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System for accessing extended object attribute (EA) data through file name or EA handle linkages in path tables

  • US 5,367,671 A
  • Filed: 09/25/1990
  • Issued: 11/22/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. For a computer system containing an operating system and a memory subsystem, and having one or more direct access storage devices attached thereto, an arrangement for adapting said operating system to store, modify and read extended attribute (EA) data associated with named objects contained in said storage devices;

  • said arrangement comprising;

    one or more path tables under exclusive control of said operating system tables being stored in said storage devices, and in said memory subsystem when said computer system is communicating with the respective storage device;

    each said path table containing locations therein reserved for storing names of objects associated with the respective storage device and EA handle information for locating EA data stored in association with respective said objects;

    first means under exclusive control of said operating system, said first means being responsive to first function calls, each designating a storage device and an EA handle, for causing EA data to be transferred to or from storage locations in respectively designated storage devices;

    each said storage location being found only by means of the EA handle designated in the respective first function call, andsecond means under exclusive control of said operating system, said second means being responsive to second function calls, each designating a device and an object name, for causing EA data associated with respectively designated object names to be transferred to or from storage locations in designated devices;

    wherein each said storage location is determined by referring to a said path table containing the respective object name and using an associated EA handle stored in said path table for locating a storage position in the respectively designated device relative to which said EA data is to be transferred wherein said named objects include directory and subdirectory paths in said devices, and said file data stored in said paths, and wherein each said path table is associated with a single path in a single device and contains spaces for storing entries representing the respective path and any data files stored in that path;

    each said entry space containing a position therein reserved for optionally storing said EA handle when EA data is stored in the respective device in association with the respective object name represented by the entry.

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