File folder display

Techniques for display a file folder are described herein. In one example, a system includes a processor to detect a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service and calculate a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service. The processor can also display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to displaying a file folder, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to displaying an icon corresponding to a file folder.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment described herein, a system for displaying file folders can include a processor to detect a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service. The processor can also calculate a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service and display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder.

According to another embodiment, a method for displaying file folders can include detecting, via a processor, a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service. The method can also include calculating, via the processor, a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service, the feedback based on metrics associated with users of the service and displaying, via the processor, the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder.

According to another embodiment, a computer program product for displaying file folders can include a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se. The program instructions can be executable by a processor to cause the processor to detect, via the processor, a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service and calculate, via the processor, a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service, the feedback based on metrics associated with users of the service. The program instructions can also be executable by a processor to cause the processor to replace, via the processor, a default icon with the file corresponding to the highest popularity value from the file folder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As storage capacities of computing devices continue to expand, users are creating a larger number of files and additional digital content. For example, users can store a larger number of photographs, videos, and other multimedia files on computing devices with more storage capacity. As a result, searching the files and file folders can become increasingly time consuming.

The present disclosure describes techniques for displaying a file folder with an icon that is selected based on a file in the file folder. A file folder, as referred to herein, can include any suitable directory or collection of files in a file system. The file system can be a flat file system without subdirectories or the file system can be a hierarchical file system that organizes files into any suitable number of directories and subdirectories. An icon, as referred to herein, can include any image from one or more files that is to be displayed and logically coupled to a file folder. In some examples, the icons can be associated with a name of a file folder. In some embodiments, the icons selected to be displayed for each file folder are based on popularity values associated with files stored in the file folders. For example, any number of files from a file folder can be transmitted to an external website, service, or device. Additional users can then provide feedback corresponding to the transmitted files and the feedback can be used to determine which files are the most popular. In some embodiments, the most popular file or files can be displayed as an icon for the corresponding file folder.

With reference now toFIG. 1, an example computing device is depicted that can display file folders. The computing device100may be for example, a server, desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, or smartphone. In some examples, computing device100may be a cloud computing node. Computing device100may be described in the general context of computer system executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computing device100may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices.

The computing device100may include a processor102that is adapted to execute stored instructions, a memory device104to provide temporary memory space for operations of said instructions during operation. The processor can be a single-core processor, multi-core processor, computing cluster, or any number of other configurations. The memory104can include random access memory (RAM), read only memory, flash memory, or any other suitable memory systems.

The processor102may be connected through a system interconnect106(e.g., PCI®, PCI-Express®, etc.) to an input/output (I/O) device interface108adapted to connect the computing device100to one or more I/O devices110. The I/O devices110may include, for example, a keyboard and a pointing device, wherein the pointing device may include a touchpad or a touchscreen, among others. The I/O devices110may be built-in components of the computing device100, or may be devices that are externally connected to the computing device100.

The processor102may also be linked through the system interconnect106to a display interface112adapted to connect the computing device100to a display device114. The display device114may include a display screen that is a built-in component of the computing device100. The display device114may also include a computer monitor, television, or projector, among others, that is externally connected to the computing device100. In addition, a network interface controller (NIC)116may be adapted to connect the computing device100through the system interconnect106to the network118. In some embodiments, the NIC116can transmit data using any suitable interface or protocol, such as the internet small computer system interface, among others. The network118may be a cellular network, a radio network, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), or the Internet, among others. An external computing device120may connect to the computing device100through the network118. In some examples, external computing device120may be an external webserver120. In some examples, external computing device120may be a cloud computing node.

The processor102may also be linked through the system interconnect106to a storage device122that can include a hard drive, an optical drive, a USB flash drive, an array of drives, or any combinations thereof. In some examples, the storage device may include a monitor124, a popularity module126, and a file system module128. The monitor124can detect a transmission of one or more files130from a file folder to a service. For example, the monitor124can detect any transmission or upload of a local file130to an external service, webserver, or any other suitable external device120or service. The local file130can include an image file, a video file, or any other suitable file that can be displayed via the external service. In some embodiments, the popularity module126can calculate a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service. For example, the popularity value126can detect information related to the popularity of a file transmitted to a service and calculate a popularity value based on the information. The calculation of the popularity value is discussed in greater detail below in relation toFIG. 2. Furthermore, the file system module128can display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder. For example, the file system module128can detect the file that is most popular with users of a service and display the file as the icon for a file folder.

It is to be understood that the block diagram ofFIG. 1is not intended to indicate that the computing device100is to include all of the components shown inFIG. 1. Rather, the computing device100can include fewer or additional components not illustrated inFIG. 1(e.g., additional memory components, embedded controllers, modules, additional network interfaces, etc.). Furthermore, any of the functionalities of the monitor124, popularity module126, and file system module128may be partially, or entirely, implemented in hardware and/or in the processor102. For example, the functionality may be implemented with an application specific integrated circuit, logic implemented in an embedded controller, or in logic implemented in the processor102, among others. In some embodiments, the functionalities of the monitor124, popularity module126, and file system module128, can be implemented with logic, wherein the logic, as referred to herein, can include any suitable hardware (e.g., a processor, among others), software (e.g., an application, among others), firmware, or any suitable combination of hardware, software, and firmware.

FIG. 2is a process flow diagram of an example method that can display file folders. The method200can be implemented with any suitable computing device, such as the computing device100ofFIG. 1.

At block202, a monitor124can detect a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service. As discussed above, the files can include any image file, video file, or any other suitable file. The monitor124can detect a transmission of any number of files from a file folder to a service, such as a social media website, among others. The transmitted files can then be shared with any number of additional users who have access to the service.

At block204, a popularity module126can calculate a popularity value for each of the one or more transmitted files based on detected feedback from the service. For example, the popularity module126can detect feedback from a service that indicates various metrics corresponding to the popularity of a file. The metrics can include the number of users who have shared the file with additional users, the number of users who have provided a comment related to the file, the number of users who have provided an indication that the user enjoys viewing the file, a number of downloads of the transmitted files, and the like. In some embodiments, the popularity module126can combine the received metrics using any suitable formula. For example, the popularity module126can assign weights to each metric and calculate the popularity value based on a weighted average of the metrics. In some examples, the popularity module126can detect a popularity value126that is calculated by the service to which the file has been transmitted.

At block206, a file system module128can display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder. For example, the file system module128can display an image file as an icon for a file folder if the image file has the highest popularity value of the files uploaded to a service. The icon of a file folder can then reflect the file in the file folder that has generated the most positive feedback from a service. In some embodiments, the file system module128can detect or capture any suitable image from a video uploaded to a service and set the captured image as an icon for a file folder if the video has the highest popularity value of files uploaded to a service from a file folder. In some examples, the file system folder128can display an icon for each file folder that includes at least one file that has been uploaded to a service. In some embodiments, the file system module128can also disable the ability to display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for a file folder.

In some embodiments, the file system module128can rank one or more files in a folder based on the popularity values of each file. For example, the file system module128can rank the files from highest popularity value to lowest popularity value, or any other suitable ranking. If the file system module128detects multiple subdirectories with icons that have been selected based on popularity values, the file system module128can display the file with the highest popularity value as the icon for the parent directory.

In some embodiments, the file system module128can detect a selection of an icon for a file with the highest popularity value, detect a selection of an icon associated with a file corresponding to a lower popularity value, and swap the icon with the higher popularity value with the icon corresponding to a lower popularity value. For example, the files can be organized in a file folder based on a ranking according to popularity values such that the first displayed file has the highest popularity value and is to be displayed as the icon for the file folder. This enables a file system module128to detect modifications to the icons associated with a file folder with a drag and drop operation that indicates a file with a lower popularity value is to be displayed first in the folder and also used as an icon for the file folder.

The process flow diagram ofFIG. 2is not intended to indicate that the operations of the method200are to be executed in any particular order, or that all of the operations of the method200are to be included in every case. Additionally, the method200can include any suitable number of additional operations. For example, the file system module128can also detect a frequency value indicating a number of times the file folder is accessed within a period of time and modify a size of the icon based on the frequency value. In some embodiments, the size of the icon of a file folder can increase when the file folder is accessed a number of times that exceeds a predetermined threshold and the size of the icon can also decrease when the file folder is accessed a number of times that is below a predetermined threshold.

FIG. 3provides an illustration of a file folder. The file folder can be displayed with any suitable computing device, such as the computing system100ofFIG. 1. The file folder302can include any suitable number of files304,306, and308. The files304,306, and308can include any type of content such as photographs, videos, and text, among others. The file folder can302can include any suitable icon that represents the files stored in the folder. For example, the file folder302can be displayed with an icon that represents a photograph file stored in the file folder302. In some examples, the file folder302is initially displayed with a generic default icon. The default icon corresponding to the file folder302can be swapped or replaced with file304,306, or308based on detected popularity values for the files. In some embodiments, the icon for a file folder can be a montage or collection of multiple files stored in the file folder302. For example, the icon for a file folder can include any number of files with a popularity value above a threshold value.

In some examples, a file system module128can modify a color gradient of the icon for a file folder based on a number of times the file folder is accessed within a period of time. For example, the file system module128can darken the color gradient of an icon that is not accessed more than a predetermined number of times within a period of time or the file system module128can brighten the color gradient of an icon that is accessed more than a predetermined number of times within a period of time. In some embodiments, the file system module128can also identify the file folder as black listed if the frequency value of the file folder is below a threshold. Black listed, as referred to herein, can indicate that a file folder is rarely accessed or accessed a number of times below a predetermined threshold. In some examples, the file system module128can disable a modification of the icon for a file folder that has been black listed. In some embodiments, a black listed folder can be displayed with a default icon. This can reduce the consumption of resources used to maintain icons for file folders associated with popular files.

In some embodiments, the file system module128can identify a time period when the file folder is accessed a number of times that is below a threshold value and disable displaying the icon during the time period. For example, the file system module128can detect that a file folder is frequently accessed within a particular time of a day or a particular day of the week, or any other suitable time period. The file system module128can then disable displaying and/or modifying the icon during a period of time in which the file folder is rarely accessed.

In some embodiments, the file system module128can enlarge or decrease the size of an icon associated with a file folder302based on a number of files within the file folder. The file system module128can also enlarge or decrease the size of an icon associated with a file folder baser302based on an indication that the number of files in the file folder302that have been transmitted to a service exceeds a threshold.

It is to be understood that the file folder302ofFIG. 3can include any suitable number of files. Furthermore, any number of file folders302can be joined together to form any suitable hierarchy or file system structure. Moreover, the file folder302can include any number of digital files, emails, or any other suitable digital information. Accordingly, the file folder302can be associated with an icon in any system or service that organizes data in at least one directory or two separate logical levels.

Referring now toFIG. 4, a block diagram is depicted of an example of a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium that can display file folders. The tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium400may be accessed by a processor402over a computer interconnect404. Furthermore, the tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium400may include code to direct the processor402to perform the operations of the current method.

The various software components discussed herein may be stored on the tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium400, as indicated inFIG. 4. For example, a monitor module406can detect a transmission of one or more files from a file folder to a service. Furthermore, a popularity module408can calculate a popularity value for each of the one or more files based on detected feedback from the service. Additionally, a file system module410can display the file with the highest popularity value as an icon for the file folder.

It is to be understood that any number of additional software components not shown inFIG. 4may be included within the tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium400, depending on the specific application.