Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: A broker module of a computing device receives requests from an isolated application to access one or more items of an item source. In response to a request, storage item objects representing items of the item source are generated and returned to the isolated application for each item of the item source that the isolated application is authorized to access. Whether the isolated application is authorized to access a particular item can be based on particular item sources and/or particular item locations.

Abstract: A file access request is received from an application. One or more file types for the file access request are identified, and one or more file hosts supporting files of the identified one or more file types are also identified. A user interface is displayed, the user interface including a hosted area. Within the hosted area, at least one of the one or more file hosts displays a portion of the user interface identifying one or more files of at least one file host that can be selected for retrieval, or one or more locations that can be selected to which the one or more files are saved.

Abstract: Methods, and computer-readable media for presenting search results in a folder hierarchy are provided. Embodiments of the present invention include providing a navigation portion in which data sources to be searched are selected, and an input portion into which search criteria may be submitted. Items within the selected data sources that match the search criteria are identified and presented as a folder hierarchy. The folder hierarchy may only include items that satisfy the search criteria, but otherwise is consistent with the native folder hierarchy in which the items normally reside. In one embodiment, the initial presentation of the search results includes only top-level folders that contain, at some level, items that satisfy the search criteria. The items can be located by drilling down from the top-level folders.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for displaying icons in accordance with user preferences. The method includes providing a user with a size selection mechanism for selecting an icon size from a range of sizes. The method additionally includes searching a set of stored resources related to the underlying file and generating the icon in the selected size based upon the stored resources. The method may additionally include selecting a type overlay and scaling the type overlay independently from the icon.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for displaying icons in accordance with user preferences. The method includes providing a user with a size selection mechanism for selecting an icon size from a range of sizes. The method additionally includes searching a set of stored resources related to the underlying file and generating the icon in the selected size based upon the stored resources. The method may additionally include selecting an icon type including one of an image icon, a detail icon and a generic icon based on at least one of the user's size selection and the represented file. Furthermore, the icon display system of the invention positions labels and overlays in the vicinity of the icon based upon the selected size of the icon.

Abstract: A file system shell is provided. One aspect of the shell provides virtual folders which expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. Users are able to work with the virtual folders through direct manipulation (e.g., clicking and dragging, copying, pasting, etc.). Filters are provided for narrowing down sets of items. Quick links are provided which can be clicked on to generate useful views of the sets of items. Libraries are provided which consist of large groups of usable types of items that can be associated together, along with functions and tools related to the items. A virtual address bar is provided which comprises a plurality of segments, each segment corresponding to a filter for selecting content. A shell browser is provided with which users can readily identify an item based on the metadata associated with that item.

Abstract: A previewing system that permits selection from a plurality of interactive previewers for use in a system shell browser is disclosed. The previews may be extensible, such that different application developers may write custom previews for different file types, and the shell browser may follow established criteria to select an appropriate preview. The user may enter criteria to control which previewers are used for different situations, such as when certain file types are selected for previewing. Size of an available display area for the preview may be a criterion, such that resizing the preview area may cause a different preview to be displayed. The preview may be executed as a separate process from the browser so that crashes and hangs in the previewer process do not fatally affect the browser process. Previews may be incorporated within common file dialogs offered by an underlying operating system, such that different applications may share the common previewer.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.

Abstract: In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor.