Record processing apparatus, method and computer readable storage having attribute information representing a hierarchical connection for display of data

A record processing apparatus for processing a plurality of records, comprising:

• means for storing the plurality of records each having attribute information representing a hierarchical connection relationship with another record and having (i) a higher connection code representing connection to a record having a higher connection relationship in a hierarchical relationship and (ii) a lower connection code representing connection to a record having a lower connection relationship;
• means for, when display data having a one-to-one correspondence with each record is to be displayed on a display screen in a hierarchical state, determining a display position of the display data on said display screen based on the attribute information included in each record, and displaying the display data corresponding to each record at the determined display position;
• means for arbitrarily selecting desired first display data of all display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state and arbitrarily designating a destination display position of the selected first display data, thereby moving the selected first display data to the destination display position;
• means for detecting a change in hierarchical display position relationship between each display position of each display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state and display positions of the selected first display data before and after movement of the selected first display data;
• and
• means for changing attribute information of a record corresponding to the selected first display data in accordance with the change in hierarchical display position relationship detected by said detecting means, said changing means comprising:
• first search means for searching a hierarchical display position relationship between the moved display position of the selected first display data and display positions of other display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state;
• first specifying means for specifying, based on the hierarchical display position relationship searched by said first search means, second display data at a display position having a hierarchical display position relationship toward a higher hierarchical level of the moved display position of the selected first display data;
• first changing means for changing the lower connection code included in the attribute information of the record corresponding to the specified second display data into a code for designating the record corresponding to the selected first display data;
• second search means for searching a hierarchical display position relationship between the display position of the selected first display data before the movement of the selected first display data and display positions of other display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state;
• second specifying means for specifying, based on the hierarchical display position relationship searched by said second search means, fourth display data at a display position having a higher hierarchical display position relationship with the display position of the selected first display data before the movement of the selected first display data;
• and
• second changing means for deleting a lower connection code included in attribute information of a record corresponding to the specified fourth display data, or changing the lower connection code into a code for designating another record.

An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a plurality of records to be processed, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising:

• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to store the plurality of records each having attribute information representing a hierarchical connection relationship with another record and having (i) a higher connection code representing connection to a record having a higher connection relationship in a hierarchical relationship and (ii) a lower connection code representing connection code representing connection to a record having a lower connection relationship;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to, when display data having a one-to-one correspondence with each record is to be displayed on a display screen in a hierarchical state, determine a display position of the display data on said display screen based on the attribute information included in each record, and to display data corresponding to each record at the determined display position;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to arbitrarily select desired first display data of all display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state and arbitrarily designate a destination display position of the selected first display data, thereby moving the selected first display data to the destination display position;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to detect a change in hierarchical display position relationship between each display position of each display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state and display positions of the selected first display data before and after movement of the selected first display data;
• and
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to change attribute information of a record corresponding to the selected first display data in accordance with the change in hierarchical display position relationship detected by said detecting means, and including:
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to search the hierarchical display position relationship between the moved display position of the selected first display data and display positions of other display data displayed on said display screen in the hierarchical state;
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to specify, based on the hierarchical display position relationship searched by said searching program code means, second display data at a display position having a hierarchical display position relationship toward a higher hierarchical level of the moved display position of the selected first display data, and third display data at a display position having a hierarchical display position relationship toward a lower hierarchical level;
• and
• computer readable program code means for causing a computer to change the lower connection code included in attribute information of a record corresponding to the specified second display data into a change for designating the record corresponding to the first display data, and to change the higher connection code included in attribute information of a record corresponding to the specified third display data into a code for designating the record corresponding to first display data.