Abstract: A system and method for compressing and storing image data. The system and method creates for each of a plurality of original images a plurality of resultant images by altering the content of each of the plurality of original images a corresponding plurality of different ways. Each of the resultant images is then compressed. From the compressed, resultant images created from each of the plurality of original images one resultant image is selected. Each of the selected one of the plurality of resultant images is then stored such that each of the selected one of the plurality of resultant images is retrievable to be displayed as a representation of its corresponding original image.

Abstract: An improved method for creating and searching data files in a database is described. The system and method uses a memory in which is stored a main data file having a plurality of data records each having a data field containing data representative of an alpha-numeric product descriptor. A bitmask generator generates a bitmask value representative of the data in the data field of each data record and appends to each data record stored in the memory a bitmask data field containing the bitmask value representative of the data in the data field of the corresponding data record. A prefix generator generates a plurality of prefix files that are stored in the memory, the prefix files including a copy of selected data records of the main data file, the data records being selected as a function of the prefix of the alpha-numeric product descriptors corresponding to the data in the data fields of the data records.