JPH0785020A - Document managing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To edit the same document when the document is shared by plural clients and to secure safety against file destruction or faults by copying the document from a document data base on a server to a document work file for each client in a network shared file. CONSTITUTION:A client 116 can perform access through a network 115 to document work areas 114 and 124. Corresponding to a document extracting request from the client 116, a server 101 copies a file group storing documents from a document data base 110 to the document work areas 114 and 124. Corresponding to a document registering request from the client 116, the server 101 copies file groups on the work areas 114 and 124 to the document data base 110. When the plural clients register the same document, the respective documents are stored in the document data base 110 automatically as the different versions of the same document by the server 101.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of managing a shared document file between a plurality of clients, and more particularly to efficiently performing correction / registration of the shared document file in a system composed of a server and a plurality of clients. The document management method that can be performed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the recent development of LANs and network operating systems, some document management methods utilizing network file sharing technology have been realized. As a document management method using a shared file, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-2-2
In the 45352 "Document Creation System", a shared file connected to the server device is provided with a system area and a user area, and the user directly operates these shared files to store various information on the client device. A method of eliminating the need to prepare is mentioned.

Further, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 4-320549, for correction of software, the correction work is not directly performed on the shared file, but the shared file is copied to a work area for each worker, and the correction work is performed. A technique for performing the copied file is disclosed.

[0004]

In the former prior art,
Since the shared file is also the master file of the system, there are problems that the master file is liable to be destroyed by the direct operation of the end user, and that there is no exclusive method for sharing documents with multiple clients. It was Further, in the latter conventional technology, since the file to be corrected is merged or overwritten when it is returned to the shared file, the target is a document, and it is difficult to handle when many users update it. was there.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a document management method that enables the same document to be edited when a document is shared by a plurality of clients and that secures safety against failures such as file destruction.

[0006]

The above object is to realize a document database on a server for centrally managing documents and a network for temporarily editing documents on the client.
Each client has a document work area on the shared file, and when the client retrieves a document, it copies the files storing the document from the document database to the document work area, and the client This is accomplished by directly editing the files on the querier and registering the files on the document work area in the document database when the client registers the document. This document work area can be provided with a plurality of areas for each client, which are prohibited from being accessed by other clients.

Further, a lock mode is added to each document so that sharing or occupation of the document can be selected when the document is taken out, and when the document is locked in the sharing mode, the document is placed in the document work area of each client. Copies and enables simultaneous editing of the same document among multiple clients.

If the relevant document is already locked by another client in the exclusive mode when the document is retrieved, or if some other client is already locked when the document is retrieved in the exclusive mode, the relevant The fact that the document is locked by another client and the name of the locked client are displayed for the client.

In addition, when a document is version-managed and a plurality of clients store the same document in the document database, each document is stored as a different version of the same document, and the document is overwritten. To prevent.

When the document is registered, the file update date of the file group copied to the document database is rewritten to the file update date of the file group in the document work area, and when the document is taken out, the document is updated. The document update date of the file update date of the files copied on the work area
Rewrite to the file update date of the file group of the file.

Further, when the client disconnects from the server, the update date of the document file existing in the document work area is compared with the update date of the document file of the relevant document in the document database. If there is a newer document or a document that does not exist in the document database with the updated date of the document file in the document work area, the client is notified that there is an unregistered document.

[0012]

Operation: When editing a document, the document work for each client
By copying to the document file on the querier, you can not only operate the document file freely by using the function of the operating system of the client, but you can lock the document file in the shared mode and the same document will be shared by multiple clients. Can be edited in each document work area,
When locked in the exclusive mode, the target document can be occupied as a personal document.

Further, a hierarchical file structure of a document database and a document work area is adopted, and the client does not directly operate the document file in the document database,
By manipulating the document file in the document work area that is a copy, not only will the client destroy the document file but it will not affect the other client, but it will also prevent unauthorized access from other clients during document editing. The role of exclusive locking is fulfilled, and the safety of the document file can be secured.

By managing the version of the document,
When a plurality of clients store the same document in the document database, it is possible to store each document as a different version of the same document and prevent the document from being overwritten.

Although there is a drawback that the update date of the document file is shifted due to the dual management of the document by the document database and the document work area, the document database can be registered or retrieved at the time of document registration. By matching the file update date of the file group of and the file update date of the file group on the document work area, the above-mentioned drawback can be solved and the client can retain the update date when the file is actually updated. .

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the document management system of the present invention. In this system, a server 101 and a plurality of clients 116 are connected via a network 115 such as a LAN or WAN, and the document management server unit 1
02 and the document management client unit 119 communicate using the communication processing units 108 and 117 on their respective devices. A document database 110 is connected to the server 101, and the document database 110 stores document management information 111 and document files 112. These pieces of information are input / output via the input / output unit 106 of the document database management unit 103 according to a command from the document management server unit 102. Further, according to a command from the document management server unit 102, the lock management unit 104 and the version management unit 105 realize the lock control and the version management function using the read document management information 111, respectively.

A shared file system 113 is connected to the server 101 via a file sharing program 109, and the shared file system 113 has a document work area 114 for each client. The document work area management unit 107 controls input / output to / from the document work area 114 based on a command from the document management server unit 102.

On the other hand, the virtual file system 123 is provided to the client 116 by the file sharing program 118.
Exists, and the server 1 exists in the virtual file system 123.
01 virtual document work area 114 virtual mapping 12
There is a document work area 124 that has been created. It is possible to input / output to / from the document work area 124 in the same manner as a normal file on the client 116, and the application program 120 accesses the document work area 124 as if it were a normal file.

The document management client section 119 also includes an application interface (API) 121 and a graphical user interface (GUI) 122.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the document management information and the document work area management information, which are the data structures used in the document management server unit to implement the present invention. The document management information 201 includes a document name 202, a pointer 203 indicating access management information, a current lock mode 204 indicating the current lock mode, a maximum allowable version number 205, a pointer 206 indicating version management information, and a current version number indicating the current version number. It holds the version number 207 and is used to manage the state of each document.

The access management information exists for each of the document management information 201 by the number of clients being accessed at the present time. Each of the client names is being fetched 214, the lock mode 215 for fetching the document, the time 216 when the document was fetched, and the access. It is composed of a pointer 213 for realizing a list of management information. Lock mode 215 and document management information 2 in the access management information 213
The current lock mode in 01 is set to a value indicating exclusive mode, shared mode, or unlocked.

The virgin management information exists for each of the document management information 201 by the number of versions currently existing. The version number 209 for identifying each version, the client name 210 that created and updated the document, and the actual storage in the document database. It is composed of a document file name 211 and a pointer 212 for realizing a list of version management information.

On the other hand, the document work area management information 214 includes an area 215 for storing a client name which uses the document work area, a directory name 216 of the document work area, and a retrieval for storing the document retrieved in the document work area. A document index 218 and a pointer 217 that points to a fetched document index are held and are used to manage the state of each document work area.

FIG. 3 shows an algorithm for requesting a document. At 301, the current lock mode is determined. In the shared mode or in the unlocked state, the lock mode of the document retrieval request is determined in 302, and in the shared mode, the lock is possible and the current lock mode is changed to the shared mode. If the document retrieval request is the exclusive mode in 302, the current lock mode is determined in 304, and the lock is possible only in the unlocked state, and the current lock mode is changed to the exclusive mode. If the lock is possible, new access management information is secured and a client name and a lock mode are set at 306. At 307, the document file of the first version of the version management list, that is, the latest version of the document is copied to the document work area of the client. Then, the update time of the copied file is set as the extraction time and set in the access management information at 308.
At 309, the update date of the copy destination document file, that is, the document file in the document work area is rewritten to the update date of the copy source document file, that is, the document file on the document database. The file update date is usually held by the operating system that manages the file,
The update date will be rewritten using the function of the operating system. If the operating system does not have such an update date, it is necessary to consciously retain it in the document management information and the like. At 310, the pointer of the document management information is stored in the extracted document index of the document work area management information.

On the other hand, if the current lock mode is the exclusive mode in 301 or the current lock mode is the shared mode in 304, it is determined in 311 that the document is already locked by another client, and all the locked clients are checked. The client name and lock mode are displayed on the client, and the document retrieval request fails.

In an environment where the network shared file cannot be used, that is, when the server and the client have independent document work areas, then the server's document work area is used.
Transfer the files stored in the querier to the local area of the client.

FIG. 4 shows an algorithm of a document registration request. At 401, the current version number and the maximum allowable version number are compared. If the current version number is less than the allowable version number, version addition is possible, but if the current version number is equal to or more than the allowable version number, version addition is impossible, and at 408, version addition is possible. Is displayed on the client to the effect that it is not possible. The process when the version cannot be added will be described with reference to FIG. If the version can be added, the version number to be newly registered is determined in 402, and the document file name to be stored in the document database is determined in 403. This document file name must be different between version numbers.
Document name 501 with period 502 and version number 503
It is necessary to store it in the document database with a name added. At 404, the document is copied from the document work area onto the document database. At that time, the document file name determined in 403 is stored. At 405, new version management information is secured at the head of the version management information list, and the version number, client name, and document file name in the document database determined at 402 are set.
At 406, 1 is added to the current version number, and at 407, the update date of the copy destination document file, that is, the document file in the document database is rewritten to the update date of the copy source document file, that is, the document file on the document work area.

If the network shared file cannot be used by the server and the client, the files stored in the local area of the client are transferred to the document work area of the server before this algorithm is executed.

FIG. 6 shows a document version deletion algorithm when version addition is not possible. In response to the request from the client, in step 601, the version numbers of all the versions of the document and the client name of the updated version are displayed on the client. 602 based on this display result
Then the client decides which version it wants to delete.
Then, in 603, the version management information of the version specified by the client is deleted, and in 604, 1 is subtracted from the current version number. A new document can be registered by deleting the version.

FIG. 7 shows an algorithm for disconnecting the connection with the server. At 701, the document file in the document work area is scanned to determine whether the document file exists. If the document file exists, it is determined at 702 whether the document name of the document file is stored in the document management information pointed to by the extracted document index of the document work area management information. 70 if present in the document management information
In step 3, it is determined whether the update time of the document file is newer than the extraction time of the access management information of the document management information. If it is not new, it means that the retrieved document has not been updated. On the other hand, if the document management information does not exist in 702, or if the update time of the document file is newer than the access management information extraction time of the document management information in 703, a document registration request to the document database is made. Since it means that the document file is not registered, the document file is stored in the stack area as an unregistered document at 704. In either case, after the series of processes is completed, the next document file is determined at 701.

After scanning all the document files, 7
At 06, it is determined whether or not there is an unregistered document by referring to the stack area. If there is no unregistered document, the disconnection with the server is completed, and in step 707, the client is notified that the connection with the server has been disconnected. On the other hand, if there is an unregistered document, the list of unregistered documents is displayed on the client at 708, and disconnection from the server fails.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the server and the client have independent document work areas, and after copying a file group storing the document in response to a document retrieval request from the client from the document database to the document work area of the server. Files are transferred to the client's local area, and a file group storing the document is transferred from the client's local area to the server's document work area in response to a document registration request from the client, and then copied to the document database. You may do it.

[0034]

When a document is edited, the same document can be edited by a plurality of clients in each document work area by copying it to a document file in the document work area of each client. Documents can be manipulated as freely as personal documents.

In addition, the document database and the document work area have a hierarchical file structure, and the client operates the document file in the document work area so that even if the client destroys the document file, the other client can It is possible to secure the safety of the document file such that it does not affect.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Fig. 1] Configuration of document management system

FIG. 2 Data structure of document management information and document work area management information

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a document retrieval request.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a document registration request.

FIG. 5: Format of document file names in the document database

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for deleting a document version.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for disconnecting a connection with a server.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 ... Server 102 ... Document Management Server Unit 103 ...
Document database management unit 104 ... Lock management unit 105 ... Version management unit 1
06 ... I / O unit 107 ... Document work area management unit 1
08 ... communication processing unit 109 ... file sharing program
110 ... Document database 111 ... Document management information 1
12 ... Document file 113 ... Shared file system
114 ... Document work area for each client 115 ... Network 116 ... Client 117 ... Communication processing unit 118 ... File sharing program 119 ... Document management client unit 120 ... Application program 121 ... Application user interface
122 ... Graphical user interface 123 ...
Virtual File System 124 ... Document Work Area Virtually Mapped to Client 125 ... Virtual Mapping

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Internal reference number FI Technical display location G06F 17/30 (72) Inventor Yoshiki Matsuda 1099, Ozenji, Aso-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi, Ltd. System Development Laboratory (72) Inventor Takayoshi Yamamoto 3-529 Kitahama, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside Hitachi West Software Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A document management system comprising a server for storing documents and a plurality of clients connected to a network, the document management system having a document database for centrally managing the documents in the server. A document work area accessible from the client and the network via the network is provided, and a file group storing the document is copied from the document database to the document work area in response to a request from the client to retrieve the document. When a plurality of clients register the same document, each document is automatically copied to a different version of the same document in response to a document registration request from the document work area. Document data as John
A document management method characterized by storing in a tabular form. 2. The document management method according to claim 1, wherein when the client disconnects from the server, the document work
The update date of the document file existing in the querier is compared with the update date of the document file of the corresponding document in the document database, and the update date of the document file in the document work area is the newer document or document data. -A document management method having a function of notifying a client that an unregistered document exists when there is a document that does not exist in the database.