Dual namespace client having long and short filenames

• US 5,926,805 A
• Filed: 04/24/1998
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hurvig, Hans, Reardon, Thomas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/065,852
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/100, 707/200, 707/101, 707/205, 707/2
• US Class Current: 707/690
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/166 File name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

a method and system for providing a dual namespace client is disclosed. The present invention provides support and compatibility to a filesystem of a client which may have multiple local namespaces. In an embodiment of the present invention where the client is a node supported by a network server, the client, by communicating with and querying the network server, is able to direct the server to follow the client'"'"'s rules governing appropriate filesystem operations. The integrity of the names of the files or entries stored on the network server are maintained without requiring any modifications to the structure or operation of the server itself.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

determining an intermediate entry on a path of mixed names by locating a transition point from the root where the path components change from the syntax of one namespace to the syntax of another namespace that also contains a name for any intermediate entry;

obtaining identifier information for the intermediate entry closest to the root by accessing the namespace associated with the syntax of the intermediate entry name; and

obtaining identifier information for any remaining intermediate entries by utilizing the identifier information of the preceding intermediate entries and accessing the namespace associated with the syntax of the intermediate entry name.

2. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules comprising:

a parsing module for determining an intermediate entry on a path of mixed names by locating a transition point from the root where the path components change from the syntax of one namespace to the syntax of another namespace that also contains a name for any intermediate entry;

a file information module comprising one or more procedures for obtaining identifier information for

(a) the intermediate entry closest to the root by accessing the namespace associated with the syntax of the intermediate entry name, and

(b) any remaining intermediate entries by utilizing the identifier information of the preceding intermediate entries and accessing the namespace associated with the syntax of the intermediate entry name.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein said file information module uses the identifier information as the handle or valid path for an entry.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein said file information module obtains the handle for an initial intermediate entry and a valid path for said initial entry in only one of a plurality of namespaces.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules comprising:

a network module that connects a client workstation with a network server that provides file services to the client, including the ability to access a file by referencing more than one namespace;

an interceptor module that traps a file operation destined for the network server;

a verification module that ensures that said file operation can be performed by the network server consistently with the file management namespace requirements of the client; and

a transmission module that directs the server to perform the requested file operation.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

resolving a select entry having a path of mixed names by obtaining a valid path for the select entry in one select namespace of a plurality of associated namespaces containing a name for the select entry; and

performing the path based filesystem operation on the select entry using the valid path in the select namespace when the path based filesystem operation does not introduce a new name into the plurality of associated namespaces.

7. A method for performing a path based filesystem operation which introduces new names into a plurality of namespaces, comprising the following steps:

determining if the tailname of a select entry which is to be introduced into said plurality of namespaces matches the syntax requirements for a first namespace;

performing the path based filesystem operation in the first namespace when the tailname of said select entry matches the syntax requirements for the first namespace;

determining if the path based filesystem operation will maintain the consistency of names of the select entry in the remainder of said plurality of namespaces when the tailname of the select entry matches the syntax requirements for at least a second namespace; and

performing the path based filesystem operation in at least the second namespace when it has been determined that the operation will maintain the consistency of the names of the select entry in at least the second namespaces.