Data previewing before recalling large data files

Abstract

Techniques for providing data preview before recalling large data files are disclosed. In one aspect, a data file is made accessible while being offline by converting the data file from a native format to a preview format, storing the data file in the preview format in a primary storage that is locally available and moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary storage. When a viewing request is received for the data file, the data file in the preview format is displayed to fulfill the viewing request.

1 . A method for providing to a user computer access to a data file, the method comprising:
 converting the data file from a native format to a preview format based on a resource profile of the user computer,
 wherein the resource profile of the user computer contains capacity information associated with data storage at the user computer 
 wherein the preview format occupies less data storage capacity than the native format; 
   storing the data file in the preview format in a primary data storage device,
 wherein the primary data storage device is accessible to the user computer via a network; 
   moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary data storage device,
 wherein the secondary data storage device is not immediately accessible for providing data files in response to requests from the user computer; 
   receiving a request for the data file from the user computer; and   providing for display on the user computer the data file in the preview format to fulfill the request.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preview format comprises a picture encoding format, and wherein the picture encoding format comprises one of a JPEG format, a bitmap format, a GIF format, a TIFF format and a PNG format. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preview format comprises a picture encoding format. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing a menu for accessing the data file in the native format, and   wherein the providing the menu includes providing the menu upon a right-click operation by a user.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 providing a menu for accessing the data file in the native format.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 including a resource locator with the preview format; and   providing access to the data file using the resource locator.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein moving the data file in the native format to the secondary data storage device comprises:
 copying contents of the data file in the native format to the secondary storage device; and   updating a data structure storing a location of the data file in the native format to reflect a new location of the data file in the native format in the secondary storage.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus for providing access to a data file, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one hardware processor;   at least one memory having contents configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, perform a method comprising:
 converting the data file from a native format to a preview format based on a resource profile of the user computer,
 wherein the preview format occupies less data storage capacity than the native format; 
 
 storing the data file in the preview format in a primary storage; 
 moving, after the conversion to the preview format, the data file in the native format to a secondary storage,
 wherein the secondary data storage device is not immediately accessible for providing data files in response to requests from the user computer; 
 
 receiving a viewing request for the data file; and 
 providing for display the data file in the preview format to fulfill the viewing request. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the preview format comprises a picture encoding format. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the picture encoding format comprises one of a JPEG format, a bitmap format, a GIF format, a TIFF format and a PNG format. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the contents of the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, further perform a method comprising:
 providing a menu for accessing the data file in the native format.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein moving the data file in the native format to the secondary data storage device comprises:
 copying contents of the data file in the native format to the secondary storage device; and   updating a data structure storing a location of the data file in the native format to reflect a new location of the data file in the native format in the secondary storage.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the contents of the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, further perform a method comprising:
 including a resource locator with the preview format, wherein access to the data file is provided using the resource locator.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the contents of the at least one memory, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, further perform a method comprising:
 obtaining a resource profile of the user computer that contains capacity information associated with data storage at a user computer; 
 determining that the data file is to be converted from a native format to a preview format when the native format requires data storage resources greater than data storage resources of the user computer. 
 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving a data file from a primary data storage device coupled to a computing device,
 wherein the data file has a first format associated with a first application program; 
   creating a copy of the data file by converting the data file from the first format into a second format,
 wherein the second format permits at least some content of the data file to be viewable using a viewer application; 
   moving the data file from the primary data storage device to a location in a secondary data storage device, wherein the secondary data storage device is not immediately accessible for providing data files in response to requests from the user computer; and   storing, on the primary data storage device, the copy of the data file in the second format and information about the location of the data file on the secondary data storage device.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the step of creating the copy of the data file includes creating the copy of the data file by reducing a size of the data file, and wherein the viewer application comprises a web browser. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein, when the data file includes a video, then the step of creating a copy of the data file includes creating a copy of the data file that includes periodic snapshots of video frames in the video. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the second format is one of a JPEG format, a bitmap format, a GIF format, a TIFF format and a PNG format. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 launching, responsive to a user interaction, the viewer application for viewing the copy of the data file, and wherein the viewer application is configured to view but not modify the content of the copy of the data file.   
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 fetching, responsive to a user interaction, the data file from the secondary data storage; and   launching the first application program.