System and method for flexible path handling

A computer program product resident on a non-transitory storage includes code executable by a computer processor, wherein the computer program product comprises:

• program code for receiving, from a user, a request for a file path corresponding to a file, wherein the request does not provide a location in the physical storage;
• program code for analyzing the request to identify an asset indicator, a type indicator and a pointer to a first type hierarchy data structure of the request, wherein the first type hierarchy data structure is distinct from a file system hierarchy of the physical storage;
• program code for storing, in a memory of a computer system, a configuration file that specifies a mapping schema between the first type hierarchy data structure and the file system hierarchy;
• program code for using the pointer to identify the first type hierarchy data structure from a plurality of type hierarchy data structures that each have a different node structure;
• program code for searching the first type hierarchy data structure using the asset indicator and the type indicator to find an initial matching node that matches one of the asset indicator and the type indicator and then using the other one of the asset indicator and the type indicator to search sub-nodes of the initial matching node to find the final matching node;
• program code for retrieving, from the configuration file, the mapping schema between the first type hierarchy data structure and the file system hierarchy for the type indicated by the type indicator, wherein the mapping schema is retrieved based on information obtained from the first type hierarchy data structure pointed to by the pointer in the request;
• program code for evaluating the mapping schema using the final matching node to form the file path corresponding to the file in the file system hierarchy;
• and
• program code for returning, to the user, the file path corresponding to the file, wherein the file path is usable to reference the file in the file system hierarchy.

A computer system programmed to provide file paths for requesting files from a file system, comprising:

• a memory configured to store a plurality of type hierarchy data structures comprising a plurality of nodes, each corresponding to a type, wherein at least some of the plurality of nodes are connected to other nodes hierarchically;
• a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is programmed to execute logic instructions;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for receiving, from a user, a request for a file path corresponding to a file, wherein the request does not provide a location in the physical storage;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for analyzing the request to identify an asset indicator, a type indicator and a pointer to a first type hierarchy data structure of the request, wherein the first type hierarchy data structure is distinct from a file system hierarchy of the physical storage;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for storing, in a memory of the computer system, a configuration file that specifies a mapping schema between the first type hierarchy data structure and the file system hierarchy;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for using the pointer to identify the first type hierarchy data structure from a plurality of type hierarchy data structures that each have a different node structure;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for searching the first type hierarchy data structure using the asset indicator and the type indicator to find an initial matching node that matches one of the asset indicator and the type indicator and then using the other one of the asset indicator and the type indicator to search sub-nodes of the initial matching node to find the final matching node;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for retrieving, from the configuration file, the mapping schema between the first type hierarchy data structure and the file system hierarchy for the type indicated by the type indicator, wherein the mapping schema is retrieved based on information obtained from the first type hierarchy data structure pointed to by the pointer in the request;
• logic, executable by the computer system, for evaluating the mapping schema using the final matching node at least one parameter to form the file path corresponding to the file in the file system hierarchy;
• and
• logic, executable by the computer system, for returning, to the user, the file path corresponding to the file, wherein the file path is usable to reference the file in the file system hierarchy.