Database manager and method and computer program for managing a database

A method of managing one or more external databases, comprising:

• detecting a connection of an external database, wherein the external database includes a plurality of media files, a database file system including, for each of the plurality of media files, a media identifier including a file name or a directory path name of the corresponding media file and an identification of the location of the corresponding media file in the external database, and metadata for each of the plurality of media files;
• reading and storing, as a first step, only at least a portion of the database file system including the file names or the directory path names for at least a subset of the plurality of media files of the database file system and not reading or storing the metadata for the plurality of media files;
• reading and storing, when the file names or the directory path names for at least the subset of the plurality of media files of the database file system is read, in a second step at least a part of the metadata for the plurality of media files;
• and
• processing a search request for a media file of at least the subset of the plurality of media files by accessing the file names or the directory path names of the database file system for at least the subset of the plurality of media files and by not accessing the metadata of at least the subset of the plurality of media files in parallel with the second step, wherein a search result is provided based on the file names or directory path names for at least the subset of the plurality of media files from the database file system, even when the metadata for the plurality of media files have not yet been read and stored in the second step;
• wherein
• the external database includes a unique database ID and the detector stores the unique database ID in relation to the data read and stored by the database synchronizer from the external database;
• and
• the detecting includes acquiring, when a further external database is connected, a unique identification of the further external database, comparing the unique identification of the further external database with stored unique database ID, and controlling the processing to access to the database file system and metadata associated with the unique identification, when the unique identification of the further database matches with a stored unique database ID, by accessing a memory on which the database file system and the metadata are stored in association with the unique identification.

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing, when running on a computer, a method of managing one or more external databases, comprising:

• detecting a connection of an external database, wherein the external database includes a plurality of media files, a database file system including, for each of the plurality of media files, a media identifier including a file name or a directory path name of the corresponding media file and an identification of the location of the corresponding media file in the external database, and metadata for each of the plurality of media files;
• reading and storing, as a first step, only at least a portion of the database file system including the file names or the directory path names for at least a subset of the plurality of media files of the database file system and not reading or storing the metadata for the plurality of media files;
• reading and storing, when the file names or the directory path names for at least the subset of the plurality of media files have been read, in a second step at least a part of the metadata for the plurality of media files;
• and
• processing a search request for a media file of at least the subset of the plurality of media files by accessing the file names or directory path names of the database file system for at least the subset of the plurality of media files and by not accessing the metadata of at least the subset of the plurality of media files in parallel with the second step, wherein a search result is provided based on the file names or the directory path names for at least the subset of the plurality of media files from the database file system, even when the metadata for the plurality of media files have not yet been read and stored in the second step;
• wherein
• the external database includes a unique database ID and the detector stores the unique database ID in relation to the data read and stored by the database synchronizer from the external database;
• and
• the detecting includes acquiring, when a further external database is connected, a unique identification of the further external database, comparing the unique identification of the further external database with stored unique database ID, and controlling the processing to access to the database file system and metadata associated with the unique identification, when the unique identification of the further database matches with a stored unique database ID, by accessing a memory on which the database file system and the metadata are stored in association with the unique identification.