Hidden document data removal
Technology for finding and acting on hidden data contained in documents generated by a user in productivity applications is disclosed. The technology uses a user configurable document release policy file and a document inspector which parses a document file based on the configuration policy and either presents options to the user to make changes, implements changes automatically, or both, based on the policy definition. A method implemented at least in part by a computing device includes loading a user defined document policy configuration including data types identified as hidden data. A document is then parsed for the defined hidden data and a policy defined action is executed on the hidden data in the document in accordance with the document policy configuration.
1 . A method implemented at least in part by a computing device, comprising:
loading a user defined document policy configuration including data types identified as hidden data;
parsing a document for the hidden data; and
executing a policy defined action on the hidden data in the document in accordance with the document policy configuration.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the user defined document policy includes a data type and a policy defined action associated with each data type.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing occurs in an application program suitable for generating said document.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the policy defined action includes automatically deleting the hidden data.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the policy defined action includes presenting an edit interface to a user in an application program suitable for generating said document.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the step of presenting includes marking the hidden data in a user discernable manner.
7 . The method of claim 5 wherein the step of presenting includes providing a list of hidden data in the document, the list including a link redirecting the application program to display the hidden data in a user interface of the application.
8 . The method of claim 5 wherein the list includes a remove link causing the application program to delete the data.
9 . The method of claim 5 wherein the method includes the step of receiving an edit to the hidden data and updating the list based on the edit.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the document policy definition is in XML format.
11 . A method implemented at least in part by a document generation application program in a computing device, comprising:
loading a user defined document policy configuration;
parsing a document for hidden data as defined in the document policy configuration; and
providing a list of the hidden data in an interface to the user, the interface including a link to the hidden data in the document
12 . The method of claim 11 further including the step of automatically executing a policy defined action on the hidden data.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the step of providing includes marking the hidden data in the document generation application program in a user discernable manner.
14 . The method of claim 11 wherein the list includes a remove link causing the application program to delete the hidden data.
15 . The method of claim 11 wherein the method includes the step of receiving an edit to the hidden data and updating the list based on the edit.
16 . A computer-readable medium in a computer having computer-executable components including an application program suitable for generating a document, comprising:
a hidden document data policy definition file; and
a policy execution component including a hidden data mark-up component responsive to the document policy definition and a hidden document data defined action execution component instructing the application program.
17 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the data markup component executes with the application program to mark a document in the application program.
18 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 further including a user interface component including a hidden data list generator.
19 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the list generator component includes a link generator attaching hidden data locations in a document to the list.
20 . The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the hidden policy document policy definition file is in an XML format.