Collection User Interface

Abstract

Collection user interface techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a plurality of inputs are recognized as gestures received via interaction with a user interface to navigate through a file system of a computing device and select representations of objects managed by file system of the computing device, at least two of which are accessible via different devices. In response, copies of the representations are displayed by the computing device in a collection portion of the user interface. An option is output in conjunction with the collection portion by the computing device that is selectable to initiate a command to be performed using the objects that have corresponding representations included in the collection portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 displaying a plurality of representations of objects in a collection portion of a user interface, the displaying of the collection portion persisting during navigation of a namespace to locate the representations of the objects; and   outputting, in the collection portion of the user interface, an option that is selectable to initiate a command to be performed using the objects having copies of representations of the objects included in the collection portion.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the user interface in response to receipt of a request from an application to access the namespace. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising preventing the application from direct access to the namespace. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the application is not aware of the namespace. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the option is configured to provide, to the application, data associated with the objects having corresponding representations included in the collection portion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining a trust level of the application; and   permitting access to a file system associated with the namespace based on the determined trust level of the application.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to support a gesture to remove one or more of the plurality of representations of objects in the collection portion. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collection portion of the user interface is configured to display data that describes a current state of the collection portion. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collection portion of the user interface is configured to display properties of a corresponding object in response to a gesture that indicates selection of the copy of the representation of the object in the collection portion. 
     
     
         10 . One or more computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed, direct a computing device to perform acts comprising:
 presenting a plurality of representations of objects in a collection portion of a user interface, the presenting of the collection portion persisting during navigation of a file system to locate the representations of the objects; and   outputting, in the collection portion of the user interface, an option that is selectable to initiate a command to be performed using the objects having copies of representations of the objects included in the collection portion.   
     
     
         11 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein the file system employs a hierarchy of folders to manage files in storage. 
     
     
         12 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 10 , the acts further comprising receiving a request from an application to access the file system. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 12 , the acts further comprising:
 determining a trust level of the application; and   permitting access to the file system based on the determined trust level of the application.   
     
     
         14 . The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein the file system is part of an operating system that executes on a computing device to perform the presenting and the outputting. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory, communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, storing instructions that when executed configure the one or more processors to:   present a plurality of representations of objects in a collection portion of a user interface, the presenting of the collection portion persisting during navigation of a file system to locate the representations of the objects; and   output, in the collection portion of the user interface, an option that is selectable to initiate a command to be performed using the objects having copies of representations of the objects included in the collection portion.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the one or more processors further configured to receive a request from an application to access the file system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , the one or more processors further configured to:
 determine a trust level of the application; and   permit access to the file system based on the determined trust level of the application.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the trust level is determined based, at least in part, on a software provider associated with the application. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the application is not aware of where in the file system the objects are being accessed. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , the one or more processors further configured to prevent the application from direct access to the file system.