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US 9,069,884 B2Granted
Processing special attributes within a file
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsGregory D. Dallari, Thomas E. Murphy, Jr., Adiswong Puiam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer-implemented method, system, and computer program product for processing special attributes within a file are provided. The method includes accessing the file with a hierarchical tree structure of file elements, and retrieving special attributes associated with the file elements. The special attributes are selectively assigned to the file elements. The method also includes interpreting the special attributes using hierarchical inheritance to pass the special attributes from subordinate file elements to higher-level file elements. The method further includes creating a file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes.
Claims19
A computer-implemented method for processing special attributes within a file, comprising:
- accessing a file comprising a hierarchical tree structure of file elements;
- retrieving a plurality of special attributes, each of the special attributes being associated with one of the file elements, wherein the special attributes are selectively assigned to the file elements and at least one of the plurality of special attributes represent an expiration date associated with the assigned file element;
- interpreting the special attributes using hierarchical inheritance to pass the special attributes from subordinate file elements to higher-level file elements;
- creating a file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes, wherein the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes indicates an earliest expiration date of the expiration dates associated with the file elements;
- storing the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes in a metadata associated with the file, wherein the metadata includes an index for locating each of the plurality of special attributes within the file;
- based on a comparison of the expiration date to a reference date generating a warning that a selected file element is scheduled to expire;
- and
- wherein modification of the special attributes associated with the file elements is limited according to a security policy.
5 more elements
A system for processing special attributes within a file, comprising:
- data storage to hold the file;
- and
- special attribute logic configured to execute on a processing unit, wherein the special attribute logic is configured to perform a method comprising:
- accessing a file comprising a hierarchical tree structure of file elements;
- retrieving a plurality of special attributes, each of the special attributes being associated with one of the file elements, at least one of the plurality of special attributes comprising an expiration date associated with one of the file elements;
- interpreting the special attributes using hierarchical inheritance to pass the special attributes from subordinate file elements to higher-level file elements;
- creating a file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes, wherein the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes indicates an earliest expiration date of the expiration dates associated with the file elements;
- scanning the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes to generate an expiration report using a hypothetical date and time different from a system calendar;
- storing the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes in a metadata associated with the file, wherein the metadata includes an index for locating each of the plurality of special attributes within the file;
- based on a comparison of the expiration date to a reference date generating a warning that a selected file element is scheduled to expire;
- and
- wherein modification of the special attributes associated with the file elements is limited according to a security policy.
9 more elements
A computer program product for processing special attributes within a file, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for implementing a method, the method comprising:
- accessing a file comprising a hierarchical tree structure of file elements;
- retrieving a plurality of special attributes, each of the special attributes being associated with one of the file elements, wherein at least one of the plurality of special attributes comprise an expiration date associated with one of the file elements;
- interpreting the special attributes using hierarchical inheritance to pass the special attributes from subordinate file elements to higher-level file elements;
- creating a file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes, wherein the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes indicates an earliest expiration date of the expiration dates associated with the file elements;
- scanning the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes to generate an expiration report using a hypothetical date and time different from a system calendar;
- storing the file-level representation of the interpreted special attributes in a metadata associated with the file, wherein the metadata includes an index for locating each of the plurality of special attributes within the file;
- based on a comparison of the expiration date to a reference date generating a warning that a selected file element is scheduled to expire;
- and
- wherein modification of the special attributes associated with the file elements is limited according to a security policy.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.