Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Scott S Hysom

Christopher Andrew Evans

Roland Lucas Fernandez

Richard Wales Stoakley

Chris J Guzak

Louis Amadio

Michael A Schmidt

Scott Hanggie

Carlos Brito

Paolo Marcucci

Aidan N Low

Paul Alexander Gusmorino, Iii

David George De Vorchik

Tyler Kien Beam

Paul Stephen Hellyar

David Fields

Chris McConnell

Charles Cummins

Judson Craig Hally

Lyon K F Wong

Jonathan Paul Rosenberg

Rhae-Christie Shaw

Evgeny Ivanovich Tvorun

Jon Rosenberg

Mike Sheldon

Vasantha Badari Kostojohn

System and methods for directing a federated search using a location description file to locate a data source are provided. For a federated search, a location description may be used to describe the location of each data source searched, and may further be used to connect the user to that particular data source. The format of such a location description file may include several elements, some of which provide information on how to display the file (e.g., name, description, author, icon link, etc.) and other elements (e.g., simple location, location type, etc.) are used to connect the user to the location of the data source.

Location description for federation and discoverability

Embodiments of the present invention provide a schema to describe the structure of a data store that may be used to query the data store. The schema may include a property description describing static and contextual attributes of a property of the data store. The schema may also include a property reference describing contextual attributes of a property of the data store, while referencing static attributes from a property description in another schema. In some instances, the schema may further describe item types and/or kinds for the data store.

Schema for federated searching

A system, apparatus, method, and computer-readable media are provided for generating a document preview. According to one method, a preview handler is provided that exposes interfaces that may be called by a host application to generate a document preview without launching the application program that created the document. The interfaces exposed by the preview handler provide a common framework that may be utilized by both operating system and application program hosts to provide document previews.

Providing a document preview

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for aggregating schema data from two or more schemas are provided. Embodiments of the present invention include receiving schema definitions for two or more schemas. An aggregated property description for an individual property that is common to the two or more schemas may be created. The aggregated property description includes property attribute values that are the same for the property description in both schemas. Where the attribute values are different, rules may be applied to determine which attribute value to include in the aggregated property description. In one embodiment, the less capable of the two different attribute values is included in the aggregated property description.

Aggregating schema data from multiple sources

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.

System and method for shell browser

A binary theme file format provides optimized access to retrieve graphical component theme property data. The binary format includes data structures storing a set of defined visual characteristics for graphical component classes, parts, and states. The data structure includes a hierarchy of theme data. A theme manager quickly retrieves theme property data by indexing into the binary file with a unique theme handle. The theme manager accesses state, part, class, and global property sections to retrieve theme data. Jump tables and jump-to-parent references allow for quickly traversing property data sections. Packed data sections have packed objects having the necessary property data for frequently used graphical components. A custom image region data section provides border data for nontransparent image borders. A sampled colors section facilitates rendering of images with solid sections. The binary file format can be constructed using a text theme file and is loaded into shared process memory.

Binary cache file format for themeing the visual appearance of a computer system

A method for removing some or all metadata from files during copying or moving. Metadata management software may register with an operating system and be called to remove metadata crossing a trust boundary, such as going from a local hard drive to a file share.

Metadata management

A method of communicating between a graphical component library and an appearance manager is provided that includes issuing a request, that includes component defining parameters, for rendering services by a graphical component library. The appearance manager receives the request for rendering services and assigns appearance characteristics to the graphical component based upon the provided parameters. A method of rendering graphical components on the display of a computer system is also provided that includes rendering the requested graphical component according to the appearance characteristics assigned by the appearance manager. A method is also provided for communicating between a graphical component library and an appearance manager that includes issuing a request that includes component defining parameters, for information about the defined component. The appearance manager receives the request for information and provides the requested information to the graphical component library based upon the provided parameters.

Application programming interface for changing the visual style

A system and method are described that use theming functions of a theme manager to render graphical components in a themed fashion. The theme manager uses a theme file that has theme properties for graphical components of all types. When an application is started a system is provided that determines whether the application supports theming. If the application supports theming a dynamic link controls library that supports theming is linked to the application. If the application does not support theming, the non-theming controls library is linked. If an application supports themes, application user controls and shell common controls are rendered with themes by using the functions of the theming controls library that interact with functions of the theme manager. Non-client window components are rendered using themes by intercepting render messages to windows and sending the messages to the theme manager. Non-client window components are also measured and rendered using a theme property file when appropriate in response to certain application program interface calls.

Theme aware management using fusion

A method of communicating between a graphical component library and an appearance manager is provided that includes issuing a request, that includes component defining parameters, for rendering services by a graphical component library. The appearance manager receives the request for rendering services and assigns appearance characteristics to the graphical component based upon the provided parameters. A method of rendering graphical components on the display of a computer system is also provided that includes rendering the requested graphical component according to the appearance characteristics assigned by the appearance manager. A method is also provided for communicating between a graphical component library and an appearance manager that includes issuing a request, that includes component defining parameters, for information about the defined component. The appearance manager receives the request for information and provides the requested information to the graphical component library based upon the provided parameters.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Scott S Hysom