Shared drive that provides shared access to editable files in a database

A method for providing shared access to a plurality of files, comprising:

• (a) storing the plurality of files in a database;
• (b) storing in the database access information, the access information indicating which users have edit access to which files in the database;
• (c) storing in a shared drive, a directory structure, the directory structure including symbolic links to files in the database to which a user has edit access;
• and,
• (d) scanning the access information in the database to detect changes in the access information, including:
• (d.1) updating the symbolic links in the shared drive to take into account detected changes made to the access information.

Storage media that stores computer readable programming code which, when executed by a computing system, implements a system comprising:

• a database, the database including a plurality of files and access information, the access information indicating which users have edit access to which files in the database;
• a plurality of data structures for use within a shared drive, the shared drive containing for each user of the shared drive a directory structure that includes symbolic links to files in the database to which the user has edit access;
• and,
• a link update routine that scans the access information in the database and updates the symbolic links in the shared drive to take into account changes made to the access information.

A system for providing shared access to a plurality of files, the system comprising:

• (a) means for storing the plurality of files in a database;
• (b) means for storing in the database access information, the access information indicating which users have edit access to which files in the database;
• (c) means for storing in a shared drive, a directory structure, the directory structure including symbolic links to files in the database to which a user has edit access;
• and,
• (d) means for scanning the access information in the database to detect changes in the access information, including:
• (d.1) means for updating the symbolic links in the shared drive to take into account detected changes made to the access information.