The present invention relates to personal computers and more particularly to a system running on a handheld computer, such as a Handheld PC or a Palm-size PC, for deleting unneeded data.
Usually, a user will use a primary client device, such as a desktop personal computer, to access his e-mails contained on a server. Sometimes, the user will use a secondary client device, such as a handheld computer that is mobile, to access his e-mails. Typically, the user stores his e-mails within folders of a hierarchy of folders. While connected to the server, a Handheld PC user can download e-mails by selecting the folders into which the user wishes to download e-mails. During this process, a large number of e-mails may be downloaded by the user as the user parses all or some of the folders in the hierarchy contained on the server.
Typically, all of the e-mails that are downloaded are retained on the client device, either the primary or the secondary, even after disconnecting from the server. Retaining all of the downloaded e-mails after disconnection from the server uses up valuable storage space. This is particularly a problem when the e-mails are downloaded to a handheld computer because memory and secondary storage space is limited in handheld computers.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method of selectively deleting messages contained within folders in a database on a client device is disclosed. The folders are arranged in a true hierarchical structure. The method includes marking folders containing messages to be retained with a first flag; marking folders having messages to be deleted with a second flag; and deleting messages contained within the folders having the second flag marked and the first flag unmarked.
In another aspect of the present invention, a computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for selectively deleting messages contained within folders in a database on a client device is disclosed. The folders are arranged in a true hierarchical structure. The computer process includes indicating folders containing messages to be retained with an off-line flag; indicating folders including messages to be deleted with a cleanup flag; and deleting messages contained within the folders having the cleanup flag marked and the off-line flag unmarked.
In another aspect of the present invention, a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process for selectively deleting messages contained within folders in a database on a client device is disclosed. The folders are arranged in a true hierarchical structure. The computer process is analogous to that described above for the computer storage medium.
Another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus for selectively deleting messages contained within folders in a database on a client device. The folders are arranged in a hierarchical structure. The apparatus includes an off-line module, a set module, and an erase module. The off-line module marks folders containing messages to be retained for off-line use. The set module marks folders having messages to be deleted with a cleanup flag. The erase module deletes messages contained within the folders having the cleanup flag marked and the off-line flag unmarked.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and its scope may be obtained from the accompanying drawings, which are briefly described below, from the following detailed descriptions of presently preferred embodiments of the invention and from the appended claims.