Autocomplete method and apparatus for data file selection

• US 6,751,603 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 06/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bauer, Mathias, Höger, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Channavajjala, Srirama
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/572,717
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/100, 707/6, 345/700, 709/203
• 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 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

A method for identifying one file in a plurality of files facilitates a user rapidly selecting the file. In an input operation, at least one character that was input by a user is received. In a find file operation, the method compares an input character string that is, or that includes, the at least one character with each individual data file name of a plurality of data file names. The find file operation identifies individual data files names that include a character string that corresponds to, i.e., matches, the input character string. A send to display operation sends at least one of the identified individual data file names to a display unit, which in turn displays the sent information to the user, i.e., suggests an individual data file name to the user. If the user accepts the suggested individual data file name via one input order action forwarded, the selected file is processed as desired by the user. Alternatively, the user can scroll through the identified individual data file names and selected the desired file, or input another character in which case the autocomplete process is automatically repeated.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a data file with an individual data file name from a plurality of data files each having an individual data file name, said method comprising:

receiving a string of at least one character,

comparing said string of at least one character with each of said individual data file names of said plurality of data files to identify individual data file names corresponding in their first characters to said string of at least one character,

sending at least one of said identified individual data file names to a display unit wherein upon display, said at least one of said identified individual data file names is a suggested individual data file name, and a portion of said at least one of said identified individual data file names is selected, and

receiving an acceptance or rejection of said suggested individual data file name made via one input order action.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein all of said identified individual data file names are sent to said display unit and any of said displayed individual data file names may be accepted or rejected wherein said user issues a rejection input order action to view a next identified individual data file name.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending another of said identified individual data file names to said display unit wherein upon rejection of said suggested individual data file name, said another of said identified individual data file names is suggested, and a portion of said another of said identified individual data file names different from said string of at least one character is selected.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein all of said identified individual data file names comply with at least one filtering criterion.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said filtering criterion is a data file type.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of said identified individual data file names are sent to said display unit in an order determined by a listing function.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said listing function determines said order according to the date of last handling of said data files corresponding to said identified individual data file names.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said individual data file names include directory names.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a structure is sent to said display unit in which at least said identified data files are shown in their hierarchical order.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said acceptance or rejection is rejection, and further wherein said method further comprises receiving another character and combining said another character with said string of at least one character to form a new string in response to said one input order action.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising repeating said comparing, sending, and receiving operations using said new string.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing is multi-threaded.

13. A memory having an autocomplete process stored therein, wherein upon execution of the autocomplete process, the autocomplete process comprises:

receiving a string of at least one character,

comparing said string of at least one character with each of said individual data file names of a plurality of data files to identify individual data file names corresponding in their first characters to said string of at least one character,

sending at least one of said identified individual data file names to a display unit wherein upon display of the at least one of said identified individual data file names as a suggested individual data file name, a portion of said at least one of said identified individual data file names different from said string of at least one character is selected, and

receiving an acceptance or rejection of said suggested individual data file name made via one input order action.

14. The memory of claim 13, wherein said stored autocomplete method is transferred from said memory to another memory.

15. The memory of claim 14, wherein said transfer comprises a download over a communications network.

16. The memory of claim 13, wherein said autocomplete method further comprises sending another of said identified individual data file names to said display unit wherein upon rejection of said suggested individual data file name, said another of said identified individual data file names is suggested, and a portion of said another of said identified individual data file names different from said string of at least one character is selected.

17. A computer system comprising:

means for receiving a string of at least one character,

means for comparing said string of at least one character with each of said individual data file names of said plurality of data files to identify individual data file names corresponding in their first characters to said string of at least one character,

means for sending at least one of said identified individual data file names to a display unit, wherein upon display of said at least one of said identified individual data file names, said at least one of said identified individual data file names is a suggested individual data file name, and

means for receiving an acceptance or rejection of said suggested individual data file name made via one

input order action.

18. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having an autocomplete method stored therein, wherein upon execution of the autocomplete method, the autocomplete method comprises;

receiving a string of at least one character,

comparing said string of at least one character with each of said individual data file names of said plurality of data files to identify individual data file names corresponding in their first characters to said string of at least one character,

sending at least one of said identified individual data file names to a display unit, wherein upon display of said at least one of said identified individual data file names, said at least one of said identified individual data file names is a suggested individual data file name, and

receiving an acceptance or rejection of said suggested individual data file name made via one input order action.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said system is a client-server system.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said processor and said memory are in a first device, and said display and input unit are for a second device different from said first device.