Abstract: A data structure embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for configuring connections from a local workstation between a file system residing on the local workstation and a file system residing on a remote host system. The data structure provides for such configuration by allowing the user to specify the host system, specify a host directory path within the host file system, and specify a mapping between a file within the host directory path on the host file system and a file on the local file system. After such configuration, the user may access the host file system file in the same manner as a local file system file. The data structure can encode information describing a file system connection between a local system and a host system in a metalanguage format comprising one or more tags, each tag having an identifier and a set of one or more attributes, wherein the encoded information comprises a file system connection descriptor which can be parsed according to the metalanguage tags.

Abstract: Remote file attributes are retrieved, stored, and accessed for use on a local data processing system's installable file system. The remote file attributes are first obtained on a remote host by a communication program located on the remote host. The remote file attributes are then transferred to a client communication program on the local data processing system via a message. The client communication program uses the local data processing system's shared storage mechanisms to save the remote file attributes and to make them available to other processes executing on the local data processing system. The remote file attributes have an associated lifetime or duration on the local data processing system. This lifetime is pre-determined by the client communication program as to not to exceed a certain time limit, and the remote file attributes are cleared when this maximum lifetime is reached.