Electronic backup of applications
Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. In some implementations, a method is provided. The method includes receiving, while a current view of an application is displayed in a user interface, a first user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view of the application be displayed, retrieve data associated with the history view, determining a presentation format for the data, and displaying the history view in response to the first user input in accordance with the presentation format, the history view including data associated with at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view of the application.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, while a current view of an application user interface is displayed, a first user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view of the application user interface be displayed;
retrieving application backup data associated with the history view;
determining a presentation format for the application backup data, the presentation format defining a particular arrangement of data to be presented in a visual representation of the application user interface;
displaying a user interface including the history view in response to the first user input, the history view including data associated with a display of at least a first visual representation of the application user interface in accordance with the presentation format within the user interface, the first visual representation representing an earlier version of the application user interface, wherein the user can interact with the first visual representation to select one or more elements from within the first visual representation to restore, the earlier version of the current view including a first element;
receiving, while the history view is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view of the application be modified according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element; and
modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view of the application according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element.
2. The method of claim 1 , where the presentation format includes an application interface that is similar to the interface provided in the current view of the application.
3. The method of claim 2 , where generating the history view of the application interface includes generating a simplified application interface.
4. The method of claim 3 , where generating a simplified application interface includes omitting metadata associated with the application interface from display.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a restored items folder in the current application and where modifying the current view of the application includes storing the first element in the restored items folder.
6. A system comprising:
one or more computers operable to present backup data and including:
an application, the application including a user interface providing interaction with data associated with the application;
a backup component configured to store backup data capturing views of the application;
a helper application, the helper application being configured to interpret the backup data in order to generate visual representations for a backup interface including one or more visual representations of an application user interface representing particular backup data of the application wherein the user can interact with the one or more visual representations including selecting one or more elements from within a particular visual representation to restore; and
an interface coupling the backup component and the helper application, the interface providing a communication link between the backup component and the helper application such that a backup user interface can display a captured view of the application.
7. A computer program product, encoded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
receiving, while a current view of an application user interface is displayed, a first user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view of the application user interface be displayed;
retrieving application backup data associated with the history view;
determining a presentation format for the application backup data, the presentation format defining a particular arrangement of data to be presented in a visual representation of the application user interface; and
displaying a user interface including the history view in response to the first user input, the history view including data associated with a display of at least a first visual representation of the application user interface in accordance with the presentation format within the user interface, the first visual representation representing an earlier version of the application user interface, wherein the user can interact with the first visual representation to select one or more elements from within the first visual representation to restore, the earlier version of the current view including a first element;
receiving, while the history view is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view of the application be modified according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element; and
modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view of the application according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element.
8. A system comprising:
one or more computing devices configured to perform operations including:
receiving, while a current view of an application user interface is displayed, a first user input requesting that a history view associated with the current view of the application user interface be displayed;
retrieving application backup data associated with the history view;
determining a presentation format for the application backup data, the presentation format defining a particular arrangement of data to be presented in a visual representation of the application user interface;
displaying a user interface including the history view in response to the first user input, the history view including data associated with a display of at least a first visual representation of the application user interface in accordance with the presentation format within the user interface, the first visual representation representing an earlier version of the application user interface, wherein the user can interact with the first visual representation to select one or more elements from within the first visual representation to restore, the earlier version of the current view including a first element;
receiving, while the history view is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view of the application be modified according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element; and
modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view of the application according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element.