Embedding and retrieving data in an application file format

A computer-readable storage device which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for accessing third party data in an application file, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

• opening a file associated with an application, wherein the file comprises a third party data segment;
• determining whether a data provider associated with the third party data segment is available;
• in response to determining that the data provider is available:
• establishing a connection between the application and the data provider, wherein establishing the connection comprises providing a generic data interface for the data provider to read and write data to the application,
• receiving, through the ,generic data interface, a plurality of data from the data provider,
• receiving a modification to at least one element of the plurality of data from the application, and
• saving the modified at least one element to the file, wherein saving the modified at least one element comprises:
• providing the modified at least one element of the plurality of data to the data provider, and
• receiving a modification to the file associated with the modified at least one element of the plurality of data from the data provider via the ,generic data interface.

A system for providing access to third party data, the system comprising:

• a memory storage;
• and
• a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:
• open a file associated with an application,
• determine whether the file comprises at least one third party data segment, wherein the at least one third party data segment comprises binary data,
• in response to determining that the file comprises the at least one third party data segment, determine whether a data provider associated with the at least one third party data segment is available,
• in response to determining that the data provider associated with the at least one third party data segment is available, establish a connection between the application and the data provider, wherein establishing the connection comprises providing a generic data interface for the data provider to read and write data to the application,
• receive a request from a user to access the at least one third party data segment,
• provide the generic data interface as a read-write interface between the file and the data provider,
• display at least a portion of the at least one third party data segment as defined by the data provider,
• receive a modification to the at least one third party data segment from the user,
• provide the modification to the at least one third party data segment to the data provider, and
• receive an update to the at least one third party data segment stored in the file from the data provider via the generic data interface, wherein the update comprises the modification received from the user.