1. A method for paginating and previewing content within one or more data files received in response to an information search, the content within the one or more data files being in an essentially continuously-flowing non-paginated format, wherein information content within the one or more data files include content formatted by markup language code, the method comprising: entering a search query; sending the query to a search engine, and receiving a search result having a list of data files each of which comprises content represented in a markup language code matching the search query; and for each of the data files in the list: retrieving the data file; paginating the content of the retrieved data file into discrete pages by applying pagination rules for dividing the content of the retrieved data file into multiple parts each suitable for page-level previewing purposes; generating preview pages each for rendering the same visible content of the retrieved data file that has been paginated into a respective discrete page of the retrieved data file; sending the preview pages to a client device which constructs a data file preview for the data file that simultaneously displays a subset of the preview pages generated for the data file, each of which is automatically selected for display in the data file preview by virtue of containing content that matches the search query, wherein the constructed data file preview is configured to allow an end user of the client device to select preview pages, which are displayed in the data file preview, in order to view higher resolution versions of those preview pages matching the corresponding discrete pages of the retrieved data file.
1. A method for paginating and previewing content within one or more data files received in response to an information search, the content within the one or more data files being in an essentially continuously-flowing non-paginated format, wherein information content within the one or more data files include content formatted by markup language code, the method comprising: entering a search query; sending the query to a search engine, and receiving a search result having a list of data files each of which comprises content represented in a markup language code matching the search query; and for each of the data files in the list: retrieving the data file; paginating the content of the retrieved data file into discrete pages by applying pagination rules for dividing the content of the retrieved data file into multiple parts each suitable for page-level previewing purposes; generating preview pages each for rendering the same visible content of the retrieved data file that has been paginated into a respective discrete page of the retrieved data file; sending the preview pages to a client device which constructs a data file preview for the data file that simultaneously displays a subset of the preview pages generated for the data file, each of which is automatically selected for display in the data file preview by virtue of containing content that matches the search query, wherein the constructed data file preview is configured to allow an end user of the client device to select preview pages, which are displayed in the data file preview, in order to view higher resolution versions of those preview pages matching the corresponding discrete pages of the retrieved data file. 11. The method of claim 1 , wherein preview pages that are not currently displayed in the data file preview are pre-loaded in the memory of the preview engine for later viewing.