a single entry point;

wherein the indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient is received via the user interface; and

wherein the indication does not specify whether the file is to be sent as an attachment or as the link.

22. A computer system for sending a file opened in a desktop application program from a sender to a recipient comprising:

a memory for storing the desktop application, the file, and an e-mail application program;

an input device for generating an indication that the file is to be sent from the sender to the recipient; and

a processing unit in communication with the input device and the memory for executing the desktop application program, the e-mail application program, and computer-executable instructions for;

receiving from the desktop application program the indication that the file is to be sent;

in response to the indication that the file is to be sent, determining whether the file has been saved to a shared disk location;

in response to a determination that the file has been saved to the shared disk location, prompting the sender to input a signal indicating whether the copy of the file is to be attached; and

in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is to be attached;

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

attaching the copy of file to the e-mail note,

inserting a link to the shared disk location in a body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions in response to the determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is to be attached, setting a send preference to indicate that shared files are to be sent as attachments and as links.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions for in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is not to be attached:

launching the e-mail application program,

instructing the e-mail application program to create the e-mail note,

inserting the link to the shared disk location in the body of the e-mail note, and

instructing the e-mail application program to send the e-mail note to the recipient.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the processing unit further executes computer-executable instructions for in response to a determination that the signal indicates that the copy of the file is not to be attached, setting a send preference to indicate that shared files are to be sent only as links.