JPH06243018A - Network distributed document file system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To realize a network-distributed document file system that excels in management functions such as security and is highly flexible as a system. [Structure] The classifications 30, 31, 32, and 33 of the hierarchical classification structure are directories, and the document 36 is an arbitrary number of files. Each category and each document has attribute information files 17 and 18. application
When AP_A requests cabinet access, the service client SC_A refers to the browse list file 20a and requests the base servers BS_Z and BS_G for the attribute information of the cabinets 30 and 50. The base servers BS_Z and BS_G check the permission information of the attribute classifications of the cabinets 30 and 50, and if the user's explicit permission is granted, the attribute information is sent to the application AP_A via the service client SC_A.
Return to. The icons of cabinets 30 and 50 are displayed on the display screen.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network distributed document file system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A document file system using a large-capacity medium such as an optical disk started from a stand-alone form, but in recent years, it has evolved into a network distributed document file system mainly for shared use by a plurality of users. There is.

In such a network-wide document file system, document security management is extremely important in order to maintain system safety and reliability, as compared with a stand-alone system. Security management is not enough.

On the other hand, in an environment of an operating system (OS) such as network-wide XXX, data is managed in units of files (including directory files), and is originally a document (composed of an arbitrary number of files). There is no concept of. However, in the document file system, it is extremely inconvenient if the documents cannot be managed in units of documents. This is because a document of an application such as a word processor is generally composed of a plurality of files (a document of a certain word processor is [**. JXW], [**. AT.
R], [**. It consists of three types of files called CTL].

Further, the file system of the OS such as XXXXX can provide security for hiding the existence of files managed by the OS, but cannot provide security for each document, let alone application. It does not have a function to secure documents for each (user).

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to realize a network distributed document file system having excellent performance as a document management function, security management function and the like and flexibility as a system.

[0007]

A network distributed document file system according to the present invention includes a hierarchical classification structure for documents, which corresponds to the directory structure of an OS such as XXX, and each classification of this hierarchical classification structure. And the attribute information of each document under the classification, and manages the classification and the document based on the attribute information of the classification and the document. As document attribute information,
It has information for collectively managing an arbitrary number of files that make up a document, and manages a document configuration file as one document based on this information. Permission information for security management for each user is provided for each document and each category, and security management for documents and categories is performed based on this permission information. In addition, a plurality of levels of security management are performed by setting information for security management of a plurality of levels in the permission information.
Further, it has a search table paired with the uppermost classification of the hierarchical classification structure, and has search means for performing classification and document attribute information search independently of the document management means using this search table. This search means has view information for controlling search key items according to the classification of the hierarchical classification structure. It is equipped with the configuration.

[0008]

As described above, the system of the present invention can use the standard command group of the OS as it is by adopting the hierarchical classification structure corresponding to the directory structure of the OS.
By having an architecture open to general-purpose applications and maintaining high flexibility as a system, by having attribute information for each classification and each document,
A system-specific document management function that does not exist in the standard OS can be realized.

Further, the system of the present invention, as described above,
Since an arbitrary number of files that compose a document can be collectively managed as one document, handling of a document composed of a plurality of files becomes easy and reliable.

Further, the system of the present invention, as described above,
It is possible to perform strict security management for each document or classification for each user. Further, since it is possible to perform security management of multiple levels such as presence identification, browsing, copying, registration update, and deletion, it is possible to realize optimum security management according to the operating environment of the system.

Furthermore, the system of the present invention separates the attribute information search from the document / classification management as described above,
Since the search function does not incorporate the management function of the entire system, it is possible to employ various general-purpose database management systems as the search means. In addition, it is possible to automatically allocate a coarse search key when searching in a higher classification and a detailed search key when searching in a lower classification, based on the view information. A search environment can be provided.

[0012]

FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a distributed document file system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system is ×
It operates under the environment of ××× and realizes the document management function by using the server / client model. In terms of hardware, it is possible to use multiple ×××× workstations (W
S) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 are connected by a local area network (LAN) 10.

FIG. 2 shows a setting example of a user who operates this system. The following description will be made assuming this setting. In FIG. 2, a user group R is a peripheral device development section, and a user who controls it is a section manager G. Below user group R, user group P (printer development staff)
There is a user group Q (scanner development staff). The users who belong to the user group P are the section chief G, the section chief A of the scanner development section, and the section members B and C. User group Q
The users who belong to are the section chief G, the section chief D of the scanner development section, and the sections E and F.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the workstation (WS_A) 1 is for the section chief A, and the workstation (WS_A) 1
_B) 2 is for staff B, workstation (WS_C)
3 is for section C, workstation (WS_D) 4 is for section chief D, workstation (WS_E) 5 is section E
The workstation (WS_F) 6 is for the section F, and the workstation (WS_G) 7 is for the section manager G. The workstation (WS_Z) 8 is for a shared server. Same as workstation (WS_G) 7 (WS_
Z) 8 is a large capacity medium 11, 12 such as a magneto-optical disk
Equipped with. The workstation (WS_X) 9 is for a database server and has an auxiliary storage device 13 such as a magnetic disk device.

Each of the user workstations 1 to 7 has an application program AP_A to AP_G (abbreviated as application) and a service client program SC_A to SC_G (abbreviated as service client). The workstations 7 and 8 having the media 11 and 12 have base server programs BS_G and B, respectively.
There is S_Z (abbreviated as base server).

The applications AP_A to AP_G are
A service client S that identifies the user and uses the man-machine interface to directly under the software hierarchy.
By issuing service client commands to C_A to SC_G, various document management requests are realized. The service clients SC_A to SC_Z include the applications AP_A to AP_Z and the base server BS_.
It is an interface with A to BS_Z, transmits a request from an application to a corresponding base server, and transmits information from the base server to the application to realize distributed document management in cooperation with the base server. . Base server BS_G, BS_Z
Is the body of the document management (excluding search) execution mechanism.

A distributed general-purpose database management system DBMS is installed in the database server workstation 9. This database management system DBSM uses application AP_A ~
It is used only for the purpose of performing an attribute information search such as a keyword search using a search table in the form of calling from AP_G. The document management function is only for service clients SC_A to SC_G and base servers BS_G and BS_.
It is realized using Z and does not depend on the database management system DBMS.

In this system, as shown in FIG. 3, the UNIX file system directory structure is applied to the hierarchical classification structure for document classification management. The classification 15 of each layer corresponds to a directory. Documents (arbitrary number of files) 16 are placed under any of the categories. The top level category 15a is "cabinet", the second level category 1
5b is called a "binder", and the third layer classification 15c is called a "folder". In other words, the physical storage place for sorting and storing documents is the cabinet, in which
It is an image of storing documents by classifying them into binders and folders as needed. However, documents can be placed under any classification. It is also possible to classify into four or more layers.

As described above, since the hierarchical classification structure matches the directory structure of XXXXX, the system is XXXXX.
It has an open architecture for general-purpose applications of ×, and is highly flexible.

By providing the classification attribute information file 17 for each classification of such a hierarchical classification structure and the document attribute information file 18 for each document,
Implements security management and other document management functions unique to this system that are not included in the standard OS.

FIG. 4 shows a cabinet configuration example. In the example shown here, the section chief A has a cabinet 30 named “design material” on the medium 12 of the shared server, a binder named “printer related” is provided in this cabinet 30, and the “newspaper” is further added to this binder. article",
Three folders 3 named “approval” and “design document”
2, 33, 34 are provided, and "newspaper article" folder 32
Documents (# 1, # 2) 36 and 37 are stored in the
Documents (# 3, # 4) 38 and 39 are stored in the folder 34. The section chief D also has a “technical material” cabinet 40 of a similar structure on the medium 12 of the shared server. The classification attribute information file and the document attribute information file (not shown in FIG. 4) for each cabinet are naturally stored on the same medium as the cabinet.

The section manager G has a cabinet 50 named "approval" on the medium 11 of the workstation (WS_G) 7, and has three cabinets named "printer-related", "scanner-related", and "personnel materials". Binder 5
1, 52, 53 are provided, and the former two binders 51, 5 are provided.
Documents (# 3, # 4, # 7, # 8) 38 ', 3 under 2
Place 9 ', 47', 48 '. However, these documents have the same contents as the corresponding documents 38, 39, 47, and 48 in the cabinets 30 and 40 of the chief A and the chief D (must have the same contents). Therefore, by linking the "approval" folder 33 of the section chief A and the "approval" folder 43 of the section chief D to the binder 51 and the binder 52 of the "approval" cabinet 50 of the section manager G, it is as if the documents 38 under those folders are linked. , 39, 47, and 48 are treated as if they exist in the “approval” cabinet 50 of the section manager G.
The link setting method will be described later.

The contents of the classification attribute information file 17 shown in FIG. 3 are, as shown in FIG. 5, node ID, type, creation date, owner, icon information, link information, layer number, automatic discard information, version generation. It consists of management information and permission information. The contents of the document management information file 18 are shown in FIG.
, The document ID, the document type ID, the document attribute,
It consists of creation date, creator, icon information, layer number, automatic discard information, version generation management information, and permission information. The contents of each attribute information are as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, and a part of them will be described.

The "document attribute" is used to set the relationship between the parent document and the additional document, and related documents can be collectively referred to based on this information.

The "document type ID" is information for combining documents with various file structures and files.
More specifically, it is the number of files constituting a document, the identifier of the file, the identifier of the application to be started for displaying and editing the document, and can be arbitrarily registered by the user.

An example of the document type ID is shown in FIG. In the example shown here, the document type ID = 1 corresponds to the document of the word processor “Ichitaro” (registered trademark), and
*. JXW, **. ATR, **. It indicates that it is composed of three types of files called CTL.

By setting such a document type ID in the document attribute information, the system collectively handles a plurality of files constituting one document as one document, registers,
Operations such as copying and deleting, security management, etc. can be performed.

For example, when deleting the Ichitaro document "intellectual property" with general file management software, even if the file "intellectual property.JXW" is specified to be deleted, "Intellectual property. Since the file "ATR" and the file "Intellectual property.CTL" are not deleted, it is necessary to specify the deletion of each file separately. On the other hand, in this system, document type I
It is possible to recognize three files composing a document by D and delete them all at once.

The "permission information" is information for classification or document security management, and is a collection file of user (or group) names and access rights. The system refers to this permission information and allows only the users (or user groups, and so on) who are permitted the access right to access the classification or the document.

In the present embodiment, the permission information includes five levels of permission, which are presence (E), browsing (B), copy (C), registration update (I), and deletion (D) as shown in FIG. Level (or security level)
Can be set. That is, for each level, only the user to whom the user name is set is given the access right of the level.

Then, this system is
If there is a request for access to a certain category or document, and the user is not permitted to have an explicit presence (E),
Hide even the existence of the classification or document. If the user is not permitted to browse (B), the browsing of the classification or document under the classification or the content of the document is prohibited. A user who is not permitted to copy (C) is prohibited from copying the classification or the document. Users who are not permitted to update the registration (I) are prohibited from registering documents under the classification or updating documents. Further, the user who is not permitted to delete (D) is prohibited from deleting the classification or the document.

As described above, in this system, five levels of security management including the presence indication can be performed for each user for each classification (directory) and each document (arbitrary number of files).

FIG. 9 shows an example of setting permission information. In the example shown here, in the case of the “newspaper article” folder 32 and the documents (# 1, # 2) 36 and 37 under it in the “design material” cabinet 30 of the section chief A, presence (E) and browsing (B) ), Copy (C) is user group R
Allowed to. In other words, it will be open to all members of the peripheral device development section. However, the registration update (I) is performed by the user group P, that is, the section manager G, the section manager A of the printer development section, the section workers B and C.
Only the section manager G and the section chief A are allowed to delete (D).

The "approval" folder 33 in the "design material" cabinet 30 of the chief A and the document (# 3) 38 below it
Is also linked to the “approval” cabinet 50 of section manager G. Although everyone is allowed to view this folder and documents, copy (C) is permitted only to section manager G and section chiefs A and D, and registration update (I) is permitted only to section manager G and section chief A of the printer development section. The deletion (D) is permitted only to the section manager G. Since the document (# 4) 39 in the “approval” folder 33 is a confidential decision document, only the section manager G and the section manager A are allowed to browse, copy, and update the registration, because only the users above the section chief are allowed to know its existence.

In the case of the "personnel material" binder 53 in the "approval" cabinet 50 of the section manager G, the existence itself is not hidden by the section chief or above, but it is prohibited to browse by anyone other than the section manager.

Next, the link setting process will be described by taking the link setting between the "printer-related" binder 51 of the section manager G and the "approval" folder 33 of the section chief A shown in FIG. 4 as an example. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram thereof, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the link setting process.

First, the directory immediately above which the link source directory is created is searched (S1). In this example, the section G's “approval” cabinet 50 is searched. Then, a new link source directory is created under the searched directory (S2). In this example, a "printer-related" binder 51 is newly created under the "approval" cabinet 50 of the section manager G.

Under the created link source directory, the classification attribute information file 17e is created and predetermined parameters are set (S3). In the created classification attribute information file 17e, "type" is set to "link source", and "link information" is set to the link destination directory, in this example, the full path name of the "approval" folder 33 of the chief A. The link destination directory, here, the "type" of the classification attribute information file 17f of the "approval" folder 33 is set to "link destination", and the full path name of the link source directory is set to the "link information" (S5).

By referring to the link information set in this way, the base servers BS_G and BS_Z can access the classification linked to it from the link source classification or the link destination classification.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 12, the service clients SC_A to SC_G of each user have browsing list files 20a to 20g. The contents of the browsing list file 20 are the name of the user, the name of the cabinet, and the network address. FIG. 12 shows the contents of the browse list file 20a held by the service client SC_A of the chief A. In this example, the “design material” cabinet 30 and the media 11 on the media 12
The above “approval” cabinet 50 is registered.

Service clients SC_A to SC_G
When an application AP_A to AP_G makes an access request to the cabinet, the application AP_A to AP_G refers to the browse list files 20a to 20g held by the application AP_A to AP_G and refers to the base server (BS_) indicated by the registered network address.
G, BS_Z) to issue a cabinet access request.

Database management system DB
The MS has one search table for each cabinet in the auxiliary storage device. Since the cabinet configuration shown in FIG. 4 is assumed here, three search tables 21 as shown in FIG.
It has a, 21d and 21g. Each search table 21a, 2
1d and 21g are corresponding cabinets 30, 40 and 50
It is only mapped to and is logically independent of the cabinet. The schema of the search table can be arbitrarily set by the user.

Database management system DB
The MS performs a keyword search (attribute information search) of the classification or document using the search table 21 corresponding to the search keys input from the applications AP_A to AP_G. As described above, since the DBMS is concerned only with the classification function in the cabinet or the search function of documents and does not incorporate management of the entire system, various general-purpose database management systems can be adopted as the database management system DBMS.

In the search, the classification (directory) and the document are treated in the same row, and the classification and the document can be obtained as the search result as long as the search conditions are met. This is because it is generally convenient for a person (especially for a user who has insufficient knowledge about the hierarchical classification structure of cabinets) to be able to search a set of layers higher than a document in order to proceed with the search.

Database management system DB
The MS also has information about views set corresponding to the schemas of the search tables 21a, 21d, and 21g. The view can be arbitrarily set by the user. FIG. 13 shows a search table 21a corresponding to the "design material" cabinet 30 and a setting example of its view. 22a is a view corresponding to the "design material" cabinet 30, 22b is a view corresponding to the "printer-related" binder 31, 22c is a view corresponding to the "newspaper article" folder 32, and 22d is a view corresponding to the "approval" folder 33. Is.

In the view setting of FIG. 13, the search key items that are effective in the keyword search from each classification hierarchy are shown in FIG.
4 shows. That is, the document name and the registration date are valid search key items in the keyword search from the "design material" cabinet 30, and the document name, the registration date, and the recording method are valid search keys in the keyword search from the "printer-related" binder 31. It becomes an item. In the keyword search from the “newspaper article” folder 32, the document name, registration date, recording method,
The newspaper name and the publication date are valid search key items, and the keyword search from the “approval” folder 33 includes the document name, registration date, recording method, decision date, and drafter as valid search key items.

With such a view setting, the search key item can be appropriately controlled according to the classification to be searched. That is, by assigning a coarse search key to a search from a large (upper layer) classification and assigning a detailed search key to a search from a fine (lower layer) classification, the search work becomes easier and more efficient. realizable.

The operation of the present system having the above-described configuration will be described with some operation examples.

Operation Example 1 This is a case in which the section chief A creates the "printer-related" binder 31 in the "design material" cabinet 30 owned by him.
The operation sequence in this case is shown in FIG.

The chief A is a workstation (WS_
A) Request access to cabinet at 1 (10)
0). Specifically, for example, the icon 60 of the cabinet is clicked on the desktop screen (the initial screen displayed when the power is turned on) as shown in FIG. Then, the application AP_A issues a cabinet access request to the service client SC_A (101).

Receiving this, the service client SC_
A acquires the cabinet name and the network address by referring to the browse list file 20a (102).
Then, the classification attribute information of the cabinet having the obtained cabinet name is requested to the base server of the workstation having the obtained network address (103). Here, the "design material" cabinet 30
It is assumed that only that is registered in the browse list file 20a.

The base server BS_Z having received this request has permission information (FIGS. 5 and 8) in the requested classification information file (FIG. 3) of the “design material” cabinet 30.
Referring to, it is checked whether the cabinet 30 is permitted to have the presence indication (E) by the section chief A (10).
4). If the presence indication is permitted, the classification attribute information of the cabinet is acquired and returned to the requesting service client SC_A (105). If the presence is not permitted, the fact is returned.

The service client SC_A returns the classification attribute information returned from the base server BS_Z to the application AP_A (106). Upon receiving the classification attribute information, the application AP_A receives, for example, FIG.
The icon of the cabinet is displayed on the icon list screen as shown in (107). Here, "design materials"
Only one cabinet icon 61 is displayed. The icon image is acquired from the file specified by the icon information in the classification attribute information.

Next, the section chief A requests the creation of the "printer-related" binder 31 under the desired "design material" cabinet 30 (108). Specifically, for example, by clicking the icon 61 of the “design material” cabinet 30 displayed in FIG. 22, the screen is switched to the subordinate classification screen as shown in FIG. 23, the classification creation icon 62 and the binder icon 6 are displayed.
When you click 3, the binder attribute input screen appears, and you enter the required attribute information from the keyboard.

This binder creation request is sent from the application AP_A via the service client SC_A.
It is sent to the base server BS_Z (109, 110).
The base server BS_Z refers to the permission information of the "design material" cabinet 30 to check whether the registration update (I) is permitted by the chief A (11).
1). Here, since the cabinet is owned by the chief A, it is naturally permitted, so the base server BS
_Z creates the requested "printer-related" binder (directory) under the cabinet and sets the classification attribute information (111). And
Notify the service client SC_A accordingly (1
12). This notification is transmitted from the service client SC_A to the application AP_A (113), and the application AP_A displays the icon of the “printer related” binder on the screen shown in FIG. 23, for example, and informs the user of its generation (114).

If the section chief A is not permitted to update the registration of the "design material" cabinet, the base server BS_Z does not create a binder and notifies the service client SC_A of that fact. This is transmitted to the application AP_A and displayed on the screen.

Operation Example 2 This is a case in which the section chief A searches the document (# 1) 36 from his / her "design material" cabinet 30 by keyword. The operation sequence in this case is shown in FIG.

In this operation example and each operation example described later, the cabinet configuration shown in FIG. 4, the permission information setting shown in FIG. 9, the view setting shown in FIG. 13 or 14, and the browsing list setting shown in FIG. 12 are assumed. Explained.

The assistant manager A requests access to the cabinet by clicking the cabinet icon 60 on the desktop screen shown in FIG. 21, for example (20
0), this request is issued from the application AP_A to the service client SC_A (201).

The service client SC_A refers to the browse list file 20a, obtains the cabinet name and network address registered in it (arbitrarily registered by the section chief A) (202), and obtains the classification attribute information of the cabinet. A request is made to the base server of the corresponding network address (203). Since the registration state shown in FIG. 12 is assumed here, as shown by arrows 70 and 71 in FIG. 12, a “design material” cabinet 30 is provided for the base server BS_Z of the workstation (WS_Z) 8.
Request the classification attribute information of the workstation (W
S_G) 7 of the base server BS_G will be requested for the classification attribute information of the “approval” cabinet 50.

Receiving this, the base servers BS_G, BS
_Z refers to the permission information of the classification attribute information file for each of the requested cabinets, and checks whether the cabinet is permitted to have the section manager A's presence indication (E) (204). As shown in FIG. 9, since the presence (E) of the “design material” cabinet 30 and the “decision” cabinet 50 is permitted to the group R, the base server BS_Z determines the classification attribute information of the “design material” cabinet 30. The base server BS_
G acquires the classification attribute information of the “approval” cabinet 50 and returns it to the service client SC_A (2
05).

This classification attribute information is returned from the service client SC_A to the application AP_A (20
6), the application AP_A displays the icons of the “design material” cabinet and the “decision” cabinet on the cabinet list screen shown in FIG. 22, for example (207).

Chief A requests the subclass (binder) of the "design" material cabinet 30 by, for example, clicking the "design material" cabinet icon displayed on the screen (208). Application AP
_A requests sub-classification to the service client SC_A (209), and the service client SC_A requests the base server BS_Z for the “design material” cabinet 30.
Request the classification attribute information of the classification immediately below (210).

The base server BS_Z traces the hierarchical classification structure (directory structure) of the "design material" cabinet 30 to the lower level, thereby "printer-related" binder 31.
Is found, and the permission information of the classification attribute information for it is checked for browsing (B) (211). Here, since the group R is allowed to browse (B), the base server BS_Z sends the classification attribute information of the “printer related” binder 31 to the service client SC_A.
Return to (212).

This classification information is the service client SC.
_A returns to application AP_A (21
3). The application AP_A displays the icon of the “printer related” binder on the screen shown in FIG. 23, for example (214). The section chief A requests the sub-classification by clicking the icon of the "printer-related" binder (215), and the application AP_A transmits this request to the service client SC_A (21).
6). The service client SC_A requests the lower classification attribute information of the "printer-related" binder 31 from the base server BS_Z (217).

The base server BS_Z traces the hierarchical classification structure of the "design material" cabinet 30 from the "printer-related" binder to a lower level, whereby the "newspaper article", "approval", and "design" folders 32 and 33 are provided. , 34, and checks the permission information of the classification attribute information regarding browsing (B) (218). Here, 3
Since all the two binders are permitted to be browsed by the group R, the classification attribute information of those binders is returned to the service client SC_A (219). This classification attribute information is returned from the service client SC_A to the application AP_A (220), and the application AP_A displays the icons of the “newspaper article” folder 32, the “approval” folder 33, and the “design document” folder 34 on the screen shown in FIG. 23, for example. It is displayed (221).

The chief A, for example, clicks the search icon 64 on the screen of FIG. 23, selects the "newspaper article" folder from the displayed three folders, and clicks the icon to display "newspaper". A keyword search under the "article" folder is instructed (222). This request is issued from the application AP_A to the database management system DBMS (223).

Database management system DB
The MS obtains the view information of the “newspaper article” folder from the view information file for each classification regarding the “design material” cabinet 30 (224) and returns this to the application AP_A (225).

The application AP_A displays a keyword input screen as shown in FIG. 24 for inputting a search key item which is the contents of this view information (226).
Here, regarding the “design material” cabinet 30, FIG.
Assuming the view was set up as shown in
“Document name”, “registration date”, “recording method”, “newspaper name”, and “posting date” are displayed as search key items.

The chief staff A arbitrarily selects one or more key items from the displayed key items and performs an operation such as inputting a keyword to instruct the search execution (227).
The keyword can be input directly from the keyboard or selected from the keyword list displayed on the screen. The application AP_A sends information such as the input keyword to the database management system DBMS to instruct the search execution (228).

Database management system DB
The MS searches the search table 21a corresponding to the "design material" cabinet 30 using the input keyword (229), and returns the search result (document name etc.) to the application AP_A (230), and the application AP_A.
Displays the search results in a list on a screen as shown in FIG. 25, for example (231). Thus, the target document 1 can be acquired by inputting an appropriate keyword.

Note that in the keyword search, the document and the classification are treated in the same row, so if there is a classification that matches the search condition,
This is also obtained as a search result like the document. When the classification is acquired as the search result, the target document can be further narrowed down by a keyword search, or the target document can be searched by making a subclassification request of the classification (see the following operation example).

Operation Example 3 This is a case in which the section chief A hierarchically searches the document (# 4) 39 from his / her "design material" cabinet 30 and displays the content on the screen. The operation sequence is shown in FIG.

The processing contents (300 to 321) up to displaying each folder under the "printer-related" binder 31 in the "design material" cabinet 30 are the same as the corresponding processing contents (200 to 221) of the operation example 2. Therefore, the description is omitted.

The chief A is the "newspaper article" displayed on the screen.
By selecting and clicking the “approval” folder from the folders, “approval” folder, and “design document” folder, the subordinate classification is requested (322). This request is sent from the application AP_A to the service client SC.
_A, and the service client SC_A issues a subclassification request for the “approval” folder 33 to the base server BS_Z (323, 324).

The base server BS_Z traces the hierarchical classification structure of the "technical material" cabinet 30 to subordinate the "approval" folder 33, that is, documents (# 3, # 4) 38,3.
9 is acquired, and the permission information of the document attribute information is checked for browsing (B) (325). And
Since the section chief A is permitted to browse any document, the document attribute information is returned to the service client SC_A (326). This attribute information is the service client SC
_A returns to application AP_A (32
7), the application AP_A is a document (# 3, # 4)
Is displayed on the screen (328).

The chief A requests, for example, the display of the contents by clicking the document (# 4) out of the two documents displayed on the screen (329). Application AP
Document from _A to service client SC_A (# 4)
Is requested (330), and this request is issued from the service client SC_A to the base server BS_Z (331).

The base server BS_Z checks the permission information of the document (# 4) for browsing (B) (325). The document (# 4) is permitted to be viewed by the chief A (FIG. 9), so the base server BS_Z sets the document (# 4).
4) that the service client S can display
Notify C_A (333), and this is application A
P_A is notified (334). Upon receiving this notification, the application AP_A receives the document (#
An application (for example, word processor Ichitaro) corresponding to the document type ID in the document attribute information of 4) is activated to display the content of the document (# 4) on the screen (32
5).

Operation Example 4 This is a case where the section B hierarchically searches the document (# 4) from the "design material" cabinet 30 of the section chief A, and FIG. 18 shows the operation sequence.

Section B is a workstation (WS_
B) Request access to cabinet from 2 (4
00). When this request is transmitted from the application AP_B to the service client SC_B, the service client SC_B holds the browsing list file 20.
Referring to b, the cabinet name and network address set therein are acquired (402). Here, if the "design material" cabinet 30 is set,
The service client SC_B requests the classification attribute information of the “design material” cabinet 30 from the base server BS_Z having the corresponding network address (40).
3). The base server BS_Z checks the permission information of the classification attribute information of the “design material” cabinet 30 regarding presence indication (E) (404). Here, since the presence of the “design material” cabinet 30 is permitted to be clearly shown to the section B (FIG. 9), the base server BS_
Z sends the classification attribute information of the cabinet to the service client SC_B (405). This classification attribute information is returned from the service client SC_B to the application AP_B (406), and the application AP_B is returned.
B displays the icon of the "design material" cabinet 30 on the screen (407).

By clicking the icon of the displayed "design material" cabinet, the section B requests the sub-classification (408). This request is transmitted from the application AP_B to the base server BS_Z via the service client SC_B (409, 41).
0).

The base server BS_Z traces the classification structure of the "design material" cabinet 30 to obtain the "printer-related" binder 31, and checks the permission information of the classification attribute information regarding browsing (B) (412).
Here, since the section B is permitted to browse (FIG. 9), the classification attribute information is returned from the base server BS_Z to the service client SC_B (413), and further sent to the application AP_B. The icon of the binder 31 is displayed (415).

By clicking the icon of the "printer-related" binder, the section B requests the sub-classification of the binder (416). This request is notified from the application AP_B to the service client SC_B (417) and further to the base server BS_Z (418).

The base server BS_Z follows the hierarchical classification structure of the “design material” cabinet 30 to acquire the “newspaper article” folder 32, the “approval” folder 33, and the “design document” folder 34 under the “printer related” binder 31. Then
The permission information in each of the classification attribute information is checked for browsing (B) (419). Since the section B is permitted to browse any folder (FIG. 9), the classification attribute information is returned to the service client SC_B (420). The application AP_B receives these classification attribute information from the service client SC_B (421) and displays the icons of the folders “newspaper article”, “approval” and “design document” on the screen (422).

The staff member B requests the subordinate classification of the "approval" folder 33 by selecting and clicking the icon of the "approval" folder from the displayed icons (423). This request is notified from the application AP_B to the base server BS_Z via the service client SC_B0 (424, 425).

The base server BS_Z follows the hierarchical classification structure of the "design material" cabinet 30 to acquire the documents (# 3, # 4) under the "approval" folder and checks the permission information (426). The document (# 3) is permitted to be viewed by the section B, but the document (# 4) is not even permitted to be present. Therefore, the base server only obtains the document attribute information of the document (# 3). It returns to the service client SC_B (427). This information is returned to the application AP_B (428), and the document (# 3) is displayed on the screen.
Only the icon of is displayed (429). That is, the section B cannot know even the existence of the document (# 4), and thus the purpose of searching the document (# 4) cannot be achieved.

Operation Example 5 The section manager G hierarchically searches the document (# 7) in the "scanner-related" binder 41 from his "approval" cabinet 50,
This is a case of displaying the contents. FIG. 19 shows the operation sequence.

The section manager G uses the workstation (WS_
G) Request access from 7 to the cabinet (50
0), this request is notified from the application AP_G to the service client SC_G (501). The service client SC_G refers to the browse list file 20g held therein and acquires the cabinet name and network address set therein (502). Here, assuming that only the "approval" cabinet 50 of its own is set in the browse list file, the service client SC_G requests the classification attribute information of the "approval" cabinet 50 from the base server BS_G (50).
3).

The base server BS_G checks the presence information (E) for the permission information of the "approval" cabinet 50 (504). Since the section manager G is allowed to make an explicit presence (FIG. 9), the base server BS_
G acquires the classification attribute information of the "approval" cabinet 50 and returns it to the service client SC_G (505). This information is sent to application AP_G (5
06), the icon of the “approval” cabinet 50 is displayed on the screen (507).

By clicking on the icon, the section manager G requests the subdivision of the "approval" cabinet 50 (508). This request is an application AP_
It is transmitted from G to the base server BS_G via the service client SC_G (509, 510).

The base server BS_G traces the hierarchical classification structure of the “approval” cabinet 50 to acquire the “printer-related” binder 51, the “scanner-related” binder 52, and the “personnel material” binder 53, and browses the respective permission information. Check (511) for (B). Since the section manager G can browse any binder, the base server BS_G returns the classification attribute information of each binder to the service client SC_G (512). The information is sent from the service client SC_G to the application AP.
_G (513), resulting in "printer related"
The icons of the binder 51, the "scanner-related" binder 52, and the "human resources material" binder 53 are displayed on the screen (5
14).

The section manager G uses the "scanner-related" binder 52
The sub-classification of the binder is requested by clicking the icon of (515). This request is transmitted from the application AP_G to the base server BS_G via the service client (516, 517).

The base server BS_G refers to the classification attribute information of the "scanner-related" binder 52, and uses the link information to set the "technical material" cabinet 30 to the binder.
Know that the "approval" folder 43 therein is linked. Therefore, the base server BS_G is the base server B.
“Approval” folder 43 on media 12 via S_Z
Is accessed to acquire the classification attribute information of the “approval” folder 43, and the permission information is checked for browsing (B) (518). Since it is permitted here, the base server BS_G acquires the document attribute information of the documents (# 7, # 8) under the “approval” folder 43 via the base server BS_Z, and uses this to acquire the document attribute information.
Return to _G (519). This document attribute information is sent to the application AP_G (520), and the document (#
7) and the icon of the document (# 8) are displayed (521).

The section manager G clicks the icon of the document (# 7) and requests the display of the content (522). This request is notified from the application AP_G to the service client SC_G (523) and further transmitted to the base server BS_G (524). Base server BS_
G checks the permission information of the document (# 7) for browsing (B) (525). Since browsing is permitted here, the base server BS_G notifies the service client SC_G that the display is possible (52
6), this notification is communicated to the application AP_G (527).

Application AP_ that received this notification
G is the document type ID in the document attribute information of the document (# 7)
The application (for example, word processor) corresponding to is activated to display the content of the document (# 7) on the screen (528).

Operation Example 6 The section manager G creates the "printer-related" binder 51 in his "approval" cabinet 50, and the section manager A makes the "approval".
This is a case where the document (# 9) is registered by linking with the folder 33. The operation sequence in this case is shown in FIG. Before the operation, it is assumed that the “printer-related” binder 51 does not exist in the “approval” cabinet 50 and the document (# 9) has been created by the word processor or the like.

Processing from the cabinet access request by the section manager G to the screen display of the "approval" cabinet (60
0 to 607) corresponds to the corresponding processing (50
0 to 507).

Next, the process (108) in the operation example 1 is performed.
~ 114) by the same processing (608-614),
A “printer-related” binder 51 is created under the “approval” cabinet 50. The processing up to this point corresponds to the processing from step S1 to step S3 shown in FIG.

The section manager G is the "printer-related" binder 51.
Requesting a link to the "approval" folder 33 of the chief A (step 615). The link destination folder is designated, for example, by displaying a folder list or icon on the screen and selecting from the list. This request is issued from the application AP_G to the service client SC_G (616), and further issued from the service client SC_G to the base server BS_G and the base server BS_Z (617).

The base server BS_G is "printer related".
The link information is set to the classification attribute information file of the binder 51, and the base server BS_Z sets the link information to the classification attribute information file of the “approval” folder 33 (618). This process corresponds to step S4 and step S5 of FIG.

The base server BS_G is a link OS.
Issue a call and "printer-related" to OS (UNIX)
A link is made between the directory of the binder 51 and the directory of the “approval” folder 33. Such an inter-directory link at the OS level is not necessary for document management of this system, but if this is done, directories can be traced from other applications as well, so document classification of this system is possible. There are advantages such as easy restoration when the structure is destroyed.

When such link setting is completed, the base server BS_G, BS_Z notifies the end of the link setting via the service client SC_G to the application AP_.
G is notified and that effect is displayed on the screen (619-6).
21).

The section manager G requests the "printer-related" binder 51 to register the document (# 9) (622). The application AP_G issues a registration request for the document (# 9) and its configuration file to the service client SC_G (62
3). The application AP_G provides the service client SC_G with information such as the document name and the identifier of the configuration file acquired when the document (# 9) was created by an application such as a word processor. The service client SC_G transmits this registration request to the base server BS_G (623).

The base server BS_G creates a configuration file (OS file) of the document (# 9) in the directory of the "printer-related" binder 51 and sets the document attribute information (625). Then, the registration completion is notified to the service client SC_G (626). This notification is transmitted to the application AP_G, and registration completion is displayed on the screen (626 to 628).

The cabinet creation icon 65
By clicking (Fig.22), the cabinet creation screen appears, and by entering the necessary information,
You can create a new cabinet. By specifying a document or classification on the screen and clicking the discard icon 66 (FIG. 22), the base server can delete the document or classification. At this time, the base server checks the permission information and does not accept the deletion request from the user who is not permitted to delete.
By clicking the cabinet browsing icon 67 (FIG. 22), a list of cabinets that can be browsed is displayed on the screen, and a required cabinet can be selected from the list and registered in the browsing list 20.

[0106]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.

(1) It is possible to realize a network distributed document file system having a high flexibility, which has an open architecture for general-purpose applications of the OS while having an advanced document management function which the standard OS does not have.

(2) Since an arbitrary number of files constituting a document are collectively managed as one document, the user does not need to be aware of the file configuration of the document, and handling of a document composed of a plurality of files is easy and reliable. become.

(3) It is possible to perform strict security management for each document or classification for each user, and to perform system security management such as existence confirmation, browsing, copying, registration update, and deletion. The safety and reliability can be dramatically improved.

(4) Since the attribute information search is independent from the document / classification management, and the management function of the entire system is not incorporated in the search means, various general-purpose database management systems can be adopted as the search means. Also, based on the view information, it is possible to automatically assign a coarse search key in the case of a search in the upper classification and a detailed search key in the case of a search in the lower classification.
An efficient search environment can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a network distributed document file system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of user settings.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a document management structure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cabinet configuration example.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of classification attribute information.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of document attribute information.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a document type ID.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of permission levels.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of setting permission information.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a link setting example.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a link setting process.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a setting example of a browsing list file and an access example to a base server.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of search tables and views.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of correspondence between views and search key items.

FIG. 15 is an operation sequence diagram when creating a binder.

FIG. 16 is an operation sequence diagram when a document is searched by keyword.

FIG. 17 is an operation sequence diagram when a document is hierarchically searched.

FIG. 18 is an operation sequence diagram when a document is hierarchically searched.

FIG. 19 is an operation sequence diagram when hierarchically searching a linked document.

FIG. 20 is an operation sequence diagram when a binder is created, linked to a folder, and a document is created.

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a desktop screen.

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a cabinet list screen.

Figure 23: Classification list screen

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a keyword input screen.

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a keyword search result screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Workstations 10 Local area network 11, 12 Media 13 Auxiliary storage device 15 Classification (directory) 16 Documents (arbitrary number of files) 17 Classification attribute information file 18 documents Attribute information file 20 Browse list file 21 Search table 22 View 30, 40, 50 Cabinet 31, 41, 51, 52, 53 Binder 32, 33, 34, 42, 43, 44 Folder WS workstation AP application SC service client BS base Server DBMS database management system

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A hierarchical classification structure for documents corresponding to a directory structure of an operating system, attribute information for each classification and each document under the classification of this hierarchical classification structure, and based on the classification and document attribute information. A network-distributed document file system, comprising means for managing documents and managing documents. 2. An attribute information for collectively managing an arbitrary number of files forming a document is provided for each document, and means for managing a document configuration file as one document based on the attribute information is provided. Network distributed file system. 3. A network distributed document file system comprising: permission information for security management for each user for each document; and means for performing security management of the document based on the permission information. 4. A network characterized by having permission information for security management for each user for each document and each document classification, and having means for performing security management of documents and classifications based on the permission information. Distributed document file system. 5. A hierarchical classification structure for documents corresponding to a directory structure of an operating system, attribute information for each classification and each document under the classification of this hierarchical classification structure, and based on the classification and document attribute information. And a means for managing documents, and the attribute information of the classification and documents includes permission information for security management for each user, a network distributed document file system. 6. A hierarchical classification structure for documents corresponding to a directory structure of an operating system, attribute information for each classification and each document under the classification of this hierarchical classification structure, and based on the classification and document attribute information. A network distributed document file system, characterized in that the attribute information of the document includes information for collectively managing an arbitrary number of files constituting the document. 7. The network distributed document file system according to claim 3, wherein the permission information is information for managing security at a plurality of levels. 8. A hierarchical classification structure for documents corresponding to a directory structure of an operating system, attribute information for each classification and each document under the classification of this hierarchical classification structure, and based on the classification and the attribute information of the document. Management means for managing classifications and documents, and a search table paired with the topmost classification of the hierarchical classification structure. Using this search table, attribute information search for classifications and documents can be performed independently from the management means. A network distributed document file system characterized by having a searching means for performing. 9. The network distributed document file system according to claim 8, wherein the search means has view information for controlling search key items according to the classification of the hierarchical classification structure.