File synchronization pausing for individual files

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10936548-B2
Application number	US-201615199296-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

Systems, components, devices, and methods for synchronizing files between a local file system and a server are provided. In an example, synchronization of individual files is paused by placing the individual files in a hold state. A non-limiting example method accesses a file stored on the local file system for synchronization with an associated file on the server and determines whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization. When determined that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization, the method places the file in a hold state. The hold state pauses synchronization of the content in the file with the content of the associated file. In some examples, the method continues to synchronize topological changes to files that have been placed in the hold state and/or resumes synchronization after it is determined that the file is no longer different than the associated file.

First claim

We claim:

1. A system for synchronizing files between a local file system and a server, comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
access a file stored on the local file system for synchronization with an associated file on the server;
determine whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file;
when determined that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file, place the file in a hold state, wherein the hold state pauses synchronization of content in the file with content of the associated file; and
while in the hold state, automatically synchronize a topological change to the file with the associated file, wherein the topological change indicates one of a move of the file to another directory in the local file system or a renaming of the file.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that cause the processor to:
receive an additional change to the file, wherein the additional change relates to topology of the file; and
transmit the additional change to the server for application to the associated file stored on the server.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that cause the processor to:
determine that the content of the file is no longer different than the content of the associated file on the server; and
remove the hold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein to determine whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file, the memory stores further instructions that cause the processor to:
determine whether the content of the file has been changed since a most recent synchronization event;
determine whether the content of the associated file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event; and
when determined that the content of the file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event and that the content of the associated file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event, determine that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein to determine whether the content of the file has been changed since a most recent synchronization event, a hash value for the content of the file is compared to a stored hash value, the stored hash value corresponding to a hash value for the file calculated at a time of the most recent synchronization event.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the file is accessed in response to scanning a directory on the local file system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the file is accessed in response to receiving changes from the server.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein placing the file in a hold state comprises setting a hold field in a database associated with the file.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores further instructions that cause the processor to access, after placing the file in the hold state, a second file stored on the local file system for synchronization with a second associated file on the server.

10. A method for synchronizing files between a local file system and a server, comprising:
accessing a file stored on a local file system for synchronization with an associated file on a server;
determining whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file;
when determined that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file, placing the file in a hold state, wherein the hold state pauses synchronization of content in the file with content of the associated file; and
while in the hold state, automatically synchronizing a topological change to the file with the associated file, wherein the topological change indicates one of a move of the file to another directory in the local file system or a renaming of the file.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a second topological change is one of a renaming of the file or a moving of the file to another directory.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving an additional change to the file, wherein the additional change relates to topology of the file; and
transmitting the additional change to the server for application to the associated file stored on the server.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining that the content of the file is no longer different than the content of the associated file on the server; and
removing the hold.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein determining whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file comprises:
determining whether the content of the file has been changed since a most recent synchronization event;
determining whether the content of the associated file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event; and
when determined that the content of the file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event and that the content of the associated file has been changed since the most recent synchronization event, determining that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining whether the content of the file has been changed since a most recent synchronization event comprises:
comparing a hash value for the content of the file to a stored hash value, the stored hash value corresponding to a hash value for the file calculated at a time of the most recent synchronization event.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the file is accessed in response to scanning a directory on the local file system.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the file is accessed in response to receiving changes from the server.

18. The method of claim 10 , wherein placing the file in a hold state comprises setting a hold field in a database associated with the file.

19. A computer storage medium containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method for synchronizing files between a local file system and a server, the method comprising:
accessing a file stored on a local file system for synchronization with an associated file on a server;
determining whether differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file;
when determined that differences between the file and the associated file prevent synchronization of the file and the associated file, placing the file in a hold state, wherein the hold state pauses synchronization of content in the file with content of the associated file; and
while in the hold state, automatically synchronizing a topological change to the file with the associated file, wherein the topological change indicates one of a move of the file to another directory in the local file system or a renaming of the file.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Chen Yisheng
• Govrin Amnon Itamar
• Garcia-Ascanio Francisco Jose
• Nichols Jack Allen

Classifications

• G06F16/13

  File access structures, e.g. distributed indices (arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06) · CPC title

• G06F16/184

  implemented as replicated file system · CPC title

• G06F16/178 Primary

  Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems · CPC title