Redirection to local copies of server-based files

A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of mapping a server file to a locally stored copy of the server file, comprising:

• receiving a selection for opening a server file to a local computing device remote from a server containing the server file;
• storing a local copy of the server file at the local computing device;
• generating a mapping from the server file at the server to the local copy at the local computing device, the mapping comprising data which comprises a path to the server file at the server, a path to the local copy at the local computing device, and a last write time comprising a date/time stamp associated with a date and a time at which last edits or changes were made to the server file prior to a date and a time at which the server file was checked out to the local computing device, wherein the path to the server file comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) address wherein the last write time for the server file is stored as a string value in an operating system registry of the local computing device;
• after generating the mapping, receiving a selection for opening either the server file or the local copy of the server file;
• in response to receiving the selection for opening either the server file or the local copy of the server file, determining whether a mapping is available from the server file to the local copy of the server file;
• and
• if a mapping is available from the server file to the local copy of the server file, retrieving the local copy at the local computing device via the mapping by redirecting a requesting application from the path to the server file at the server to the path to the local copy at the local computing device, and opening the local copy.

A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of mapping a server file to a locally stored copy of the server file, comprising:

• receiving a selection for opening a server file to a local computing device remote from a server containing the server file;
• storing a local copy of the server file at the local computing device;
• generating a mapping from the server file at the server to the local copy at the local computing device, the mapping comprising data which comprises a path to the server file at the server, a path to the local copy at the local computing device, and a last write time comprising a date/time stamp associated with a date and a time at which last edits or changes were made to the server file prior to a date and a time at which the server file was checked out to the local computing device, wherein the path to the server file comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) address wherin the last write time for the server is stored as a string value in an operating system registry of the local computing device;
• after generating the mapping, receiving a selection for opening either the server file or the local copy of the server file;
• in response to receiving the selection for opening either the server file or the local copy of the server file, determining whether a mapping is available from the server file to the local copy of the server file;
• and
• if a mapping is available from the server file to the local copy of the server file and if no changes have been made to the server file since the local copy was stored at the local computing device, then retrieving the local copy at the local computing device via the mapping by redirecting a requesting application from the path to the server file at the server to the path to the local copy at the local computing device, and opening the local copy.