Native file to shared resource locator naming
View Patent ↗File and folder names are converted between their native format and a shared resource locator format. To send information on a file or folder, the file or folder name is parsed into various components and those components are converted to components in the shared resource locator. Sufficient information is provided in the shared resource locator to allow receiving software to develop the proper full native file or folder name, irrelevant of the receiving system, be it having different native formats, different drive letters and the like. A user need only click on a file or folder and a shared resource locator string is provided for pasting into emails or documents. Clicking on a shared resource locator results in the operating system automatically opening the file or folder from its shared location without manual conversions and the like.
1. A method for providing a pathname for a jointly accessible file location from a first user, where the pathname is in a first user format and includes a component individual to the first user and a component common to all users, to a second user, where the pathname is in a second user format and includes a component individual to the second user and a component common to all users, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the pathname of the first user;
determining a transferable value for the first user individual component of the first user pathname;
determining the common component of the first user pathname; and
combining said transferable value and said common component to develop a shared resource locator in a shared resource locator format which can be provided to the second user,
wherein the step of determining a transferable value includes:
determining a scheme value;
determining if the first user individual component includes folder owner information;
if folder owner information is present, determining an owner value for inclusion in said shared resource locator; and
combining said scheme value and said owner value to form said transferable value.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of combining includes:
performing special character conversions between the first user format and shared resource locator format.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said special character conversions include conversions between forward and backward slashes.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said special character conversions include percent encoding special characters present in the first user pathname which cannot be represented in said shared resource locator.
5. A method for providing a pathname for a jointly accessible file location from a first user, where the pathname is in a first user format and includes a component individual to the first user and a component common to all users, to a second user, where the pathname is in a second user format and includes a component individual to the second user and a component common to all users, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving the pathname of the first user;
determining a transferable value for the first user individual component of the first user pathname;
determining the common component of the first user pathname;
combining said transferable value and said common component to develop a shared resource locator in a shared resource locator format which can be provided to the second user;
providing said shared resource locator to the second user;
receiving said shared resource locator from the first user;
determining said transferable value and common component of said shared resource locator;
determining a second user individual component from said transferable value;
combining said second user individual value component and said common component to develop the second user pathname; and
providing the second user pathname for use by the second user.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said step of combining to develop the second user pathname includes:
performing special character conversions between the shared resource locator format and the second user format.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said special character conversions include conversions between forward and backward slashes.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said special character conversions include converting percent encoded special characters to special characters usable in the second user pathname.
9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of determining a second user individual component includes:
determining a scheme value;
determining a local drive value based on said scheme value;
determining if said transferable value includes an owner value;
if an owner value is present, determining folder owner information for inclusion in the second user pathname; and
combining said local drive value and said folder owner information to form said second user individual component.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said local drive value is a drive letter.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said local drive value is a mount point.
12. A method for providing a pathname for a jointly accessible file location from a first user, where the pathname is in a first user format and includes a component individual to the first user and a component common to all users, to a second user, where the pathname is in a second user format and includes a component individual to the second user and a component common to all users, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a shared resource locator from the first user, said shared resource locator having a shared resource locator format and including a transferable value and a common component;
determining said transferable value and common component of said shared resource locator;
determining a second user individual component from said transferable value;
combining said second user individual value component and said common component to develop the second user pathname; and
providing the second user pathname for use by the second user.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said step of combining to develop the second user pathname includes:
performing special character conversions between the shared resource locator format and the second user format.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said special character conversions include conversions between forward and backward slashes.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said special character conversions include converting percent encoded special characters to special characters usable in the second user pathname.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of determining a second user individual component includes:
determining a scheme value;
determining a local drive value based on said scheme value;
determining if said transferable value includes an owner value;
if an owner value is present, determining folder owner information for inclusion in the second user pathname; and
combining said local drive value and said folder owner information to form said second user individual component.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said local drive value is a drive letter.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said local drive value is a mount point.
19. A computer-readable storage medium or media storing computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in any one of claims 1 , 2 - 4 and 5 - 18 .