Abstract: The present invention was made in order to provide a file server, wherein a distributing device for storing parts of data to be stored by a server between the server for providing data and a terminal device for outputting data provided by the server, the distributing device reads data and sends them to the terminal device if said data requested to be provided have been stored when receiving the requests from the terminal device, transfers the provision requests to the server if the data requested to be provided have not been stored, and when receiving requested data from the server, it newly registers the requested data and at the same time sends the data to the terminal device.

Abstract: A system for managing data including at least a randomly accessible recording medium, comprised of a data area in which recordal data is recorded in one or more variable length recording blocks by file and a management data area in which file entries and recording entries for each recording block of the files are recorded, the file entries including name data showing the names of the recordal data recorded in the files and identification data showing the record entries of the first recording blocks in which the recordal data are recorded, the record entries including head position data showing the heads of the recording blocks, link data showing the recording blocks in which continuations of the recordal data are recorded, and recording length data showing the recording lengths of the recording blocks.

Abstract: A data processing method for synchronizing the data records of a plurality of disparate databases, in which a status file is provided containing data records representative of the contents of data records existing in the disparate databases at a prior synchronization. Data records from at least a first and a second of the plurality of databases are compared to corresponding data records of the status file to determine whether data records of the plurality of databases have changed or been deleted since the prior synchronization, or whether there are new data records since the earlier synchronization. Based on the outcome of the comparing step, decisions are made as to how to update the data records of the first and second databases. Finally, the status file is updated so that its data records are representative of the contents of the data records of the first and second databases after they have been updated.

Abstract: A method and system for generating and maintaining property sets is provided. In a preferred embodiment, a property set stream is generated. The stream comprises three parts: a header, a section locator array, and one or more sections. The header contains information for uniquely identifying the property set and for identifying the number of sections within the property set. The section locator array contains a unique identifier for each section and an offset indicating where the section resides within the stream. The third part, the section definitions, contains the information necessary to maintain groups of properties for each section. Each section contains a section header, a property locator array, and an array of property type/value pairs. The section header indicates both the size of the section and the number of properties defined within the section.

Abstract: A data processing system is disclosed to automatically query databases. The invention provides an Automatically Relaxable Query (ARQ) which includes a list of query conditions ordered in descending degree of importance. First, the database is queried on the first condition of the ARQ; if any object is found, the system labels this first condition. Then, the system proceeds with a query composed of all the conditions labelled previously in conjunction with the next condition of the ARQ; if any object is found then this next condition is labelled. And so on, in order, for all the remaining conditions of the ARQ until a predetermined termination condition is achieved. Finally, the system reports which conditions were labelled, and if the query composed of the labelled conditions matches only few objects of the database, they are automatically retrieved. The automatic querying with an ARQ enables faster searches, minimizes interaction between database and user and permits offline preparation of the search.

Abstract: A method of searching a database uses a plurality of search criteria each having an implicit logical operation associated therewith. After one or more of the search criteria is selected, a computer system with appropriate software formulates the search including the implicit logical operation to search the database, all without the need for the user to input any logical operation connecting the one or more of the selected desired search criterion. An operation is performed on a portion of the search result.

Abstract: A method of distributing files onto a computer-usable storage medium based on a user's selection of at least one file from a file library comprising executable and nonexecutable files. The method includes a first displaying step for displaying (1) the file library and (2) at least one file storage designation area having a predetermined size which is representative of a computer-usable storage medium having the predetermined size. A second displaying step displays, in response to a user's input, which includes selection of at least one file in the file library, a file attribute option, which includes file installation options, and an assigning step assigns, in response to a user's selection of at least one file installation option, at least one file attribute to a selected file which corresponds to the at least one file installation option.