System and method for offline editing of data files

• US 7,490,109 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Narendran, Arungundram, Pavlicic, Miladin, Jha, Rajesh K., Sikchi, Prakash, Yiu, Kelvin S., Barac, Dragos
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US11/276,585
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/104.1, 707/4, 707/100, 707/200, 717/100, 717/101, 717/121
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system and method that enables a user to edit a data file offline is described. This system and method can enable a user to edit a data file without the user having to discover or deploy a solution application governing the data file. For security, this system and method can deploy a solution application within a sandbox, thereby limiting the operations the solution application can perform.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving input to open a data file written in a mark-up language and having a solution;

discovering, without user interaction, the solution in an offline memory source;

deploying, without user interaction, the solution; and

opening the data file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deploying is within a sandbox.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein discovering the solution includes discovering a solution identifier in the data file, computing a special name from the solution identifier, and discovering the solution using the special name.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to deploying the solution;

updating the solution discovered in the offline memory source with a newer solution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data file includes primarily data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the solution includes a presentation application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the solution includes a logic application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein opening the data file is performed with the solution and produces an electronic form.

9. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that perform the method of claim 1 when executed by a computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mark-up language is XML.

11. A method comprising:

receiving input to open a data file having a solution previously received from an online memory source;

discovering a solution identifier in the data file;

computing a special name corresponding to the solution identifier;

searching local memory for the special name; and

installing the solution found in a folder in the local memory and having the special name.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

opening the data file using the installed solution.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the special name is unique.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that perform the method of claim 11 when executed by a computer.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the data file is written in a mark-up language.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mark-up language comprises XML.

17. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a representation of a data file governed by a solution application received from an online memory source;

means for selecting the data file;

means for discovering and deploying, without user interaction, the solution application governing the data file from an offline memory source;

means for displaying an electronic form representing a product of the solution application and the data file;

means for enabling a user to enter information into the electronic form;

means for receiving information entered into the electronic form; and

means for altering the data file to reflect the information received.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the data file is written in a mark-up language.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mark-up language comprises XML.