AutoSave and Manual Save Modes for Software Applications

A computing device for providing autosave and manual save modes in an application user interface, comprising:

• a memory for storing executable program code;
• and
• a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to:
• display a menu for receiving a selection of a menu option, the menu option comprising a slider control for switching between an autosave mode and a manual save mode for saving an electronic document displayed in the application user interface;
• receive a selection of the menu option in the application user interface;
• and
• activate a throttled save interval feature for automatically saving the electronic document when the selected menu option comprises an autosave mode.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computing device, will cause the computing device to perform a method of providing autosave and manual save modes in an application user interface, the method comprising:

• displaying a dropdown menu for receiving a selection of a first menu option in the application user interface, the menu option comprising a slider control for switching between an autosave mode and a manual save mode for saving an electronic document displayed in the application user interface;
• receiving a selection of the first menu option in the application user interface;
• activating a throttled save interval feature for automatically saving the electronic document when the selected first menu option comprises the autosave mode, the activation of the throttled save interval feature comprising:
• determining an estimated default save interval based on a file size associated with the electronic document;
• monitoring an actual save interval during one or more saves of the electronic document;
• adjusting the estimated default save interval for subsequent saves of the electronic document based on the monitored actual save interval;
• displaying a progress indicator in the application user interface when a duration of the throttled save interval is longer than a first predetermined time period;
• determining non-occurrence of a user action associated with the application for the first predetermined period;
• automatically saving the electronic document in response to determining the non-occurrence of the action for the second predetermined time period;
• and
• forcing an automatic save of the electronic document after determining an absence of a save operation for a second predetermined time period;
• and
• displaying a second menu option in the application user interface to manually save the electronic document when the selected menu option comprises the manual save mode.