JP2002215452A - File information database system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To manage a file by attaching additional information to the file regardless of the file format and to facilitate the addition of a function that performs a new operation. SOLUTION: A file information database for sharing information held by an OS and information attached by a user as file information and the file information database system composed of access routines being a common interface for operating the file information database, are provided with a means for attaching file information, a means for utilizing the file information and a means for utilizing the file information from an external application.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention constructs a database for managing file information, and provides a common access routine to the database, thereby making file operations from a plurality of applications more efficient and having a high function. The present invention relates to a technique for providing an operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a file processing using an additional attribute, there is a document sharing and organizing system, a shared document management device and a document access device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-124491. In this conventional technique, the following three function realizing means are provided. The first is a means for converting a document into a common format using HTML and storing it in a shared management device. At this time, additional information is also added. The second is a means for organizing the stored document group and presenting it to the user. Third, means for changing the content of a previously stored document by the document access device. By using this conventional technique, it is possible to realize a shared memo and a message board between groups by specifying a shared range as an additional attribute.

However, in the prior art, since the target is limited to documents, it is difficult to apply to the construction of a system that shares all files such as image files, executable files, and data files. Further, there is no means for an external application such as a server that automatically performs processing based on file information or a system that performs an advanced file search using file information to use the additional information of the file. Therefore, it is difficult for a system using the conventional technology to add a new function.

[0004]

According to the present invention, means for giving and managing additional information to a file irrespective of the file format, means for editing the type of additional information to be given to a file, and an external application for adding additional information to a file The purpose is to provide the means to use.

[0005] By using these means, it is possible to construct a system in which file information including additional information is shared and file information can be easily used from an external application such as an automatic file processing server or a file search system.

[0006]

[MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS] A file information database which shares information possessed by an OS and information added by a user as file information, and file information constituted by an access routine which is a common interface for operating the file information database. A database system provides a means for adding file information, a means for using file information, and a means for using file information from an external application.

[0007]

FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the file information database (0010) includes file information, a file classification key list, a file status list, a file action list,
Holds a file search key list as information. Although the file itself is in the file system (0020), the file appears to the user to be in the file information database, and the file system is transparent to the user. The file information database has an access routine (003) having functions such as file registration and search.
Operation is performed through 0). Through this access routine, add-on applications (0040 to 0070) independent of each other can operate the file information database.

As shown in FIG. 3, the file information has a file ID which is unique in the database, a backup file ID which is a reference to the backup file, a file name, a position in the file system, and a file attribute. Details of each information are described below.

The file ID is information for the file information database 0010 to manage the file information.
The backup file ID is a reference to the file information before the update, and the state before the change of the file can be searched by sequentially tracing the backup file ID. In addition, the information inherent in the file system 0020 can be obtained by accessing the file body from the position information of the file.

As shown in FIG. 4, file attributes include creation date and time, update date and time, access date and time, storage expiration date, access right,
It has attributes of file classification key, search key, state, and action. A file classification key, a search key, a state, and an action can hold a variable number of zero or more for one file. The file classification key is provided with a classification code defined in advance. A list of classification codes is held in the file information database. The search key is for the user to enter a value in a predefined item such as "title" or "arbitrary" and to hold the information as the search key. By using the “arbitrary” item, the user can use an arbitrary character string as a search key. The status can give a predefined file status. The status includes "new creation", "update", "deleted", etc.
Some are used by add-on applications.
Actions are those used by add-on applications. The file classification key, search key, status, and action items of the file attributes are held in the respective item lists of the file information database 0010. The file is identified by the file name, position, file classification key, and search key.

The access routine (0030) is a set of interfaces necessary for operating the file information database (0010). Also, the access routine 0030 can be added to the system using a common database manipulation language. The accelerator routine 0030 is provided in such a form that mutually independent add-on applications are not affected by each other. Examples include formats such as shared libraries and DLLs.

The access routine 0030 registers each of a file classification key list, a file status list, a file action list, and a file search key list.
Functions are provided for changing, deleting, registering, updating, deleting, and retrieving file information, and for backing up and deleting file information and file entities. In the search, by specifying a combination of a file name and a file attribute, information on a corresponding file can be obtained. A detailed description of other access routines will be given below with reference to the drawings.

The flow of the registration process of each list item will be described with reference to FIG. The name of the list item is input (0100). It is checked whether the same name has been registered (0110), and if it has been registered, re-input processing is performed (0120, 0100). If the same name has not been registered, the access right is set (0130), the list item is registered (0140), and the process is terminated.

The flow of the process for changing each list item will be described with reference to FIG. The user inputs the name of the list item to be changed (0200) and searches (0210). If the search fails, re-input processing is performed (0220, 023)
0,0200). If the search is successful, it is checked whether there is an access permission for the change (0240). Thereafter, the changed name is input (0250), and if the registered name is already registered, the inputting process is performed again (0260, 027).
0,0250). Then, the access right is set (028
0) and change of the list item (0290), and the process ends.

The flow of the process of deleting each list item will be described with reference to FIG. The name of the list item to be deleted is input (0200), and a search is performed (0210). If the search fails, re-input processing is performed (0220, 023)
0,0200). If the search is successful, it is checked whether there is an access permission for the change (0240). After that, a file having the list item to be deleted as an attribute is searched (0350). If the search is successful, the corresponding list item is deleted from the file attribute (0370), and the file is searched again (0350). When the deletion of the corresponding list item from the file attributes of all the files is completed, the list item is deleted from the list, and the process ends.

The flow of the file registration process will be described with reference to FIG. First, information that can be obtained from the OS among the file attributes is obtained (0400). Next, other file attributes are input (0410). And
It is confirmed whether the input file attribute is appropriate (0420), and if inappropriate, re-input processing is performed (0430, 0410).
It is searched whether the same file exists (0440). If the same file exists, backup processing of the searched file is performed (0450), and the ID of the backed up file is registered in the backup file ID of the file (0460). If the same file does not exist, a terminator is registered in the backup file ID to indicate that no backup file exists (46).
5). Regardless of the success or failure of the same file existence check, the status attribute is set to “new creation” (0470), the file is registered (0480), and the process is terminated.

The flow of the file update process will be described with reference to FIG. First, an update file is searched (05
00), if the search fails, a re-search process is performed (0510, 0520, 0500). Next, other file attributes are input (0530). Then, it is checked whether the input file attribute is appropriate (0540), and if it is inappropriate, re-input processing is performed (0550, 0530). The backup processing of the searched file is performed (0560), and the ID of the backed up file is registered in the backup file ID of the file (0570). Further, the status attribute is set to "update" (0580), the file is registered (0590), and the process is terminated.

The flow of the file deletion process will be described with reference to FIG. First, a deleted file is searched (060).
0), if the search fails, re-search processing is performed (0
610, 0620, 0600). If the search is successful, backup processing is performed on the file, and the deletion processing ends. On this yesterday, all that is required is to move the file entity to a backup storage location and change the file status to “deleted”. In order to delete all file information and file entity including backup, it is necessary to use the backup deletion function.

The flow of the file backup process will be described with reference to FIG. First, the "new creation" and "update" of the file status attribute are changed to "deleted" (07).
00). Then, the file entity is moved to the backup location (0710), thereby ending the backup processing.

The deletion of the backup will be described with reference to FIG. This is a function to delete the file to be deleted together with the backup. First, an ID indicating file information to be deleted is set as a character processing ID (07).
40). Next, the file information indicated by the next process ID is obtained (0750). This file information is referred to as deleted file information. Then, the entity of the file indicated by the deleted file information is deleted (0760), and the next process ID is updated (0
770), and the deletion file information itself is deleted (0780). Then, it is determined whether the updated next process ID is a terminator (0790). If it is a terminator, it indicates that there are no more past backup files. In this case, the backup deletion processing has been completed. Otherwise, a series of processing (0750-0790) of the next processing ID is repeated.

Embodiment 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Upon receiving a search request from the user, the file search tool (0040) searches the file information database 0010 for file information using the search function of the access routine 0030. The search condition can be specified by an arbitrary combination of a file name and a file attribute. In this system, by using the file attribute, it is possible to provide a more advanced search function than the conventional file system search.

Embodiment 3 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. When a file operation tool (0050) receives a file operation command such as a file search or deletion from a user, the file operation tool requests an appropriate operation from the file information database 0010 using the access routine 0030 corresponding to the command. Then, the file operation tool presents the result to the user. It is possible to provide a unique operation interface while using the common file information database 0010 as in the present system.

Embodiment 4 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. An automatic file deletion function will be described as an example of a function of the automatic file processing system. First, a storage term set in advance for automatic processing is acquired (0800). The storage upper limit date and time is obtained from the storage time limit and the current date and time (0810). Then, a file that has not been accessed after the storage upper limit date and time is searched from the file information database 0010 (0820), and the search result is determined (0830). If the search is successful, all past files are deleted using the backup file ID of the file (0840). Thereafter, the substance of the searched file is stored in the file system 00.
From 20 (0850), file information is stored in database 0
By deleting from 010 (0860), files that have not been accessed for a certain period are automatically deleted.
To prevent the data from being deleted even if it exceeds the storage upper limit date and time with this function, the state of "automatic deletion prohibited" may be set, and the automatic processing system may check it.

As another example of the function, a system for periodically transmitting a file will be described. Suppose there is a file whose contents are updated frequently. Set "notification" to the action attribute of the file. The automatic processing system periodically searches for a file having an action attribute. When a file having the action attribute “notification” is found at that time, a notification such as “the file has been updated” is automatically issued according to the setting content of the “notification”.

As described above, the file information database 0
010 and an access routine 0030 for operating the file 010 can automate a work to be performed on a regular basis.

The fifth embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 15 shows a system for processing a workflow as shown in FIG. The system configuration includes an access routine 003 to the file information database 0010 described in the first embodiment.
The workflow server (1000) for calling the creator, the creator, the approver, and the processing department respectively use client terminals.

FIG. 14 shows a workflow for requesting a department in charge of processing such as order placement.
First, the creator (0900) creates a processing request and approves it (09
Send to 10). The approver (0910) sends a processing request to the processing section (0920) after approval. Processing department (0
A series of workflows is completed by the process of 920).

The operation of the present system will be described with reference to the state transition diagram of FIG. The processing is started when the user creates a processing request. Upon creation of the user, the client terminal (1010) sets the file status to "created" and sets the action to "system / send" (1100).
Here, “system / send” indicates that the system needs to send the corresponding file. Next, when the system finds a file that requires an action based on a notification from the client or a periodic search, the system processes the file according to the setting of the action. In this case, the system sends the file to the client terminal (1020) of the approver, and changes the status of the file to “waiting for approval”.
Set the action to “user / approval” (111
0). When the approver approves, the client terminal changes the file status to "Approved" and the action to "System /
"Send" (1120). Here, the system sends the file and the status "Waiting", the action "User /
The processing is set (1130). Finally, the processing department performs the processing, and the client terminal (103
By inputting “processed” to 0), the state of the file becomes “processed” and a series of workflows is completed (1140). With this system, it is possible to perform workflow processing while sharing file information in a database.

Embodiment 6 will be described in detail. As an example of a file extraction system, a system in which a product name and a version are designated to acquire all files constituting the product will be described. When registering a file, specify the product name and version as a search key. At the time of extraction, all files having the same product name and version can be acquired using the search function of the access routine 0030. This system can also process image files and the like, which were conventionally difficult to manage.

[0030]

As described above, the present invention has the following effects.

Regardless of the type of file, a mechanism for a user to add an additional attribute to a file, file information including the additional attribute is managed in a file information database, and a common interface is provided to an external application. As a result, file information can be shared among a plurality of users and applications, including additional attributes given by the users.

By using these means, for example, a server that performs automatic file processing such as automatically deleting a file whose storage period has expired, or an advanced search is performed by combining a file classification key and a file search key. An application such as a file search system that can perform the configuration easily by sharing the file information including the additional information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of a file information database.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of file information.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of a file attribute.

FIG. 5: Access routine: registration of each list item in the database

FIG. 6: Access routine: change of each list item to the database

FIG. 7: Access Routine: Deletion of Each List Item in Database

FIG. 8: Access routine: Registering a file in the database

FIG. 9: Access routine: updating a file to the database

FIG. 10: Access Routine: Deletion of File in Database

FIG. 11: Access Routine: File Backup to Database

FIG. 12: Access Routine: File Backup to Database

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of a process according to a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a workflow according to the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a system configuration according to a fifth embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a state transition diagram for workflow processing according to the fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

0010: File information database, 0020: File system, 0030: Access routine, 0040
... File search tool, 0050 ... File operation tool, 0060 ... Automatic processing server, 0070 ... External application

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Tomita 1 Ikegami, Haruoka-cho, Owariasahi-shi, Aichi Prefecture Inside the Information Equipment Division of Hitachi, Ltd. F term in the Information Technology Division of the Works (reference) 5B075 KK54 KK63 NK21 NK46 NR03 NR12 5B082 AA13 GA08

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A system comprising: a file information database for sharing information held by an OS and information added by a user as file information; and an access routine serving as a common interface for operating the file information database. A database system for performing a search, update, or delete process of a desired file using an access routine.