Sub-foldering system in a directory-service-based launcher

• US 5,987,471 A
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novell Incorporated (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Randall R., Bodine, Bill Guy, Franklin, Nicholas Huston
• Primary Examiner(s): HOMERE, JEAN RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US08/969,894
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/9, 707/102, 707/103, 395/200.31, 395/200.47, 395/200.56, 395/200.59, 395/200.52, 345/350, 345/356
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A directory services system includes resource objects, such as an application object for accessing a resource associated with the resource object. Foldering attributes may be provided or added to an existing or new, specialized resource object. Foldering attributes reflect correspondence of the actual resources to an organizational scheme. The foldering attributes may include not only linking and backlink information, but management data for multiple levels of linking and organization, all stored in a Network Directory Services resource object. A resource, via its resource object in the directory services database, may be easily assigned to an organizational position for an individual user, a group, container, or the like. A snap-in module may be created, having executables as one or more Application Programming Interfaces (API'"'"'s) in a Dynamic Link Library (DLL) for consuming (using) the foldering attributes. A utility may be provided in the Directory Services Systems'"'"' Administration module, or as on of such modules, to create and manage the foldering attributes. In certain embodiments attributes may be in objects requiring no methods embedded therein. In other embodiments methods in resource objects may contain additional executables or even obviate API'"'"'s in the DLL.

Claims

1. An apparatus for managing a foldering hierarchy for data structures using a directory service system, the apparatus comprising:

a computer system containing a processor, operably connected to a memory device storing executable and operational data structures comprising;

a directory services system for storing at least one resource object corresponding to a resource, and consumer objects corresponding to entities for consuming the resource;

a resource object selected from the at least one resource object and comprising a foldering attribute for selectively binding the consumer objects to the resource object in an arbitrary foldering hierarchy selected by a consumer;

a foldering utility, executable to manage the value of the foldering attribute; and

a consuming executable programmed for binding the consumer objects to the resource object in an organized arrangement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the foldering attribute is an index corresponding a selected consumer object of the consumer objects to a folder representing a relationship in the organized arrangement.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the consuming executable is effective to create a folder hierarchy.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a consumer object contains a foldering attribute effective to store an organizational relationship for displaying an image corresponding to the resource object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource object further comprises an association list storing identifiers corresponding to folders and subfolders.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resource object corresponds to a physical entity and the foldering attribute is effective for organizing the plurality of the resources unique for each node of nodes networked together in the computer system.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plurality of nodes is configured to provide a directory services server effective to store and manage the resource objects, a client node for accessing the resource objects provided by the directory services server, and programmed to create a foldering organization for linking the resource object by comparing a proximity attribute of the resource object to a location of the client node.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the foldering attributes reflect a hierarchy relating a plurality of folders to one another.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resource object contains a binding attribute effective to bind the resource object, with respect to a consumer object, and wherein the consuming executable is effective to operate based on the value at the binding attribute.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a display connected to the processor, and wherein the foldering attribute is provided to control the display of images reflecting an organization of resources in folders and subfolders.