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 email attachment management, said system including:
an email application; and
an email attachment management application, wherein said email attachment management application is usable using said email application without leaving said email application.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to configure an email attachment compression option using said email application.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to compress an archive using said email application.
4 . The system of claim 3 compressing said archive includes compressing contents of said archive.
5 . The system of claim 4 wherein said contents of said archive includes a file.
6 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to modify an archive using said email application.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein modifying said archive includes modifying a file in said archive.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to access contents of an archive using said email application.
9 . The system of claim 8 wherein accessing an archive includes viewing contents of said archive.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to configure an email attachment security option using said email application.
11 . The system of claim 10 wherein said email attachment security option is encryption.
12 . The system of claim 10 wherein said email attachment security option is digital signing.
13 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to encrypt an archive.
14 . The system of claim 13 wherein encrypting said archive includes encrypting contents of said archive.
15 . The system of claim 14 wherein said contents of said archive includes a file.
16 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email attachment management application allows a user to digitally sign an archive.
17 . The system of claim 16 wherein digitally signing said archive includes digitally signing contents of said archive.
18 . The system of claim 17 wherein said contents of said archive includes a file.
19 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on a personal computer.
20 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on a portable device.
21 . The system of claim 20 wherein said portable device is a wireless device.
22 . The system of claim 20 wherein said portable device is a portable digital assistant.
23 . The system of claim 20 wherein said portable device is a portable music playing device.
24 . The system of claim 23 wherein said portable music playing device allows replay of pre-recorded music.
25 . The system of claim 20 wherein said portable device is a portable storage device.
26 . The system of claim 25 wherein said portable storage device operates using a Universal Serial Bus.
27 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on a telephonic device.
28 . The system of claim 27 wherein said email application operates on a cellular phone.
29 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on a gaming device.
30 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on an electronic game device.
31 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on a television system.
32 . The system of claim 31 wherein said email application operates on a satellite television system.
33 . The system of claim 31 wherein said email application operates on a cable television system.
34 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application operates on an image capture device.
35 . The system of claim 34 wherein said image capture device is a camera.
36 . The system of claim 34 wherein said image capture device is a video recorder.
37 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application is one of Microsoft Outlook.
38 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application is Lotus Notes.
39 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application is Thunderbird.
40 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application is Versamail.
41 . The system of claim 1 wherein said email application is Novell Groupwise.
42 . A method for viewing the contents of a .ZIP archive e-mail attachment, said method including:
providing a user interface using an e-mail management application;
providing a .ZIP archive management application; and
operating said .ZIP archive management application to form an enhanced version of said e-mail management application, wherein said enhanced version of said e-mail management application allows a user to view contents of a .ZIP archive e-mail attachment using said user interface.
43 . A method for accessing a file in a .ZIP archive e-mail attachment, said method including:
providing a user interface using an e-mail management application;
providing a .ZIP archive management application; and
operating said .ZIP archive management application to form an enhanced version of said e-mail management application, wherein said enhanced version of said e-mail management application allows a user to access a file in a .ZIP archive e-mail attachment using said user interface.