Patent Application
20070185970
IBM® is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., U.S.A. Other names used herein may be registered trademarks, trademarks or product names of International Business Machines Corporation or other companies.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic communications, and more particularly to a method, system, and computer program product for implementing messaging services.
2. Description of Background
Various messaging applications are widely utilized for implementing electronic communications. Messaging applications, such as an email client, enable individuals to send and receive file attachments along with the email messages. Typically, when an individual seeks to delete a message (e.g., from an email inbox), the individual selects the message to be removed, followed by a “delete” option. However, if the message contains an attachment, the attachment will also be removed from the message folder as part of the “delete” process. There may be instances, however, where the individual does not wish to delete the attachment along with the message.
What is needed, therefore, is a way to provide a user of a messaging application the capability to save message attachments during the process of deleting a message with minimal input on the part of the user.
The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method for implementing messaging services. The method includes receiving a request to delete a message from a computer system, the message including an attachment. In response to receiving the request, the method includes providing a user of the computer system with an option to save the attachment and an option to delete the attachment along with the message. If the user selects the option to delete the attachment, the method includes sending the message to a messaging system trash folder and sending the attachment to an operating system trash folder. If the user selects the option to save the attachment, the method includes separating the message from the attachment and prompting the user to select an operating system storage location in which to save the attachment. In response to receiving the selected storage location, the method includes saving a copy of the attachment in the selected operating system storage location and sending the message to the messaging system trash folder.
System and computer program products corresponding to the above-summarized methods are also described and claimed herein.
Additional features and advantages are realized through the techniques of the present invention. Other embodiments and aspects of the invention are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed invention. For a better understanding of the invention with advantages and features, refer to the description and to the drawings.
As a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved a solution which enables a user of a messaging application to specify, during a process of deletion, whether or not to save an attachment associated with a message that has been selected for deletion and, if the user desires to save the attachment, the solution enables the user to specify a particular folder or location in storage in which to save the attachment.
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments, a method, system, and computer program product for implementing messaging services is provided. The messaging services enable a user of a messaging application to save message attachments during the process of deleting a message with minimal input or intervention on the part of the user.
Turning now to
As indicated above, the computer system 102 includes internal memory for storing data, files, documents, images, etc. In exemplary embodiments, the memory stores messaging folders 106 provided by the messaging application 104. Messaging folders 106 may include an inbox, outbox, trash folder, draft folder, etc. Messaging folders 106 are managed by messaging application 104 and/or messaging attachment application 110. The internal memory also includes one or more operating system folders 107 for storing files (e.g., C drive folders, trash bin folders, recycle bin folders, etc., which are managed by an operating system of the computer system). Attachments selected for deletion are stored in operating system folders 107 as will be described further herein.
Computer system 102 is communicatively coupled to one or more networks (e.g., networks 108). Networks 108, in turn, may include one or more messaging servers (e.g., email servers—not shown) that receive and route messages among various network entities, such as computer system 102. For example, messaging servers used in processing email messages include SMTP, POP3, and IMAP. Messages, as used herein, refer to electronic communications such as emails, and may include text, images, video, audio, multi-media, etc.
Messaging attachment application 110 is also executing on computer system 102. Messaging attachment application 110 facilitates the messaging services described herein. Messaging attachment application 110 may be a “plug-in” application or application programming interface (API) for a general-purpose messaging system, such as messaging application 104. Alternatively, messaging attachment application 110 and messaging application 104 may comprise a single application. As shown in the system of
A sender of an email message utilizes messaging application 104 to compose the message, which typically includes a recipient name and address, a subject line, and a body of text. The messaging application 104 enables the sender to include an attachment by, e.g., selecting an icon provided on the messaging application toolbar. When the message and attachment bundle is sent out by the messaging application, the attachment is encoded and combined with the message before being transmitted over a network. A receiving server (e.g., POP3 or IMAP) separates the attachment from the message body and decodes the attachment. The attachment may be stored in a separate holding location from the message body on the network. However, the attachment and the message are treated as a single file by the messaging application 104 for purposes of storing, accessing, and disposing of the attachment.
Also shown in the system of
As indicated above, any type of network-enabled processing device that is capable of engaging in messaging transactions may be employed by the messaging services (e.g., personal digital assistant, cellular telephone, pager, LAN server, etc.). Thus, the computer desktop device 102 depicted in
Turning now to
At step 202, the messaging application 104 receives a request to delete a message (e.g., email message 112) from a user of computer system 102. The request may be implemented by selecting an option provided by the messaging application 104 and/or the messaging attachment application 110. This option is shown in a user interface screen 300 depicted in
At step 204, the messaging attachment application 110 identifies the message to be deleted and checks to see if the message includes an attachment (e.g., 306). If not, the messaging attachment application 104 sends the message to a trash folder (i.e., one of messaging folders 106) at step 206.
If, however, the message includes an attachment, the user is given an opportunity to save the attachment (e.g., 306). This may be implemented by prompting the user e.g., via a display query, such as “Do You Want to Save the Attached File?” (not shown) in the message window 302 at step 208. If the user declines to save the attachment 306 in response to the prompt, the messaging attachment application 110 sends the message 304 and the attachment 306 to the trash folders (e.g., folders 106 and 107 respectively) at step 210.
If the user desires to save the attachment 306 in response to the prompt, the messaging attachment application 110 separates the attachment 306 from the message 304 and queries the user to specify a location (e.g., one of folders 107) for storing the attachment at step 212, a sample of which is shown in subwindow 310 of
In alternative exemplary embodiments, a user may choose to directly delete an attachment via the messaging services. As shown in a sample user interface screen 400 of
The capabilities of the present invention can be implemented in software, firmware, hardware or some combination thereof.
As one example, one or more aspects of the present invention can be included in an article of manufacture (e.g., one or more computer program products) having, for instance, computer usable media. The media has embodied therein, for instance, computer readable program code means for providing and facilitating the capabilities of the present invention. The article of manufacture can be included as a part of a computer system or sold separately.
Additionally, at least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform the capabilities of the present invention can be provided.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are just examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For instance, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
