Method and System for Defining a Heirarchical Structure

• US 20070299867A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Baldwin, Timothy John, Morrls, Philip Paul, Oevers, Manfred Georg
• Granted Patent: US 8,161,371 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06

Abstract

A hierarchical structure is provided. The hierarchical structure includes object items (301-306) for objects (101-106) located in the hierarchical structure, each object item (301-306) having a name and a link (321-326). The hierarchical structure also includes node items (311-314) each having a name of a hierarchical path name. A node item (311-314) is provided for each unique path name in the hierarchical structure and the link (321-326) of an object item (301-306) links to a single node item (311-314) having the hierarchical path name of the object (101-106).

Claims

1. A method for defining a hierarchical structure, comprising:

providing object items (301-306) for objects represented in the hierarchical structure (100), each object item (301-306) having a name and a link (321-326);

providing a node item (311-314) having a name in the form of a hierarchical path name, wherein a node item (311-314) is provided for each unique path name in the hierarchical structure (100);

wherein the link (321-326) for an object item (301-306) links to a single node item (311-314) having the hierarchical path name of the object.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each node item (311-314) has a link (321-326) to one or more object items (301-306).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) have properties, wherein the names and links are provided as properties.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) are entries in a table (261-263), the entries having a name, and the links (321-326) are provided in a table (264) defining the start and end of the link.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein an object item (301-303) represents an object that defines the structure and contains nested objects.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein an object item (304-306) represents an object that has an associated content (210-212).

7. A method as claimed in claim 2, including following the link (321-326) from an object item (301-306) to determine the path name of an object.

8. A method as claimed in claim 2, including searching objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by following links (321-326) between object items (301-306) and node items (311-314).

9. A method as claimed claim 2, including manipulating objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by changing links (321-326) between object items (301-306) and node items (311-314).

10. A method as claimed in claim 2, including searching objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by pattern matching of object item (301-306) and node item (311-314) names.

11. A computer containing a stored hierarchical data structure, comprising:

a plurality of object items (301-306) for objects represented in the hierarchical structure (100), each object item having a name and a link (321-326);

a plurality of node items (311-314), each having a name in the form of a hierarchical path name, wherein a node item (311-314) is provided for each unique path name in the hierarchical structure (100);

wherein the ink (321-326) of an object item (301-306) links to a single node item (311-314) having the hierarchical path name of the object.

12. A computer as claimed in claim 11, wherein each node item (311-314) has a ink (321-326) to one or more object items (301-306).

13. A computer as claimed in claim 11, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) have properties, wherein the names and links are provided as properties.

14. A computer as claimed in claim 12, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) are entries in a table (261-263), the entries having a name, and the links (321-326) are provided in a table (264) defining the start and end of the link.

15. A computer as claimed in claim 12, wherein an object item (301-303) represents an object that defines the structure and has nested objects within it.

16. A computer as claimed in claim 12, wherein the object item (304-306) represents an object that has an associated content (210-212).

17. A storage medium containing program instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for defining a hierarchical structure, comprising:

instructions for providing object items (301-306) for objects represented in the hierarchical structure (100), each object item (301-306) having a name and a link (321-326);

instructions for providing a node item (311-314) having a name in the form of a hierarchical path name, wherein a node item (311-314) is provided for each unique path name in the hierarchical structure (100);

wherein the link (321-326) for an object item (301-306) links to a single node item (311-314) having the hierarchical path name of the object.

18. A storage medium as claimed in claim 17 wherein each node item (311-314) has a link (321-326) to one or more object items (301-306).

19. A storage medium as claimed in claim 17, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) have properties, wherein the names and links are provided as properties.

20. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the object items (301-306) and node items (311-314) are entries in a table (261-263), the entries having a name, and the links (321-326) are provided in a table (264) defining the start and end of the link.

21. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein an object item (301-303) represents an object that defines the structure and contains nested objects.

22. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein an object item (304-306) represents an object that has an associated content (210-212).

23. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, including following the link (321-326) from an object item (301-306) to determine the path name of an object.

24. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, including searching objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by following links (321-326) between object items (301-306) and node items (311-314).

25. A storage medium as claimed claim 18, including manipulating objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by changing links (321-326) between object items (301-306) and node items (311-314).

26. A storage medium as claimed in claim 18, including searching objects in the hierarchical structure (100) by pattern matching of object item (301-306) and node item (311-314) names.