System and method for superimposing attributes on hierarchically organized file systems
First Claim
1. A method for managing a plurality of files each of which is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, comprising the steps of:
- (1) maintaining a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit;
(2) receiving a database operation request specifying a first path descriptor referencing a file;
(3) determining if there is at least one entry in said database having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association option having a value of implicit; and
(4) returning an attribute of an identified entry, said identified entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for superimposing attributes on files stored in a hierarchically organized file system, having at least one file and at least one directory, is disclosed. The method initializes an attribute data base (ADB) with one or more entries having a path descriptor referencing a file in a hierarchical database, an attribute, and an attribute association option describing how the attribute is associated with the file referenced by the path descriptor. The method simplifies maintaining systems employing file attributes to describe files by using the hierarchy of the file system to superimpose attributes on the files. The method provides for handling explicit, implicit, and static associations of attributes with files in the file hierarchy. The method is invoked by a file manager, such as an attribute supplying file hierarchy (ASFH), which resides in the operating system of a computer system having a processor, memory, and a system bus for passing data between the processor and memory. The method can be part of a Hierarchical Attribute Superimposition Subsystem (HASS) which includes an ADB and an ASFH.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for managing a plurality of files each of which is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, comprising the steps of:
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(1) maintaining a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit; (2) receiving a database operation request specifying a first path descriptor referencing a file; (3) determining if there is at least one entry in said database having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association option having a value of implicit; and (4) returning an attribute of an identified entry, said identified entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for managing a plurality of files each of which is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, comprising the steps of:
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(1) maintaining a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit; (2) receiving a database operation request specifying a first path descriptor, at least a first attribute, and a first association option; (3) determining if said first association option has a value of implicit; (4) determining if there is an attribute association entry in said database having an association option having a value of implicit, and also having a path descriptor matching said first path descriptor; and (5) adding into said database an attribute association entry having a path descriptor equal to said first path descriptor, attributes equal to at least said first attribute, and an association option equal to said first association option if there is no entry in said database having an association option having a value of implicit, and having a path descriptor matching said first path descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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7. A system for managing a plurality of files each of which is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, comprising:
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a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit; receiving means for receiving a database operation request specifying a first path descriptor referencing a file; determining means for determining if there is at least one entry in said database having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association option having a value of implicit; and returning means for returning an attribute of an identified entry, said identified entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for managing a plurality of files each of which is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, comprising:
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a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit; receiving means for receiving a database operation request specifying a first path descriptor, at least a first attribute, and a first association option; first determining means for determining if said first association option has a value of implicit; second determining means for determining if there is an attribute association entry in said database having an association option having a value of implicit, and also having a path descriptor matching said first path descriptor; and adding means for adding into said database an attribute association entry having a path descriptor equal to said first path descriptor, attributes equal to at least said first attribute, and an association option equal to said first association option if there is no entry in said database having an association option having a value of implicit, and having a path descriptor matching said first path descriptor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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13. A system for managing files in a file system, comprising:
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a database having stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, at least one of said plurality of attribute association entries having a path descriptor, an attribute, and an association option having a value of implicit; sending means for sending a file manipulation request to said database, said file manipulation request having a path descriptor referencing a file and an association option having a value equal to explicit or implicit; receiving means in said database for receiving said file manipulation request; first determining means for determining whether said file manipulation request requires a retrieval of an attribute from an entry in said database or a setting of an attribute in an entry in said database; second determining means for determining if there is at least one entry in said database having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association option having a value of implicit; returning means for returning an attribute of said identified entry, said identified entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file; and adding means for adding an attribute association entry having a path descriptor equal to said path descriptor in said file manipulation request, an attribute to be attributed to said file, and an association option equal to said association option in said file manipulation request. wherein, said second determining means and first returning means are responsive to a file manipulation request that requires an attribute to be retrieved from said entry and said first adding means is responsive to a file manipulation request that requires an attribute to be set in said database. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In a hierarchically organized file system wherein each file is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, a method of returning attributes values stored in a database, wherein the database has stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, each attribute association entry including a path descriptor, at least one attribute, and an association option, said association option having a value selected from a group of values that includes a value of explicit and a value of implicit, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) receiving a request specifying a first path descriptor referencing a file; (2) determining if there is at least one attribute association entry having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association value of implicit; and (3) returning at least one attribute from an identified attribute association entry, said identified attribute association entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file.
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33. A computer program product for use with a computer system, comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for enabling the computer system to implement, in a hierarchically organized file system wherein each file is capable of being referenced by a plurality of hardlinks, a method of returning attributes values stored in a database, wherein the database has stored therein a plurality of attribute association entries, each attribute association entry including a path descriptor, at least one attribute, and an association option, said association option having a value selected from a group of values that includes a value of explicit and a value of implicit, said computer readable program code means including, computer readable program code means for enabling a computer to effect a reception of a request specifying a first path descriptor referencing a file; computer readable program code means for enabling a computer to effect a determination of whether there is at least one attribute association entry having a path descriptor that is a prefix of said first path descriptor and also having an association value of implicit; and computer readable program code means for enabling a computer to effect a return of at least one attribute from an identified attribute association entry, said identified attribute association entry having a path descriptor that is a longest prefix of said first path descriptor referencing said file.
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Specification