Apparatus and method for storing, navigating among and adding links between data items in computer databases

摘要

Information, or data, among applications in multiple diverse computer systems is represented in a uniform way allowing the data to be easily manipulated, navigated and modified. Each piece of information is stored as a uniquely identifiable object instance of one of multiple uniquely identifiable object classes that are themselves instances of a Root class. Two object instances can be linked by a uniquely identifiable two-way navigable link of a particular links class. Each link of a links class is constrained to linking object instances of either one or two different object classes. Each link also has a corresponding object instance such that the object class of the corresponding object instance is the links class, and the unique identifier of the object instance is the same in value as the unique identifier of the link. In the preferred embodiment, all object instances are held in a single relational table with only three columns, while all the links are held in a second relational table with only two columns. The data that is displayed when an object instance is selected is held in a separate details table for each object class, with the necessary relational join between a details table and the object instance table being efficient due to a one to one relationship involved in the join. The only other data that is normally involved or required to be searched during navigation is held in a data dictionary that is much smaller in size than the other data in the system of this invention. A graphical user interface is provided that presents the data as a hierarchical tree structure based on a primary object. Any object may be selected as the primary object. Circular relationships are supported and displayed. Object and link classes may be excluded from the display as desired.