Email Server Compressed File Preview Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Email applications cannot provide previews or direct access to individual files within compressed file attachments, requiring users to download and decompress the files manually, which is cumbersome and hinders seamless use and sharing.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that automatically generates previews of compressed file attachments by identifying the file type, parsing the content, creating a file structure, and decompressing the files without user initiation, allowing access to individual files and their structure directly within the email interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the compressed file attachment is downloaded and decompressed before access, then the individual files and file structure can be accessed and previewed, but the user experience becomes cumbersome and the process requires multiple manual steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs the decompression action before the user requests access to individual files. When an email with a compressed attachment is received, the server proactively decompresses the archive and extracts the file structure, making individual files immediately accessible without requiring the user to initiate the decompression process manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The email system automatically handles the decompression and file extraction process without user intervention. The server detects compressed attachments, identifies appropriate decompression modules, executes the decompression, and organizes the extracted files, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring manual user operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the compressed file attachment is downloaded and decompressed, then access to individual files is enabled, but the device complexity and number of required steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary information (individual files and file structure metadata) from the compressed attachment without requiring the user to download the entire compressed file. The server extracts file listings and structural information, allowing users to access individual files directly while the compressed archive remains on the server.
Solution Approach 2:
The email server acts as an intermediary between the compressed attachment and the user. Instead of the user directly interacting with the compressed file, the server mediates by automatically decompressing the file, organizing the extracted content, and presenting individual files for access, thereby simplifying the user interface and interaction model.
3Loss of information
If uncompressed files are previewed, then the file content can be viewed, but the preview is not generated until the user opens the email
Solution Approach 1:
The system generates previews of individual files from compressed attachments in advance, before the user opens the email. When the email is received, the server proactively creates thumbnail previews or preview content for each extracted file, so that when the user opens the email, previews are immediately available without delay.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method of generating a preview of a file attachment includes receiving the file attachment in an email server. The file attachment can be received either during composition of the email or when receiving an inbound email. Determining if the file attachment is a previewable file type or compressed file type or non-previewable file type and automatically generating a preview of the file attachment including identifying the file attachment, parsing the file attachment to identify content of the file attachment, wherein the identified content includes a pagination of the file attachment. A file structure for each page of the file attachment is created and then saved to an attachment store in the email server.