System and method for manipulating and managing computer archive files
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an archive management application that operates within a host application to provide access to an archive and/or allow access to and/or modification of files in an archive using the host application's interface, instead of operating as a separate standalone archive management application. In an embodiment of the present invention, a file archiving system may include a user interface component, a file management component and a compression/extraction engine component. The user interface component may include an enhanced user interface of a host application that provides an interface for a user. The file management component may include a central directory that provides a representation of the contents of an archive. The compression/extraction engine component may include a file size module and/or a security module. The file size module may be used to compress and/or decompress a file in an archive. The security module may be used to encrypt, decrypt, digitally sign and/or authenticate a file in an archive.
1 . A system for archive management, said system including:
a software application; and
an archive management application providing an archive management function within said software application, wherein said archive management application is usable using said software application without leaving said software application.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein said archive management application is usable using a user interface of said software application.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on a personal computer.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on a portable device.
5 . The system of claim 4 wherein said portable device is a wireless device.
6 . The system of claim 4 wherein said portable device is a portable digital assistant.
7 . The system of claim 4 wherein said portable device is a portable music playing device.
8 . The system of claim 7 wherein said portable music playing device allows replay of pre-recorded music.
9 . The system of claim 4 wherein said portable device is a portable storage device.
10 . The system of claim 9 wherein said portable storage device operates using a Universal Serial Bus.
11 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on a telephonic device.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein said software application operates on a cellular phone.
13 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on a gaming device.
14 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on an electronic game device.
15 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on a television system.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein said software application operates on a satellite television system.
17 . The system of claim 15 wherein said software application operates on a cable television system.
18 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application operates on an image capture device.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein said image capture device is a camera.
20 . The system of claim 18 wherein said image capture device is a video recorder.
21 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application is Microsoft Word
22 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application is Microsoft Access.
23 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application is Microsoft PowerPoint.
24 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application is Microsoft Excel.
25 . The system of claim 1 wherein said software application is Microsoft Open Office.
26 . A system for archive management, said system including:
a software application; and
an archive management application, wherein said archive management application provides at least one archive management operation to said software application without leaving said software application.
27 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on a portable device.
28 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on a telephonic device.
29 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on a gaming device.
30 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on an electronic game device.
31 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on a television system.
32 . The system of claim 26 wherein said software application operates on an image capture device.
33 . A system for extending a set of user-accessible operations provided by a software application, said system including:
a software application, said software application associated with a set of user-accessible operations; and
an archive management application, wherein said archive management application adds at least one archive management operation to said set of user-accessible operations provided by said software application.
34 . A system for providing a software application with an archive management operation, said system including:
a software application; and
an archive management application providing an archive management operation,
wherein said archive management operation is supplied by said archive management application to said software application.
35 . A system for archive management, said system including:
a software application; and
an archive management application operating within said software application, wherein said archive management application is usable using said software application without leaving said software application.
36 . A system for providing a software application with an archive management operation, said system including:
a software application; and
an archive management application providing an archive management operation,
wherein said archive management operation is supplied by said archive management application operating within said software application.