Common name space for long and short filenames

• US 5,579,517 A
• Filed: 04/24/1995
• Issued: 11/26/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reynolds, Aaron R., Lipe, Ralph A., Pedrizetti, Ray D., Arun, Rasipuram V., Adler, Dennis R., Parsons, Jeffrey T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, CUAN
• Application Number:
  US08/427,004
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 395/425, 395/600, 395/500
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/166 File name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An operating system provides a common name space for both long filenames and short filenames. In this common namespace, a long filename and a short filename are provided for each file. Each file has a short filename directory entry and may have at least one long filename directory entry associated with it. The number of long filename directory entries that are associated with a file depends on the number of characters in the long filename of the file. The long filename directory entries are configured to minimize compatibility problems with existing installed program bases.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a processor running an operating system and a memory means storing the operating system, a method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) storing in the memory means a first directory entry for a file wherein the first directory entry holds a short filename for the file, said short filename including at most a maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(b) storing in the memory means a second directory entry for a the file wherein the second directory entry holds a long filename for the file and wherein the second directory entry includes an attributes field which may be set to make the second directory entry invisible to the operating system and the step of storing the second directory entry further comprises the step of setting the attributes field so that the second directory entry is invisible to the operating system, said long filename including more than the maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system; and

(c) accessing the first directory entry with the operating system.

2. In a computer system having a processor running an operating system and a memory means storing the operating system, a method, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) storing in the memory means a first directory entry for a file wherein the first directory entry holds a short filename for the file, said short filename including at most a maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(b) storing in the memory means a second directory entry for the file wherein the second directory entry holds a long filename for the file and storing a checksum of the short filename in the second directory entry, said long filename including more than the maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system; and

(c) accessing the first directory entry with the operating system.

3. In a computer system having a processor running an operating system and a memory means storing the operating system, a method, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) storing in the memory means a first directory entry for a file wherein the first directory entry holds a short filename for the file, said short filename including at most a maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(b) storing in the memory means a second directory entry for the file wherein the second directory entry holds a long filename for the file, said long filename including more than the maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(c) accessing the first directory entry with the operating system;

(d) storing in the memory means at least one additional directory entry holding a next portion of the long filename and a checksum of the short filename.

4. In a computer system having a processor running an operating system and a memory means storing the operating system, a method, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) storing in the memory means a first directory entry for a file wherein the first directory entry holds a short filename for the file, said short filename including at most a maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(b) storing in the memory means a second directory entry for the file wherein the second directory entry holds a long filename for the file, said long filename including more than the maximum number of characters that is permissible by the operating system;

(c) accessing the first directory entry with the operating system;

(d) storing in the memory means at least one additional directory entry holding a next portion of the long filename and a signature that uniquely identifies which portion of the long filename.