Abstract: A viewing configuration is determined for a data portion of a first computer file according to a first view state. The viewing configuration has a parameter, and the first view state includes a first value corresponding to the parameter. The content of the first data portion of the first computer file is presented to a display device based on the viewing configuration. In response to a user request, the presenting is manipulated corresponding to another viewing configuration having the parameter. A second view state is captured from the another viewing configuration. The second view state includes a second value corresponding to the parameter of the another viewing configuration. A second header portion and a second data portion of a second computer file are created.

Abstract: Ensuring that a user obtains a correct version of a file, wherein the file includes a file header section and a data section, is disclosed. Expiration information is inserted in the file header by a first application. The expiration information is extracted from the file header by a second application. An expiration date for the file is determined from the extracted expiration information. The determined expiration date is compared with a comparison date, and use of the file is disallowed if the comparison determines that the file has expired.

Abstract: A method and system for creating an electronic file to be used in an online auction are described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary process includes creating a header portion and a data portion of a computer file, where the header portion provides meta-data about data stored in the data portion. The header portion includes multiple header fields. For each header field, a data tag is stored in the header field and the data tag indicates a header field type associated with the respective header field. For each header field, a meta-data item is stored and defined by the data tag, where the meta-data item references to content associated with the meta-data item and stored in the data portion of the computer file.

Abstract: The method and system of the present invention provides a single interface to process and upload files to a document management system on a remote computer system. The method includes initiating a print driver, accessing the remote server, acquiring metadata, queuing the files with a spooler for processing and transmitting processed files and the metadata to the document management system on the remote computer system.

Abstract: The method and system of the present invention provides for converting all RFQ documents to a common compressed format. The method includes receiving an electronic file for use in an RFQ; extracting link information from the file and storing the extracted link information in an output file, if the file is a text-based file; extracting ISO symbol information from the file and storing the extracted symbol information in an output file, if the file is a CAD file; converting the file to a raster image; compressing the raster image into an RFQ format file, whereby, if an output file was created, the output file is used to generate a separate display layer that will display extracted information, and whereby the separate display later is inserted into the electronic RFQ format file.

Abstract: The method and system of the present invention provides a variable-length file header that can be used to save a variety of meta-data about the data stored within the file. The file header can save an optimal view state for an image stored in the file. The file header can be used to store customer and auction information for validation before publishing in an electronic RFQ. The file header can be used to store expiration dates for the data in the file.

Abstract: The method and system of the present invention provides a single interface to process and upload files to a document management system on a remote computer system. The method includes initiating a print driver, accessing the remote server, acquiring metadata, queuing the files with a spooler for processing and transmitting processed files and the metadata to the document management system on the remote computer system.

Abstract: The method and system of the present invention provides for converting all RFQ documents to a common compressed format. The method includes receiving an electronic file for use in an RFQ; extracting link information from the file and storing the extracted link information in an output file, if the file is a text-based file; extracting ISO symbol information from the file and storing the extracted symbol information in an output file, if the file is a CAD file; converting the file to a raster image; compressing the raster image into an RFQ format file, whereby, if an output file was created, the output file is used to generate a separate display layer that will display extracted information, and whereby the separate display later is inserted into the electronic RFQ format file.