Directory with an associated query

• US 20060161536A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Logan, Bryan Mark, Faiman, Nathan Glenn
• Application Number:
  US11/035,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161536A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, in response to a read command directed to a first directory, a query associated with the first directory is performed against a second directory, and the results of the query are returned in response to the read command. In response to an open command directed to a file in the first directory, the associated query is performed against the second directory, and the file is found in the query results. A file handle associated with the file is then created. If the query has an associated API, an instance of the API is created and a pointer to the instance is stored in the file handle. In response to a file command directed to the file handle, if the file handle contains a pointer to the API instance, the file operation is passed to the API instance.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a read command directed to a first directory;

determining whether the first directory has an associated query; and

performing the query against a second directory if the determining is true.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

returning results of the query in response to the read command.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an open command directed to a file in the first directory;

deciding whether the first directory has an associated query; and

performing the query against the second directory and finding the file in results of the query if the deciding is true.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

creating a file handle associated with the file; and

returning the file handle to an application that sent the open command.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the creating the file handle further comprises:

determining whether the query has an associated API; and

creating an instance of the associated API and storing a pointer to the instance of the API in the file handle if the query has the associated API.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a file operation command directed to the file handle;

determining whether the file handle contains the pointer to the instance of the API; and

if the file handle does contain the pointer to the instance of the API, passing the file operation command to the instance of the API.

7. A signal-bearing medium encoded with instructions, wherein the instructions when executed comprise:

receiving a read command directed to a first directory;

determining whether the first directory has an associated query; and

performing the query against a second directory if the determining is true.

8. The signal-bearing medium of claim 7, further comprising:

returning results of the query in response to the read command.

9. The signal-bearing medium of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving an open command directed to a file in the first directory;

deciding whether the first directory has an associated query; and

performing the query against the second directory and finding the file in results of the query if the deciding is true.

10. The signal-bearing medium of claim 9, further comprising:

creating a file handle associated with the file; and

returning the file handle to an application that sent the open command.

11. The signal-bearing medium of claim 10, wherein the creating the file handle further comprises:

determining whether the query has an associated API; and

creating an instance of the associated API and storing a pointer to the instance of the API in the file handle if the query has the associated API.

12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a file operation command directed to the file handle; and

determining whether the file handle contains the pointer to the instance of the API.

13. The signal-bearing medium of claim 12, further comprising:

if the file handle does contain the pointer to the instance of the API, passing the file operation command to the instance of the API.

14. A method for configuring a computer, comprising:

configuring the computer to receive a read command directed to a first directory;

configuring the computer to determine whether the first directory has an associated query; and

configuring the computer to perform the query against a second directory if the first directory has an associated query.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

configuring the computer to return results of the query in response to the read command.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

configuring the computer to receive an open command directed to a file in the first directory;

configuring the computer to decide whether the first directory has an associated query; and

configuring the computer to perform the query against the second directory and find the file in results of the query if the first directory has an associated query.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

configuring the computer to create a file handle associated with the file; and

configuring the computer to return the file handle to an application that sent the open command.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the configuring the computer to create the file handle further comprises:

configuring the computer to determine whether the query has an associated API; and

configuring the computer to create an instance of the associated API and store a pointer to the instance of the API in the file handle if the query has the associated API.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

configuring the computer to receive a file operation command directed to the file handle; and

configuring the computer to determine whether the file handle contains the pointer to the instance of the API.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

configuring the computer to pass the file operation command to the instance of the API if the file handle does contain the pointer to the instance of the API.