Patent ID: 7630971
Filing Date: 2009-12-08
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A machine implemented method comprising: capturing metadata from a plurality of files created by a plurality of different software applications, wherein a type of information in metadata for files of a first software application differs from the type of information in metadata for files of a second software application; indexing contents of files in one or more volumes of the data processing system and storing results of the indexing to provide indexed content; dynamically updating the indexed content and the captured metadata as changes are made to existing files in the data processing system or as new files are created or existing files are deleted; receiving an input for a search; performing the search for search results as the input is being received, the searching being through the plurality of files created by the plurality of different software applications and through the captured metadata, wherein the searching as begun concurrently as the input is entered and before entry of the input is completed or in response to a single command; displaying, by a data processing system, a list of results from the search, the list presenting N items, wherein N is less than M items found from the search and wherein the list is not scrollable and wherein the displaying includes displaying a command to show all M items and wherein the list is grouped by categories and the number of items within each category is limited to less than N and wherein the list is sorted by one of relevance and recency and wherein the input includes a selection of a command in a menu bar displayed at an edge of a screen and wherein the list of results is displayed adjacent to the menu bar.