Method for apparatus for implementing a class hierarchy of objects in a hierarchical file system
First Claim
1. In a computer system comprising a hierarchical file system, a method for creating and accessing a class hierarchy of objects on said computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a root class by creating a collection of hierarchical directories and files of a first type using said hierarchical file system, said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a first type and a root class method, said first type search path being used for locating said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files, said root class method being used for generating a class instance for a non-root class subclass to said root class;
establishing non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a second type using said hierarchical file system, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a second type, each of said second type search paths being used for locating its second type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-rot class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directories and files being hierarchically subordinate to the collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-root class'"'"' super class; and
generating class instances of said non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a third type using said hierarchical file system, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a third type and at least one class instance variable value, each of said third type search paths being used for locating its third type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class instance'"'"'s class, its class instance'"'"'s class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files being hierarchically subordinate to the second type collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class instance'"'"'s class.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for implementing a class hierarchy of objects in a hierarchical file system is disclosed, which does not require the support of additional file attributes by the hierarchical file system, and has particular application to object oriented programming in window-based computer systems. The class hierarchy comprises a root class, a plurality of classes and a plurality of class instances. The root class is implemented with a hierarchy of root class directory and root class files. Each class is implemented with a hierarchy of class directories and class files comprising the class methods, and the initial values of the class instance variables. Each class instance is implemented with a hierarchy of class instance directory and class instance files comprising the class instance variables. Each hierarchy of directories and files also comprises a path file. The content of these path files are logically related to each other, based on their class'"'"' relationships. By controlling the invocation of class methods, using these path files, inheritance is achieved. By accessing the class instance variables through the class methods, data abstraction is also achieved. Additionally, the method and apparatus also supports the pseudo class instance/class "Self" and " Super" when invoking another class method by a class method.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. In a computer system comprising a hierarchical file system, a method for creating and accessing a class hierarchy of objects on said computer system, said method comprising the steps of:
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establishing a root class by creating a collection of hierarchical directories and files of a first type using said hierarchical file system, said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a first type and a root class method, said first type search path being used for locating said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files, said root class method being used for generating a class instance for a non-root class subclass to said root class; establishing non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a second type using said hierarchical file system, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a second type, each of said second type search paths being used for locating its second type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-rot class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directories and files being hierarchically subordinate to the collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-root class'"'"' super class; and generating class instances of said non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a third type using said hierarchical file system, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a third type and at least one class instance variable value, each of said third type search paths being used for locating its third type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class instance'"'"'s class, its class instance'"'"'s class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files being hierarchically subordinate to the second type collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class instance'"'"'s class. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a computer system comprising a hierarchical file system, an apparatus for creating and accessing a class hierarchy of objects on said computer system, said apparatus comprising:
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first file creation means coupled to said hierarchical file system for establishing a root class by creating a collection of hierarchical directories and files of a first type using said hierarchical file system, said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a first type and a class instance making method, said first type search path being used for locating said first type collection of hierarchical directories and files, said class instance making method being used for generating class instances for non-root classes subclass to said root class; and second file creation means coupled to said hierarchical file system for establishing non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a second type using said hierarchical file system, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a second type, each of said second type search paths being used for locating its second type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-root class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said second type collections of hierarchical directions and files being hierarchically subordinate to the collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its non-root class'"'"' super class; said class instance making method generating said class instance for said non-root classes by creating collections of hierarchical directories and files of a third type using said hierarchical file system, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files logically comprising a search path of a third type and at least one class instance variable value, each of said third type search paths being used for locating its third type collection of hierarchical directories and files and all collections of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class, instance'"'"'s class, its class instance'"'"'s class'"'"' ancestral classes including said root class, each of said third type collections of hierarchical directories and files being hierarchically subordinate to the second type collection of hierarchical directories and files created to establish its class instance'"'"'s class. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification