JP7451189B2 - Information processing device, its control method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus, a control method thereof, and a program for storing files in folders according to set rules.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, information processing apparatuses have been known that acquire files from external devices and store the files in folders according to set rules (folder structure).

For example, an information processing device detects the type of attribute information of a file used in a folder hierarchy of an external device, and stores the classified information in multiple folders so that the attribute information is stored in the folder corresponding to the selected attribute information. (In particular, see Patent Document 1).

There is also an information processing apparatus that directly changes directory management information of a file management system and rearranges folders (in particular, see Patent Document 2).

Patent No. 5149570 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-194637

However, in Patent Document 1, after files acquired from an external device are classified and stored in multiple folders, if you want to change the type of attribute information of the file in the same way as with the external device, the stored files must be discarded together with the folders. Then, it is necessary to acquire it again from the external device. Therefore, there was a problem in that it required a lot of effort and time on the part of the user.

On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, when rearranging folders, the user needs to directly operate the management information of the file management system, and there is a risk that the management information will be corrupted. Additionally, users were unable to perform operations such as combining or dividing files and folders in multiple folders into one folder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an information processing apparatus and a control method thereof, which can reliably reconfigure the folder structure desired by the user without requiring any effort or time on the part of the user when there are already saved files or folders; The purpose is to provide programs.

An information processing apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is an information processing apparatus that stores files in folders according to a set folder structure, and includes a reception means for receiving an instruction to change the folder structure from a user, and a receiving means for receiving an instruction to change the folder structure from a user; an acquisition means for acquiring at least one information of a folder name, a file name, and a file attribute from the saved files and folders when files and folders have already been saved according to the previous folder configuration; a reconfiguration unit that reconfigures the folder and the file into the folder configuration that has received the change instruction based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit; If a part of the information is deleted, the information to be deleted is retained as auxiliary information in at least one of a DB and an index file ; If it is not possible to reconfigure the folder structure based on the information to the folder configuration specified by the change instruction, the auxiliary information is also used during the reconfiguration .

According to the present invention, if there are already saved files or folders, it is possible to reliably reconfigure them into the folder structure desired by the user without requiring any effort or time on the part of the user.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a network system including an information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a folder structure that can be specified by a user in an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flowchart of file storage processing according to an embodiment of the present invention executed in an information processing device. 3 is a flowchart of a folder configuration change process according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is executed in an information processing apparatus. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a UI according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a network system 100 including an information processing device 104 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the network system 100 includes an information processing device 104, a file relay device 103, and an external device 101, which are connected to each other via a network 102.

External device 101 uploads a file to file relay device 103 via network 102 . In the present embodiment, an example will be described in which the external device 101 is a camera and the file uploaded to the file relay device 103 includes data of a photographed image and information related to the photographing, such as the date and time of the photograph.

The file relay device 103 relays the file uploaded from the external device 101 to the information processing device 104.

The information processing device 104 downloads the file from the external device 101 relayed by the file relay device 103 via the network 102 .

The information processing device 104 stores the downloaded file in a folder according to the file storage process shown in FIG. 4, which will be described later. Thereby, the information processing device 104 can acquire a file from the external device 101 and store the file in a folder according to the set rules (folder structure).

Note that the present invention is not limited to the file acquisition method as shown in FIG. 1, as long as the information processing device 104 can acquire a file from the external device 101. For example, the information processing device 104 may directly import files from the external device 101 by connecting to the external device 101 by wire or wirelessly, without using the network 102 or the file relay device 103. Furthermore, after the user saves a file from the external device 101 to the external storage device, the user can import the file into the information processing device 104 by inserting the external storage device from the external device 101 into the information processing device 104. It's okay.

In either case, the information processing apparatus 104 stores the acquired file in a folder according to rules (folder structure) preset in the information processing apparatus 104 in file storage processing described below.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the information processing device 104.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device 104 includes a display 201, a VRAM 202, a BMU 203, a keyboard 204, a PD 205, a CPU 206, a ROM 207, and a RAM 208. Further, the information processing device 104 includes an HDD 209, a flexible disk 210, a network I/F 211, and a bus 212.

The display 201 displays images of icons, messages, menus, and other user interface information for managing the information processing apparatus 104, for example.

Image data to be displayed on the display 201 is generated in the VRAM 202 . The image data generated in the VRAM 202 is transferred to the display 201 according to predetermined regulations, and thereby an image of user interface information is displayed on the display 201.

A BMU (bit move unit) 203 controls, for example, data transfer between each memory and data transfer between each memory and each I/O device (for example, network I/F 211). Here, the term "between each memory" refers to the VRAM 202, ROM 207, RAM 208, HDD 209, and flexible disk 210, which are memories included in the information processing apparatus 104.

The keyboard 204 has various keys for the user to input characters and the like.

A PD (pointing device) 205 is used, for example, by a user to select an icon, menu, or other content displayed on the display 201 or to drag and drop an object.

The CPU 206 controls each device within the information processing apparatus 104 based on a control program such as an OS stored in the ROM 207, HDD 209, or flexible disk 210 or a program described below.

The ROM 207 stores various control programs and data. In this embodiment, the files acquired from the external device 101 and the folders in which they are stored are stored in the ROM 207, but other memories such as the RAM 208 and the HDD 209 may be used as the storage destination.

The RAM 208 has a work area for the CPU 206, a data save area during error processing, a control program load area, and the like.

The HDD 209 stores data such as each control program executed within the information processing device 104 and temporarily stored data.

The network I/F 211 communicates with the external device 101 and the file relay device 103 via the network 102.

Bus 212 includes an address bus, a data bus, and a control bus.

The control program can also be provided to the CPU 206 from the ROM 207, HDD 209, or flexible disk 210. Further, it can also be performed from another information processing device or the like not shown in FIG. 1 via the network 102 via the network I/F 211.

Next, using FIGS. 3 and 6, a method for the user to specify the folder structure during the file storage process shown in FIG. 4 or the folder structure change process shown in FIG. 5 will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a folder structure that can be specified by the user in the embodiment of the present invention.

In the folder structure 301, files are stored by creating a parent folder 304 common to the folder structure and subfolders with date under the picture folder for each user.

In the folder structure 302, a parent folder 304 common to the folder structure, a subfolder for the year, and a subfolder for the year, month, and day are created below the picture folder for each user, and files are stored therein.

In the folder structure 303, files are stored by creating a parent folder 304 common to the folder structure under the picture folder for each user, a subfolder for the year, a subfolder for the month below that, and a subfolder for the year, month, and day below that. Ru.

The user operates the keyboard 204 and PD 205 to specify a destination folder for the file to be acquired in the external device 101 and to save the file on the UI screen 600 shown in FIG. 6A displayed on the display 201. You can specify the folder structure.

For example, when the user selects the "shooting date" check button 600a on the UI screen 600, the folder structure 301 is specified as the folder structure for storing the file to be acquired. Similarly, when the user selects the check button 600c for "Year of Photography/Date of Photography" on the UI screen 600, the folder structure 302 is specified as the folder structure for storing the file to be acquired. Furthermore, when the user selects a check button 600d for "Year of Photography/Month of Photography/Date of Photography" on the UI screen 600, the folder structure 303 is specified as the folder structure for storing the file to be acquired.

Note that if the user selects the "None" check button 600e on the UI screen 600, the folder structure for storing the acquired file will be the same as the folder structure in the external device 101.

When the user selects the OK button after specifying the import destination folder and folder structure on the UI screen 600, the CPU 206 acquires the file in the user-specified import destination folder from the external device 101, and then the file shown in FIG. Start the save process. Thereby, files acquired from the external device 101 can be stored in the folder according to the folder structure specified by the user.

However, before the user specifies the folder structure, files that have been acquired from the external device 101 may already exist in the ROM 207. In this case, when the user selects the OK button on the UI screen 600, it is necessary to reconfigure the folder structure in the ROM 207 to one specified by the user. Therefore, when the CPU 206 detects selection of the OK button on the UI screen 600, it checks whether an acquired file exists. As a result of this confirmation, if the acquired file does not exist, the process directly proceeds to the file storage process shown in FIG. 4. On the other hand, if an already acquired file exists, the UI screen 601 of FIG. 6(b) is displayed to ask the user whether to change the folder structure in the ROM 207 to the folder structure specified by the user. When the user selects the OK button on the UI screen 601, the keyboard 204 and PD 205 (receiving means) output the user's instruction to change the folder structure (folder structure change request) to the CPU 206. Upon receiving the folder configuration change request, the CPU 206 first executes the folder configuration change process shown in FIG. 5 to change the folder configuration in the ROM 207 to the folder configuration specified by the user. After that, the file in the import destination folder specified by the user is acquired from the external device 101, and the file storage process shown in FIG. 4 is started. Thereby, the folder structure in the ROM 207 can be changed according to the folder structure specified by the user, and the files obtained from the external device 101 can be stored in the folder according to the folder structure specified by the user.

Note that the folder structure change process in FIG. 5 may be started at the timing when the user wants to change the folder structure in the ROM 207, and is not limited to the above example of starting at the timing of importing a file from the external device 101. For example, the user may be able to instruct changes in the folder structure in the ROM 207 by operating the keyboard 204 or PD 205 to display the UI screen 602 in FIG. 6(c) on the display 201. . In this case, when the user selects the OK button after specifying the folder structure on the UI screen 602, the CPU 206 executes only the folder structure change process shown in FIG. 5.

Note that the folder structures illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 are examples of suitable folder structures, and are not limited to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of file storage processing according to the embodiment of the present invention, which is executed by the information processing apparatus 104. This process is executed by the CPU 206 reading a program stored in the ROM 207.

As mentioned above, when the OK button is selected after specifying the import destination folder and folder structure on the UI screen 600 in FIG. 6(a), this process is executed directly or after executing the folder structure change process in FIG. starts.

First, in step S401, a file list to be acquired from the external device 101 is acquired.

In step S402, the total number of file lists acquired in step S401 is set in the variable CNT, and 0 is set in the variable I.

In step S403, the variable CNT and the variable I are compared, and if the variable I is less than the variable CNT (YES in step S403), the process proceeds to step S404, and if the variable I is greater than or equal to the variable CNT (NO in step S403), This process ends.

In step S404, the file indicated by the variable I in the file list obtained in step S401 is obtained from the user-specified destination folder of the external device 101.

In step S405, information related to the subfolder (user-specified import folder) of the file indicated by variable I in the file list obtained in step S401 is obtained. In this embodiment, the information acquired here is the shooting date and time.

In step S406, the folder structure specified by the user is obtained, and from the obtained folder structure and the information obtained in step S405, it is confirmed whether or not there is a corresponding subfolder in the ROM 207. As a result of this confirmation, if there is no corresponding subfolder (NO in step S406), the process proceeds to step S407, and if there is a corresponding subfolder (YES in step S406), the process proceeds to step S408.

A corresponding subfolder is generated in the ROM 207 based on the folder structure specified by the user in step S407 and the information acquired in step S405.

In step S408, the file acquired in step S404 is stored in the corresponding subfolder. In this embodiment, at this time, the creation date and time of the file to be stored is set to the shooting date and time acquired in step S405.

In step S409, 1 is added to variable I, and the process returns to step S403.

Through the above processing, the information processing device 104 can store files acquired from the external device 101 in a folder in a folder configuration specified by the user.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of folder structure change processing according to the embodiment of the present invention, which is executed in the information processing apparatus 104. This process is executed by the CPU 206 reading a program stored in the ROM 207.

As described above, when the OK button is selected on the UI screen 601 in FIG. 6(b), or when the OK button is selected after specifying the folder structure on the UI screen 602 in FIG. 6(c), This process starts. The following description will be made using an example in which the folder structure in the ROM 207 is the folder structure 302 in FIG. 3, and the folder structure designated by the user on the UI screen 600 or 602 is the folder structure 303.

First, in step S501, a folder configuration change request from the keyboard 204 or PD 205 is accepted.

In step S502, the folder structure in the ROM 207 is changed from the parent folder name "Capture" to "Capture1".

In step S503, a list of subfolders serving as leaves from the folder changed in step S502 is obtained from the ROM 207. In this embodiment, the list of subfolders of the leaf obtained here is a list of folder names composed of the year, month, and day of "yyyymmdd".

In step S504, the total number of subfolder lists obtained in step S503 is set in the variable CNT, and 0 is set in the variable I.

In step S505, the variable CNT and the variable I are compared, and if the variable I is less than the variable CNT (YES in step S505), the process proceeds to step S506, and if the variable I is greater than or equal to the variable CNT (NO in step S505), The process advances to step S512.

In step S506, the subfolder indicated by variable I in the subfolder list obtained in step S504 is obtained from the ROM 207.

In step S507, the folder to which the subfolder indicated by the variable I obtained in step S506 is to be moved in the folder structure specified by the user is obtained. In this embodiment, since the folder structure 302 is changed to the folder structure 303, the folder name of the subfolder of any leaf is composed of the year, month, and day of "yyyymmdd", so you can move to the subfolder of which year or month. or can be easily obtained. Note that if the folder name of the subfolder of the leaf is not composed of the year, month, and day, in step S408, the shooting date and time (file attribute) and file name stored as the file generation date and time are obtained from the file management of the OS. This allows you to easily determine which year and month subfolder to move to. By doing this, even if the folder structure is based on information such as shooting date and time that cannot be obtained without analyzing file management, the folder structure can be changed (reorganized) without having to reanalyze each file one by one. . Note that when a part of the information held as the folder name of a folder is deleted due to a change in the folder structure, it is preferable to hold the deleted information as auxiliary information in a DB, index file, or the like. For example, if the folder structure of the ROM 207 is the folder structure 301, and the user selects the check button 600b on the UI screen 600, the shooting date information that is deleted from the folder name when the folder structure is reconfigured is used as auxiliary information. Retained. As a result, by appropriately using the deleted information, it is possible to reliably reconfigure the folders that will be executed later.

In step S508, the destination folder acquired in step S507 is confirmed, and if there is no corresponding subfolder (NO in step S508), the process advances to step S509. On the other hand, if there is a corresponding subfolder (YES in step S508), the process advances to step S510.

In step S509, a folder to be the destination acquired in step S507 is generated.

In step S510, the subfolder indicated by the variable I obtained in step S506 is migrated to the destination folder obtained in step S507.

In step S511, 1 is added to variable I, and the process returns to step S505.

In step S512, the folder changed in step S502 is deleted and the process ends. At this time, if there is a folder that has not been migrated in the folder changed in step S502, that subfolder is migrated as is under the new (reconfigured) parent folder. Note that files included in unmigrated folders may be analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the files may be stored in a folder that matches the folder structure specified by the user. In this case, if the corresponding folder does not exist, the folder is created and the file is stored in that folder.

By doing this, when changing the settings of the folder configuration, if a file has been acquired from the external device 101, the folder that has already stored the file will be discarded and the file will be retrieved from the external device 101 again. There is no need to retrieve the file again. Furthermore, in such a case, the files can be grouped into one folder or divided without directly manipulating the management information of the file management system.

In the preferred embodiment, the shooting date and time are included in the file attributes, but the file attributes may include the normal file creation date and time, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

Although the present invention has been described above in detail based on its preferred embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and the present invention may take various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention. included. Some of the embodiments described above may be combined as appropriate.

Further, a case where a software program that implements the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied directly from a recording medium or using wired/wireless communication to a system or device having a computer capable of executing the program, and the program is executed. Also included in the present invention.

Therefore, in order to realize the functional processing of the present invention on a computer, the program code itself that is supplied and installed in the computer also realizes the present invention. In other words, the present invention also includes a computer program itself for realizing the functional processing of the present invention.

In this case, the form of the program does not matter, such as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or script data supplied to the OS, as long as it has the function of a program.

The recording medium for supplying the program may be, for example, a hard disk, a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic tape, an optical/magnetic optical storage medium, or a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

Further, as a method of supplying the program, a method may be considered in which a computer program forming the present invention is stored in a server on a computer network, and a connected client computer downloads and executes the computer program.

201 Display 202 VRAM
203 BMU
204 Keyboard 205 PD
206 CPUs
207 ROM
208 RAM
209 HDD
210 Flexible disk drive 211 Network I/F
212 bus

Claims (7)

In an information processing device that stores files in folders according to a set folder structure,
reception means for receiving an instruction to change the folder structure from a user;
If files and folders have already been saved according to the folder structure before the change instruction, obtaining at least one information of a folder name, a file name, and a file attribute from the saved files and folders. means and
a reconfiguration unit that reconfigures the folder and the file into the folder configuration for which the change instruction has been received based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit;
When part of the information held as the folder name of the folder is deleted due to the reconfiguration by the reconfiguration unit, a holding unit holds the deleted information as auxiliary information in at least one of a DB and an index file. and,
Equipped with
The reconfiguration means is characterized in that, if the reconfiguration to the folder configuration for which the change instruction has been received cannot be performed based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit, the auxiliary information is also used during the reconfiguration. Information processing device. When the change instruction is received, if files have already been saved in the information processing device in the folder configuration before the change instruction, confirm with the user whether or not to reconfigure the folder configuration by the reconfiguration means. 2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising confirmation means for checking. 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a migration means for migrating the folder to a lower layer of the parent folder after the reconfiguration if there is a folder that does not match the folder configuration after the change instruction. Information processing device. If there is a folder that does not match the folder structure after the change instruction, further comprising an analysis means for analyzing the files contained in the folder,
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reconfiguration unit reconfigures the file into the folder configuration for which the change instruction has been received based on the analysis result by the analysis unit. 5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiving means receives an instruction to change the folder structure when newly acquiring a file from an external device. In a method for controlling an information processing device that stores files in folders according to a set folder structure,
a reception step of receiving an instruction to change the folder structure from a user;
If files and folders have already been saved according to the folder structure before the change instruction, obtaining at least one information of a folder name, a file name, and a file attribute from the saved files and folders. step and
A control method comprising: a reconfiguration step of reconfiguring the folder and the file into the folder configuration for which the change instruction has been received based on the information acquired in the acquisition step. A program for executing the control method according to claim 6.