Methods, computer program products, and systems for automatically synchronizing directory structures across different applications

• US 9,465,809 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huslak, Nicholas S., Carter, Sharon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Son T
• Application Number:
  US14/936,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20160063028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 337 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/113 Details of archiving lifecycle management in storage systems G06F3/0649; backup systems G06F11/1446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

Directory structures of a messaging application and a personal file manager application are synchronized. A designated layer in the directory structure of the messaging application is associated with the designated layer in the directory structure of the personal file manager application. Each time a folder is created or an existing folder is modified or deleted in the designated layer in the directory structure of the messaging application, a corresponding folder is created, modified, or deleted in the designated layer in the directory structure of the personal file manager application and vice versa. Files or links to files are created in the folders of the messaging application to correspond to files or links to files within folders in the personal file manager application, and vice versa. A folder (and its contents) is deleted in the messaging application to correspond to deletions in the personal file manager application, and vice versa.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing directory structures, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a first computing device on which a first application having a first directory structure resides, a second directory structure of a second application residing on a second computing device;

associating, by the processor, the first directory structure with the second directory structure; and

responsive to a change in the first directory structure including a change in a first file of the first directory structure, causing an offer to select between at least two options to be presented for display via the second computing device, wherein the two options include;

i) a copying option to copy the first file to the second directory structure and ii) a creating a link option to create a link to the first file in the second directory structure;

wherein, responsive to selection of the copying option, the first file is copied to the second directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the creating the link option, the link to the first file is created in the second directory structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to a change in the second directory structure including a change in a second file of the second directory, causing another offer to select between at least two other options to be presented for display via the second computing device, wherein the two other options include;

i) another copying option to copy the second file to the first directory structure and ii) another creating a link option to create a link to the second file in the first directory structure;

wherein responsive to selection of the other copying option, the second file is copied to the first directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the other creating the link option, the link to the second file is created in the first directory structure.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in the second directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is distinct from the second application.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first application is a messaging application, and the second application is a personal file manager application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the change in the first directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, a third directory structure of a third application residing on a third computing device; and

associating, by the processor, the third directory structure with the first directory structure of the first application residing on the first computing device.

8. A computer-readable storage device residing on a first computing device having a first application with a first directory structure, the computer-readable storage device comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for synchronizing directory structures, comprising:

receiving a second directory structure of a second application residing on a second computing device;

associating the first directory structure with the second directory structure; and

responsive to a change in the first directory structure including a change in a first file of the first directory structure, causing an offer to select between at least two options to be presented for display via the second computing device, wherein the two options include;

i) a copying option to copy the first file to the second directory structure and ii) a creating a link option to create a link to the first file in the second directory structure;

wherein, responsive to selection of the copying option, the first file is copied to the second directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the creating the link option, the link to the first file is created in the second directory structure.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a change in the second directory structure, the change including a change in a second file of the second directory structure, causing another offer to select between at least two other options be displayed via the second computing, wherein the two other options include;

i) another copying option to copy the second file to the first directory structure and ii) another creating a link option to create a link to the second file in the first directory structure;

wherein responsive to selection of the other copying option, the second file is copied to the first directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the other creating the link option, the link to the second file is created in the first directory structure.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the first application is a messaging application, and the second application is a personal file manager application.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the change in the second directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the first application is distinct from the second application.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the change in the first directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a third directory structure of a third application residing on a third computing device; and

associating the third directory structure with the first directory structure of the first application residing on the first computing device.

15. A computing device comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a hardware memory having stored thereon a first application having a first directory structure and instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor of the computing device, cause the hardware processor to perform operations for synchronizing directory structures, comprising;

receiving a second directory structure of a second application residing on another computing device;

associating the first directory structure with the second directory structure; and

responsive to a change in the first directory structure including a change in a first file of the first directory structure, causing an offer to select between at least two options to be presented for display via the other computing device, wherein the two options include;

i) a copying option to copy the first file to the second directory structure and ii) a creating a link option to create a link to the first file in the second directory structure;

wherein, responsive to selection of the copying option, the first file is copied to the second directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the creating the link option, the link to the first file is created in the second directory structure.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to a change in the second directory structure, the change including a change in a second file of the second directory structure, causing another offer to select between at least two other options be displayed via the other computing device, wherein the two other options include;

i) another copying option to copy the second file to the first directory structure and ii) another creating a link option to create a link to the second file in the first directory structure;

wherein responsive to selection of the other copying option, the second file is copied to the first directory structure; and

wherein responsive to selection of the other creating the link option, the link to the second file is created in the first directory structure.

17. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first application is distinct from the second application.

18. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the first application is a messaging application, and the second application is a personal file manager application.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the change in the first directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.

20. The computing device of claim 16, wherein the change in the second directory structure includes at least one of addition of a sub directory comprising directory contents and creation of a folder.