JPH06103138A - File managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide the file managing method which can execute a flexible file processing by letting arbitrary files mutually relate. CONSTITUTION:In an operating system for executing file management by using a hierarchical directory structure, a related information management file VF for storing information (virtual directory information) for relating mutually plural arbitrary files distributed and registered in an arbitrary hierarchy is prepared. At the time of accessing plural arbitrary files distributed and registered in the arbitrary hierarchy, the information stored in this related information management file VF is utilized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for managing a plurality of files distributed and registered in a desired hierarchy in an operating system (hereinafter referred to as an OS) for managing files using a hierarchical directory structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The operating system of a personal computer is MS
DOS (registered trademark) is widely used. UNIX (registered trademark) is widely used as the OS of the workstation. All OSs such as MSDOS and UNIX use a hierarchical directory having a tree structure for file management.

[0003]

Although a hierarchical directory having a tree structure is a rational structure for collectively managing a large number of files, it is not inconvenient in its operation.

That is, in the conventional file system employing the tree structure hierarchical directory, a parent-child relationship is provided between the files to facilitate the classification and retrieval of the files. In this parent-child relationship, a serial connection from parent to child or child to parent can be easily expressed. However, it is not possible to directly express the connection of discrete parallel relationships that deviate from a serial series such as children and cousins. For example, consider a case where a plurality of files written on a disc in a hierarchical directory as shown in FIG. 8 are managed.

In this example, if the logical drive C: \ X \ Y \ U \ pqr \ dsg1 to dsg3 and the logical drive D: \ temp \ ref1 to ref2 are files to be managed at the same time, these serial sub files Since the files collected in the directory can be specified on one command line, there is no inconvenience in file management operation.

However, if the files jkl, ab
When c, def, and ghi are files to be managed at the same time, the computer operator changes the directory (for each of these files (jkl, abc, ghi, def) managed under a non-serial subdirectory) every time a reference is made ( Otherwise, the desired file cannot be accessed without specifying the path. In this case, you must always be aware of the directory you are in,
It is very troublesome for the computer operator.

The object of the present invention is not only to provide a serial parent-child relationship to a plurality of files as in the conventional file system, but also to add a method for managing arbitrary files in arbitrary hierarchies. It is to provide a file management method that enables flexible file management that was not available in the past.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in an operating system that manages files using a hierarchical directory structure, a management file for storing information associating arbitrary plural files distributedly registered in an arbitrary hierarchy with each other is prepared. To do.

[0009]

Operation: The file is accessed based on the information stored in this management file.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, as the hardware, a general MS
Assume a personal computer using DOS.

A virtual directory management program for executing the file management method of the present invention is created as memory resident software, and a mouse is used for a specific event (for example, hit of function key F1) or a graphic user interface (hereinafter referred to as GUI). It is activated by a hook for a specific interrupt processing such as menu selection by (for example, processing for accessing the file of MSDOS).

Further, the related information management file storing the virtual directory information of the present invention is specially handled as the file VF. The related information management file VF is a normal file managed by the OS, and the information contained in this file may be in text format or binary format.

The file VF has a structure as shown in FIG. 1, for example, and is arranged in, for example, a root directory of a hierarchical directory structure managed by the OS (see FIG. 8). In FIG. 1, it does not matter where each of the files numbered 1 to n is registered in the hierarchical directory.

The virtual directory management program is
When activated by a specific event, the processing shown in FIG. 2 is performed. That is, when the related information management file VF has not been created yet (ST1, NO), a new creation process of the file VF is performed (ST2), and the file VF is opened (ST3).

Next, new registration (ST4) and registration deletion (S
A menu including T5), association (ST6), association reference (ST7) and end (ST8) is displayed on a monitor CRT screen (not shown), and the operator is allowed to select one of them.

If it is a new registration (ST4, YES), a new registration process (ST40) of the file VF is performed, and if registration is deleted from a file already registered in the existing file VF (ST5, YES), a registration deletion process is performed (ST5).
0). When associating a plurality of files Y registered in the existing file VF (ST6, YES), the association process is performed (ST60), and when referring to one or more files Y associated with the file VF (ST).
7, YES) Related reference processing is performed (ST70). When the operator gives an instruction to finish all the processes (ST8, YES), the virtual directory management program ends (ST9).

FIG. 3 is a specific example of the new registration process ST40 of FIG. 2, in which the file name Y managed by the OS is changed to the file VF.
The procedure for new registration is shown below. The file name Y
May be input by the operator, or information on the OS when it is activated at a specific event may be used as the file name Y.

First, the virtual directory management program selects a file name Y from the file name field of the file VF.
, The file VF is opened. When the file name Y does not exist in the file name field of the opened file VF (ST400, NO),
File name Y is registered in the file name field of file VF (ST402). When the file name Y exists in the file name field of the opened file VF (S
(T400, YES) or if the file name Y is registered (ST402), the new registration process ST40 ends.

The file name registration position (line position in the example of FIG. 1) may be overwritten in the file name column when there is a deleted file name. If not, the registered file name is added to the last line of the file name field. FIG. 4 is a specific example of the registration deletion process ST50 of FIG. 2 and shows a procedure for deleting the file Y from the file name field of the related information management file VF of FIG.

First, the file name Y to be deleted is searched from the file name field in the file VF (ST50).
0). If the file name Y to be deleted cannot be found, the operator may be warned and the file name may be input again, or the process may be left as it is.

When the file name Y is found, a predetermined deletion mark is added to the file name Y (ST502).
As the delete mark, a mark such as a negative number that is not used in the file name managed by the OS is used. It is convenient to match this mark with the delete mark used in MSDOS.

Furthermore, file Y with a deletion mark
Is also deleted from the hierarchical file structure by the function of the OS (ST504). In this case, if the file Y to be deleted does not exist, a warning to that effect is issued to the operator, and the deletion process ends. FIG. 5 is a specific example of the associating process ST60 of FIG. 2, and shows a procedure for registering a plurality of files Y managed by the OS in the associated number area of the file VF.

The association is to connect arbitrary plural files. There are two types of relationships, one being related to the other and the other being related only from one side. First, the association processing from one side will be described.

First, the operator inputs the related source number (or related source file name) and the related destination number (or related destination file name) (ST600, ST602). Then, the virtual directory management program checks whether the file specified by the input number (or file name) is valid or invalid (ST604). If invalid (ST6
04, NO), and another number (or file name) is input again (ST600, ST602).

If the entered number is valid (ST604,
(YES), the related source record (corresponding file name Y) is searched by the input related source number (ST606). And the related number area of that record (center column in Figure 1)
The associated destination number is substituted into (ST608), and the associating process ends.

For example, the file name registration process (ST
402) to the file VF of FIG. 1 with relation number 1, file name def; relation number 2, file name nmo; relation number 3, file name pqr; relation number 4, file name s
tu; related number 5, file name abc, etc. are registered.

Here, by the input processing of FIG.
And related destination numbers 2 to 5 are input (ST600, ST60
2), related source file de from input related source number 1
When f is found (ST606), the related numbers 2 to 5 are assigned to the related number area of the file (ST60).
8). In this way, the number 2-5 for the file number 1.
Files are associated. When associating a plurality of files with each other, the associating process from one can be repeated twice.

For example, it is assumed that the related source number 3 and the related destination numbers 6 to 8 and 1 are input by the input processing of FIG. 5 (S
T600, ST602). When the relation source file pqr is found from the input relation source number 3 (ST606), the relation numbers 6 to 8 and 1 are set in the relation number area of the file.
Is substituted (ST608). In this way, the files with the numbers 6 to 8 and 1 are associated with the file with the number 3. In this case, the file pqr with the number 3 is related to the file def with the number 1 and the file def with the number 1 is
Will be associated with file pqr with number 3. That is, the file def with the number 1 and the file pq with the number 3
That is, it is related to r.

In this way, when the file with the number 1 and the file with the number 3 are mutually related files, as shown in FIG. 1, the numbers of the other party related files are stored in the related number areas of the records of both file numbers. 3, 1) are filled in respectively. If the file with number 1 and the file with number 3 are related files that are one-way,
File refers to the file with the number 3, but vice versa, the number 1 is deleted from the related number area of the record with the file number 3 in FIG.

By repeating the above-described entry operation, the file of the hierarchical directory which is not necessarily limited to the serial parent-child relationship in the related number area of the record of each number in the file VF (for example, the files def, nmo, pq in FIG. 8).
r, stu, abc) are registered, and the registration information constitutes a virtual directory of the file VF. FIG. 6 is a specific example of the related reference process ST70 of FIG. 2 and shows a procedure for referring to the related file registered in the related number area of the related information management file VF.

When the operator inputs the reference source number (for example, the related number 1 in FIG. 1) (ST700), the virtual directory management program checks whether the input number is already registered in the file VF. If registered (S
(T702, YES), the file def corresponding to the number (1) input from the file VF is searched (ST7).
04). When nothing is registered in the related number area of the searched file def (ST706, NO), the process of FIG. 6 ends.

When the related numbers (2 to 5) are registered in the related number area of the retrieved file def (ST
706, YES), and the related numbers (2-
File corresponding to 5) (nmo, pqr, stu, a
bc) is searched (ST708). If these corresponding files do not exist in the file VF (ST71
0, NO), another reference source number is input (ST7).
00).

Related numbers registered in the related number area (2
Files corresponding to (~ 5) (nmo, pqr, stu,
abc) exists in the file VF (ST71
0, YES), information about those files (file name,
(Such as a title) is output on a monitor CRT screen (not shown) (ST712).

The above process is repeated as long as the operator desires. When this processing is completed, it is possible to exit from the processing routine of FIG. 6 by pressing the escape key, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the related numbers, keywords can be registered in each file in the related information management file VF. When the keyword is registered, the file search in FIG. 5 or 6 can be performed by the keyword.

FIG. 7 shows a display example of data output to the monitor screen of the computer corresponding to the related information management file VF of FIG. 1 when there are files managed by the OS in the directory structure of FIG. .

In FIG. 7, each file name is specified by a full path from the root directory of the logical drive (C :, D :, etc.) on the OS (this full path specification is virtual even if the operator does not manually input it). Automatically generated by the directory management program).

When the related information management file VF is opened, a window containing registered files appears with the related number list (FIG. 7 (a)). When referring to the related file of the functional design document (file def), the operator moves the cursor to the line of title = functional design document, selects that portion, and hits the return key. Then, the overlapping window including the file of the related number registered in the related number area of the functional design document further appears together with the related number list (FIG. 7B). When the operator wants to refer to the related file of the functional design 2 (file pqr), the operator moves the cursor to the line of title = functional design 2 and selects that portion, and hits the return key. Then, the overlapping window including the file of the related number registered in the related number area of the functional design 2 further appears (FIG. 7 (c)).

Here, design data 2 (file dsg
2) When the operator wants to see the contents, the operator moves the cursor to the line of title = design data 2 and selects that portion,
Hit the return key. Then, the file of the design data 2 (not the subdirectory in this case) is opened, and the predetermined design data is expanded on the monitor screen.

Here, in the line of the functional design document of FIG. 7C,
Assuming that the related number of each file in FIG. 7B is registered, by moving the cursor to this line and hitting the return key, a window as shown in FIG. 7B pops up on the monitor screen. Come on.

If another file Y (not shown) in which the associated numbers of the respective files in FIG. 7A are registered exists in FIG. 7C, the cursor is moved to the line of this other file Y. By hitting the return key,
A window as shown in can be popped up on the monitor screen.

By doing so, it becomes possible to freely switch between the desired related files by a simple operation without re-cutting the path to the desired file for each hierarchy of the directory or each type of logical drive.

Although MSDOS is assumed as the OS in the above description, the basis of the description can be applied to the file system of another OS that adopts the tree structure hierarchical directory. If the tree structure hierarchical directory is used for file management, the present invention is not limited to the character-based (command line operation) OS,
It can also be applied to a GUI-based (mouse operation) OS.

[0044]

According to the file management method of the present invention, in an operating system which manages files using a hierarchical directory structure, information (virtual directory information) for associating arbitrary plural files distributedly registered in an arbitrary hierarchy with each other is stored. A management file is provided, and information stored in the management file (virtual directory information) is used so that any of a plurality of files distributed and registered in any hierarchy can be immediately accessed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a related information management file according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating registration, deletion, association, and association reference of information in the related information management file of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating new registration for the related information management file of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating registration deletion for the related information management file of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating association of information with the related information management file of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining related reference of information to the related information management file of FIG.

7 is a diagram showing a display example of data output on a monitor screen of a computer corresponding to the related information management file of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a configuration of a plurality of files and sub-directories written in two discs by a hierarchical directory having a tree structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

VF ... Related information management file (virtual directory information storage file), Y ... File name.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An operating system for performing file management using a hierarchical directory structure, comprising a related information management file having a space for storing information for associating arbitrary plural files distributedly registered in an arbitrary hierarchy with each other, A file management method characterized in that the information stored in this related information management file can be accessed to a plurality of arbitrary files distributedly registered in an arbitrary hierarchy. 2. The operating system is a disk operating system having a hierarchical directory of a tree structure capable of specifying the location of the file by specifying a path, and the related information management file is stored in a predetermined directory of the disk operating system. It is a file that is registered and can be referred to at any time by this disk operating system. By referring to the related information management file by this disk operating system, any multiple files distributed and registered in any hierarchy are as if they were files on a single path. 2. The file management method according to claim 1, wherein the file management is performed virtually as if it were a collection of.