Method and system for providing a common name space for long and short file names in an operating system

A computer system including a microprocessor and a software program, the software program utilizing an application program interface to request services from an operating system that does not support filenames with greater than eight characters in a leading portion or three characters in an extension portion, the requested services relating to interaction with short and long filenames, the application program interface including a plurality of commands for requesting services from the operating system, comprising:

• (a) getting a last access date and time;
• (b) setting the last access date and time;
• (c) getting a creation date and time;
• (d) setting the creation date and time;
• (e) making a directory;
• (f) removing the directory;
• (g) changing the directory;
• (h) deleting a file;
• (i) setting attributes of a file;
• (j) getting the current directory;
• (k) finding a first file;
• (l) finding a next file;
• (m) renaming a file;
• (n) getting a full path name;
• (o) getting a short path name;
• (p) getting a long path name;
• (q) creating a file;
• (r) opening a file;
• (s) getting volume information;
• (t) closing the file search;
• (u) getting file information by handle;
• (v) converting 64-bit file time to MS-DOS date and time values;
• and
• (x) converting MS-DOS date and time values to 64-bit file time.

A method for employing an operating system and an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, comprising:

• (a) providing a first function in the operating system for creating a directory with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) providing a second function in the operating system for creating another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when calling the second function to create the other directory having the long name and create at least one directory entry to hold the long name, automatically calling the first function to create the directory having the short name and create at least one directory entry to hold the short name, at least a portion of the short name created for the directory corresponding to the long name created for the other directory, wherein each short name and each long name stored in each respective directory entry is employable as an index for locating data associated with a file name.

A method for employing an operating system and an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, comprising:

• (a) providing a first function in the operating system for removing a directory with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters and deleting a directory entry for the short name;
• (b) providing a second function in the operating system for removing a directory with a long name with greater than twelve characters and deleting a directory entry for the long name;
• and
• (c) when calling the second function to remove the other directory having the long name and delete at least one directory entry in which the long name is held, automatically calling the first function to remove the directory having the short name and delete at least one directory entry in which the short name is held, at least a portion of the short name of the directory corresponding to the long name of the other directory, wherein each short name and each long name stored in each respective directory entry is employable as an index for locating data associated with a file name.

A method for employing an operating system and an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, comprising:

• (a) providing a first function in the operating system for deleting a file with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) providing a second function in the operating system for deleting another file with a long name with greater than twelve characters, wherein the file with the long name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to delete the other file having the long name located in the other directory with the long name, automatically calling the first function to delete the file having the short name located in the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the file corresponding to the long name of the other file.

A method for employing an operating system and an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, comprising:

• (a) providing a first function in the operating system for renaming a file having a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) providing a second function in the operating system for renaming another file having a long name with greater than twelve characters, wherein the file with the long name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to rename the other file having the long name located in the other directory with the long name, automatically calling the first function to rename the file having the short name located in the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the file corresponding to the long name of the other file.

A method for employing an operating system and an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, comprising:

• (a) providing a first function in the operating system for finding a file with a short file name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) providing a second function in the operating system for finding the file with a long file name having greater than twelve characters wherein the file with the long name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the first function is called to find the file by its short file name located in the directory with the short name, automatically calling the second function to find the file by its long file name located in the other directory with the long name, at least a portion of the short file name of the file corresponding to the long file name of the file.

A computer-readable storage medium holding an operating system, the operating system employing an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system:

• (a) a first function in the operating system for finding a file with a short file name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) a second function in the operating system for finding the file with a long file name having greater than twelve characters, wherein the file with the long name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the first function is called to find the file by its short file name located in the directory with the short name, automatically calling the second function to find the file by its long file name located in the other directory with the long name, at least a portion of the short file name of the file corresponding to the long file name of the file.

A computer-readable storage medium holding an operating system, said operating system employing an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, including:

• (a) a first function in the operating system for creating a directory with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) a second function in the operating system for creating another directory with a long name with greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to create the directory having the long name, automatically calling the first function to create the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the directory corresponding to the long name of the other directory, wherein each short name and each long name stored in each respective directory entry is employable as an index for locating data associated with a file name.

A computer-readable storage medium holding an operating system, said operating system employing an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, including:

• (a) a first function in the operating system for removing a directory with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) a second function in the operating system for removing another directory with a long name with greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to remove the directory having the long name, automatically calling the first function to remove the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the directory corresponding to the long name of the other directory, wherein each short name and each long name stored in each respective directory entry is employable as an index for locating data associated with a file name.

A computer-readable storage medium holding an operating system, said operating system employing an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, including:

• (a) a first function in the operating system for deleting a file with a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) a second function in the operating system for deleting another file with a long name with greater than twelve characters, wherein the file with the long name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to delete the file having the long name located in the other directory with the long name, automatically calling the first function to delete the file having the short name located in the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the file corresponding to the long name of the other file.

A computer-readable storage medium holding an operating system, said operating system employing an application program interface to provide a plurality of functions in the operating system, including:

• (a) a first function in the operating system for renaming a file having a short name that has a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters, wherein the file with the short name is located in a directory with a short name having a leading portion with a maximum of eight characters and an extension portion with a maximum of three characters;
• (b) a second function in the operating system for renaming another file having a long name with greater than twelve characters, wherein the file with the lone name is located in another directory with a long name having greater than twelve characters;
• and
• (c) when the second function is called to rename the other file having the long name located in the other directory with the long name, automatically calling the first function to rename the file having the short name located in the directory with the short name, at least a portion of the short name of the file corresponding to the long name of the other file.