JP2006331439A - File management device and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a file management device capable of handling large-size information as a part of a file attribute without degrading retrieval efficiency and reading efficiency of the file attribute. <P>SOLUTION: In this file management device, a file attribute processing part 1b stores attribute data excluding image data within file attributes inputted from terminal devices 2a-2c such as a work station being a client in a basic attribute file 1f, stores the image data as a large attribute file 1g for the image data, and sets address information of the large attribute file 1g in the basic attribute file 1f. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a file management apparatus and method.

  Conventionally, when data is stored, attribute data consisting of attribute information such as a title and a creator is added to the contents of the data (content data; hereinafter referred to as “content”) and handled as a logical file. Is common.

  For example, in network system filing (hereinafter referred to as “NS filing”) used in a JStar workstation developed by Xerox Corporation, attribute data consisting of attribute information such as title, creator, creation time, and keyword , Content is handled as a logical file.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the attribute data is a set of attribute information such as a file name and a keyword, and has a predetermined data size for each type of attribute information (hereinafter referred to as “attribute type”). In general, data syntax is assigned and attribute information for each attribute type is set under this restriction.

  For example, for the attribute type “file name” that defines the data size as 8 bytes (6a) and the data syntax as a string (6b), “BUNKEN-1” (6c) is specified by the client as 8 A character string of no more than bytes is set.

  In the conventional management technology for managing logical files composed of content and attribute data, a physical file is allocated to each attribute data and the mutual relationship between files is managed using a management table or the like, and the attribute data is stored in a database. It can be broadly divided into technologies that use batch management.

  In the former technique, as shown in FIG. 7A, an attribute file 7b having attribute types a to n and a content file 7c storing content are configured as one logical file 7a. The logical file is managed using the management table 7d indicating the correspondence relationship of the content file 7c.

  On the other hand, in the latter technique, as shown in FIG. 7B, the correspondence between the attribute file and the content file 7c and each attribute data are collectively managed by the database 7e using the database. Become. In this case, there are many cases where a database that handles correspondence and a database that handles each attribute data are provided separately.

  As described above, in the former technique, a physical file is allocated to attribute data, and in the latter technique, the attribute data is database-managed and used as management information. Recently, the attribute data has flexibility. In many cases, a user area is provided in the attribute data.

  For this reason, the use of this attribute data is diversified, and sometimes large size information such as reduced image data or handwritten title image is used as attribute information.

  Here, the reduced image data is obtained by reducing the data amount of the image data, and is used in place of the image data in a device having a limited data amount that can be handled like a personal computer. . Also, when grasping image data, it may be used to display a list of reduced image data on a client.

  The handwritten title image is used when a title is input without using a keyboard, or when a part of content is taken out as title information.

  When such reduced image data or the like is handled as attribute information, the amount of information of the attribute information protrudes as compared to other attribute information, which causes a problem that the search efficiency for attribute data is reduced.

  In addition, when performing attribute data read processing, a technique is known in which titles, keywords, and the like in the attribute data are resident in the cache memory to perform read processing with high access efficiency. If it is handled as attribute information, the cache memory is occupied by the information, so that other attribute information is evicted from the cache memory.

  For this reason, in order to handle such large-size information as attribute information using the prior art, it is necessary for the client to manage the information separately from the attribute data.

  However, when the client manages large-size information, not only does the client have an extra load, but the file management device cannot recognize whether the consistency of the entire logical file is maintained. Occurs.

  That is, when all the attribute data is handled in the file management apparatus, the consistency of the logical file does not matter, but the information managed by the client cannot be recognized on the file management apparatus side, so logically invalid attribute data May be granted.

  Another problem is that the file management apparatus cannot perform access control for a part of the file attributes.

  Therefore, in order to maintain the consistency of the logical file, it is necessary to handle large size information as part of the attribute data on the file management apparatus side.

  Accordingly, the present invention provides a file management apparatus and method capable of solving such problems and handling large-size information as part of attribute data without reducing attribute data search efficiency and read efficiency. With the goal.

  To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 excludes image data from storage means for storing content data and attribute data of the content data, and attribute data of the content data stored in the storage means. Attribute processing for storing attribute data as basic attribute information associated with the content data, for image data, storing the image data as large attribute information, and setting address information of the large attribute information in the basic attribute information Means.

  According to the invention of claim 2, the attribute processing means stores the attribute data excluding the image data among the attribute data of the content data stored in the storage means as basic attribute information associated with the content data, and the image data The image data is stored as large attribute information, and address information of the large attribute information is set in the basic attribute information.

  According to the present invention, large-size information can be handled as part of attribute data without reducing attribute data search efficiency and read efficiency.

  An embodiment of a file management apparatus and method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a network and the configuration of a file management apparatus according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in this network, a local area network (LAN) 3 is connected to a file management device 1 and terminal devices 2a to 2c such as workstations and personal computers as clients.

  The file management apparatus 1 includes a request receiving unit 1a, a file attribute processing unit 1b, a content processing unit 1c, a file attribute storage unit 1d, and a content storage unit 1e.

  The request reception unit 1a receives file attribute or content access requests from the terminal devices 2a to 2c, determines which of the file attribute processing unit 1b or the content processing unit 1c performs the processing request, and accesses the corresponding processing unit When the request is transferred and the file attribute or content is received from the file attribute processing unit 1b or the content processing unit 1c, the information is sent to the access requesting terminal device.

  The file attribute processing unit 1b performs storage, retrieval, and retrieval processing related to attribute information in the logical file. In the file attribute processing unit 1b, not only attribute information including only a normal size type (hereinafter referred to as “basic attribute information”) including a file name, a creator, a keyword, and the like, but also a large size type such as image data. Is also handled as part of the attribute information.

  The content processing unit 1c performs storage, retrieval, and retrieval processing related to content in the logical file.

  The attribute information storage unit 1d is a storage medium or storage area for storing file attributes of logical files, and stores basic attribute information 1f and large-size attribute data 1g as files.

  The content storage unit 1e is a storage medium or storage area that stores the content of a logical file.

  Next, an example of file attributes handled by the file management apparatus 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in this file attribute, not only basic attribute information such as a file name and a keyword but also a reduced image is considered.

  Here, the data of the reduced image itself is not stored in the attribute file that stores the file attribute, but is stored in an image file different from the attribute file. Address information (pointer) indicating an address is set.

  Therefore, although the location corresponding to the reduced image of the file attribute is specified by the image file size (201) and the data syntax is the physical file (202), the address information of the image file is actually included in the location. Is set (203).

  Next, a file attribute storage processing procedure and an access processing procedure performed in the file management apparatus 1 will be described.

  Next, the file attribute storage processing procedure will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure for storing file attributes.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when a file attribute storage request is received from any of the terminal devices 2a to 2c via the LAN 3, the request receiving unit 1a stores the file attribute in the file attribute processing unit 1b. Output the request.

  Upon receiving this access request, the file attribute processing unit 1b checks the size of each attribute information included in the file attribute that has received the storage request (S301), and whether there is attribute information of a predetermined size or more among the attribute information. It is determined whether or not (S302).

  If all pieces of attribute information included in the file attribute are equal to or smaller than the predetermined size, a basic attribute file is assigned to the file attribute and stored in the file attribute storage unit 1d (S303), and the process ends.

  On the other hand, when at least one of the attribute information included in the file attribute is equal to or larger than the predetermined size, one large attribute file 1g is allocated to the attribute information larger than the predetermined size and stored in the file attribute storage unit 1d. At the same time as storing (S304), the part where the attribute information of a predetermined size or more exists in the file attribute is replaced with the address information of the attribute information (S305), and then the basic attribute file is assigned to the file attribute and the file attribute is assigned. The data is stored in the storage unit 1d (S306), and the process is terminated.

  By using the above storage procedure, the large attribute file 1g is allocated for attribute information of a predetermined size or more among the file attributes, and the location where the large size attribute information exists is replaced with the address information of the large attribute file 1g. The basic attribute file can be assigned to the file attribute and stored in the file attribute storage unit 1d.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an access processing procedure when a file attribute stored in accordance with the above storage procedure is retrieved.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when a file attribute access request is received from any of the terminal devices 2a to 2c via the LAN 3, the request reception unit 1a accesses the file attribute processing unit 1b. Output the request.

  In response to this access request, the file attribute processing unit 1b first extracts an attribute file having the file attribute from the file attribute storage unit 1d (S401).

  Then, it is checked whether or not address information exists in the file attribute (S402). If the address information does not exist, the file attribute is output (S403), and the process is terminated.

  On the other hand, when the address information exists in the file attribute, it means that the attribute information of a large size stored in the large attribute file 1g exists, so that the address attribute is stored in the large attribute file 1g. The attribute information having a large size such as image data is extracted (S404), and is output together with the file attribute (S405), and the process is terminated.

  By performing the above processing, even when large size attribute information exists in the file attribute, the file attribute can be accessed in the same procedure as when there is no large size attribute information.

  Note that the file attribute is not only handled as a lump of data but also information managed by the file management apparatus, so that the contents may be changed or updated sequentially. Accordingly, when the size of the file attribute after the change becomes equal to or larger than the predetermined size, it is necessary to cut off the attribute information and create a new large attribute file.

  Then, next, the file attribute update procedure performed when the file attribute in the file attribute storage unit 1d is changed will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an update procedure performed after the file attribute is changed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the file attribute is changed, the size of each attribute information after the attribute change is checked (S501), and the presence / absence of attribute information of a predetermined size or more is checked (S502).

  If there is attribute information larger than the predetermined size, it is confirmed whether or not the large attribute file is already used (S503). If the large attribute file is used, the process is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if there is attribute information of a predetermined size or larger but the large attribute file is not used, it is considered that the attribute information has become larger than the predetermined size due to change or update. A large attribute file is created (S504), and the corresponding attribute information is stored in the file (S505). Then, as in the case of storing attribute information, the location of the attribute information in the basic attribute file is replaced with the address information of the large attribute file (S506).

  On the other hand, if there is no attribute information of a predetermined size or more in the changed file attribute in S502, it is confirmed whether or not the file attribute uses a large attribute file (S507), and the large attribute file is not used. In this case, the process is terminated as it is.

  On the other hand, if there is no attribute information of a predetermined size but a large attribute file is used, it is considered that the attribute information has become smaller than the predetermined size due to change or update. The attribute information stored in the file is stored in the corresponding location in the basic attribute file (S508), the large attribute file is deleted (S509), and the process ends.

  By performing the above processing, the size of the attribute information changes with the change of the attribute information, and when the size of the attribute information is equal to or larger than the predetermined size, or when the size of the attribute information is equal to or smaller than the predetermined size. It becomes possible to cope with the situation.

  In the above processing, the case where the attribute file is automatically updated in the file attribute processing unit 1b has been described. However, the attribute file can also be updated by an input from the client.

  In this case, it can be realized by providing a condition for determining whether or not to perform the update process based on the input from the client before S501 in FIG.

  By using this configuration, the number of accesses to the attribute file can be reduced.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the file attribute processing unit 1b determines whether or not each attribute information of the file attribute input from the terminal devices 2a to 2c is a predetermined size or more, and the attribute information is If it is determined that the file size is smaller than the predetermined size, the file attribute is stored in the basic attribute file 1f. Otherwise, the attribute information is stored in the large attribute file 1g, and the address information of the large attribute file 1g. Is set at a corresponding location in the basic attribute file 1f, so that the large attribute file 1g is used for large size attribute information without reducing the search efficiency and the read efficiency when searching the basic attribute file 1f. It can be handled.

  Further, when changing the file attribute, the size of the attribute file after the change is checked, and the attribute file is updated, so that the consistency of the attribute file can be maintained.

  In this embodiment, a file management apparatus is connected to the network, and reduced image data is exemplified as large size attribute information. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each terminal is directly connected to the file management apparatus. It can also be applied to various types of large-sized data such as title images, icon images, and the like when connected.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the file management apparatus which concerns on this invention. The figure which shows an example of the file attribute handled in the file management apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the storage processing procedure of the file attribute performed in the file attribute processing part shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the access process procedure at the time of taking out the file attribute performed in the file attribute process part shown in FIG. The flowchart which shows the update procedure of the attribute file performed after the file attribute change in the file attribute process part shown in FIG. The figure which shows the structure of the conventional file attribute. The figure which shows the conventional file management technique.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 File management apparatus 1a Request reception part 1b File attribute processing part 1c Content processing part 1d File attribute storage part 1e Content storage part 1f Basic attribute file 1g Large attribute file 2a-2c Terminal apparatus 3 LAN

Claims (2)

Storage means for storing content data and attribute data of the content data;
Of the attribute data of the content data stored in the storage means, the attribute data excluding image data is stored as basic attribute information associated with the content data, and the image data is stored as large attribute information for the image data. And an attribute processing means for setting address information of the large attribute information in the basic attribute information.   The attribute processing means stores the attribute data excluding the image data among the attribute data of the content data stored in the storage means as basic attribute information associated with the content data, and for the image data, the image data is the large attribute information. And storing address information of the large attribute information in the basic attribute information.

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