Providing a content preview

摘要

A content preview of a content item stored in an online storage system can be viewed on a client device without the content item itself being downloaded to the client device and without the use of software associated with the content item being installed on the client device. Furthermore, data storage and processing requirements can be minimized by creating and storing only one content preview for each unique content item. The content item can be identified by using the content item as a hash key in a hashing algorithm. The resulting unique identifier can be used to search a preview index that lists all created content previews and their location. A content preview is only created if one does not exist. The unique identifier can be used to locate the content preview and return it in response to a preview request by a client device.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
splitting, via a processor, a content item into at least a first fixed size block containing a first unique portion of the content item and a second fixed size block containing a second unique portion of the content item, in response to a preview triggering event; computing, via the processor, a first hash identifier by using at least a part of the first unique portion of the first fixed size block as a first hash key in a hashing algorithm; computing, via the processor, a second hash identifier by using at least a part of the second unique portion of the second fixed size block as a second hash key in the hashing algorithm; generating, via the processor, a block list containing a hash key created by concatenating the first hash identifier and the second hash identifier; and creating, via the processor, a content preview of the content item in response to a determination, based on the block list, that the content preview of the content item does not exist.