Method for queuing files to be sent to an application

Abstract

A method and a computer program product that enable files in a file directory to be queued or marked prior to “sending” the files to a common application. A background operating system (OS) is enhanced by including a set of queue functions/options for selection when a file is selected within a file directory. Among these additional functions/options are “Queue It”, “Queue Edit”, and “Queue Send To.” These queue functions each represent an action item that may be selected to carry out a specific function/operation on/with one or more pre-selected (or queued) files. The “Queue It” function allows the user to mark one or more file(s) or add the file's location and other parameters to a queue. When there is at least one file in the queue, the “Queue Edit” function allows the user to view, sort, and delete files in the queue. Finally, the “Queue Send To” function triggers the import of the queued and/or selected files into the selected application.

1 . In a data processing system, a method comprising: 
 selecting a first file from within a file directory;    associating the first file with a queue by selecting a first function from a list of available functions for selected files within the file directory;    subsequently selecting a second file from within the file directory;    sending said second file and said first file to an application by selecting a single second function from the list of available functions, wherein the application concurrently imports both the first file placed within the queue and the second file subsequently selected.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising enabling user manipulation of the queue via selection of a third function among the list of available file-operating functions, said user manipulation including one or more of sorting files within the queue and deleting files from the queue.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising providing a selection of sorting methods responsive to a user selecting a sort feature during said user manipulation.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first function and second function are enhancements to an operating system (OS) of the computer system and are installed within code of the OS post manufacture of the OS.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first function is a Queue It function, the second function is a “Queue Send To function, and the third function is a Queue Edit function.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said selecting said second file further comprises: 
 opening a second folder/directory different from the first folder/directory within which the first file is selected;    selecting the second file from the second folder/directory.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 highlighting an entire folder/directory of files;    applying the first function to the highlighted folder/directory, wherein the first function individually queues each file within the folder/directory and sub-folders/sub-directories of the highlighted folder/directory.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 highlighting an entire folder/directory of files;    applying the second function to the highlighted folder/directory, wherein the second function individually imports each file within the highlighted folder/directory into the selected application.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 creating a second queue within which a third file is stored;    choosing among the queue and the second queue when a fourth file is subsequently selected for queuing; and    choosing among the queue and the second queue prior to activating the second function, wherein only the selected queue is sent to the selected application; and    storing the queue not selected for later selection when the user next accesses the file directory.    
   
   
       10 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first function that queues access/identifying data of selected files from a file directory when the first function is applied to a first file that is pre-selected;    providing a second function that enables all files within the queue to be imported into a single user-selected application and opened in the user-selected application; and    providing a third function that enables manipulation of files that have been queued by the first function.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing said first function, second function, and third function within a file queuing utility that may be embedded within code of an OS that enables selection of files within a file directory.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising importing across multiple folders and directories, wherein files of a first folder that have been queued by the first function and files of a second folder that are selected and imported concurrently, and wherein each file placed within the queue and each currently selected file are imported into a single user-selected application via a single application of the second function.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first function that queues access/identifying data of selected files from a file directory, includes program logic for: 
 retrieving from the file directory one or more identifying parameters of the selected files from among a filename, file identification (ID), and file location (or address) within the file directory; and    storing said identifying parameters within a memory construct, wherein said memory construct is a queue.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said first function includes logic for: 
 marking the selected files as previously selected;    enabling subsequently selected files to be marked as currently selected when initially selected and as previously selected following application of the first function to the subsequently selected files; and    wherein a mark displayed by a previously-selected file is distinguishable from that of a currently selected file.    
   
   
       15 . A computer system comprising: 
 an Operating System (OS);    one or more application programs;    a file directory with at least one folder and at least one file within the one folder;    a processor for executing the application code and OS functions;    a file queuing utility associated with the OS that includes program logic for: 
 providing a set of queue functions that may be selectably applied to selected files, said queue functions including a first function that enables queuing of different files selected and queued at different times from the same and different folders during navigation within a file directory, and a second function that enables sending the different files to an application with a single operation after the selections are completed.  
   
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the queue functions comprise: 
 a “Queue It” function that enables a first queuing of a first selected file from a first open folder/directory, then one or more subsequent queuing of other selected files from one of the first open folder/directory or another folder/directory available within the file directory;    a “Queue Send To” function that enables previously queued files along with currently selected files to be sent to and imported by a selected application, wherein the “Queue Send To” function sends the files from a closed folder that was queued as individual files such that the application imports the individual files from the file directory; and    a Queue Edit function that enables a user to manipulate the files stored within the queue, said user manipulation including user deletion and sorting of files within the queue.    
   
   
       17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the “Queue It” function further comprises program logic for enabling selection of an entire closed folder for queuing, wherein selection of a closed folder queues each file within the closed folder individually within the queue.  
   
   
       18 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer readable medium; and    program code on said computer readable medium for enabling queuing of different files selected from one or more folders and queued at different times during navigation within a file directory, and sending the different files to an application with a single operation after the selections are completed.    
   
   
       19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , said code comprising code for implementing one or more of: 
 a “Queue It” function that enables a first queuing of a first selected file from a first open folder/directory, then one or more subsequent queuing of other selected files from one of the first open folder/directory or another folder/directory available within the file directory;    a “Queue Send To” function that enables previously queued files along with currently selected files to be sent to and imported by a selected application; and    a “Queue Edit” function that enables a user to manipulate the files stored within the queue, including user deletion and sorting of files within the queue.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the “Queue It” function further comprises program code for: 
 selecting an entire closed folder for queuing, wherein selection of a closed folder queues each file within the closed folder individually within the queue; and    sending the files from a closed folder that was queued as individual files such that the application imports the individual files from the file directory.    
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein said program code further comprises code for providing operating system (OS) functionality including a graphical user interface for a file directory with drop down windows displaying the available queue functions when a file/folder is selected within the file directory.