Apple Inc.

William P Kain, Iii

Mark Steven Day

Donald J Brady

Bill M Bruffey

Prashant Patel

Susan A Manning

In a computer, a system and a method handle requests from a client for accessing metadata attributes from at least one file system having an associated format containing specific metadata attributes. A format agent manages the file system. A client's request is received at an interface and forwarded to a dispatcher. The dispatcher routes the request to the format agent. The format agent fulfills the portions of the client's request regarding metadata attributes included in the associated format of the file system. If the client's request contains a metadata attribute that is not part of the file system's associated format, the format agent accesses a metadata attribute store to retrieve the metadata attribute data needed to fulfill the request. The requested metadata attribute data is then returned to the client. Multiple instances of the metadata attribute data are accessible by the client, the instances selected and/or assigned by the client and/or the system.

Method and system for extending file system metadata

In a computer including at least one client and at least one file system having an associated format, a system and method are provided for filtering requests for metadata from the client in a manner which is transparent to the client. An interface receives the client's request for metadata from the file system and forwards the request to a dispatcher. The dispatcher forwards the request to a format agent which fulfills the request. A third party filter system filters the requested metadata. If the filter system requires metadata to perform the filtering, the filter system requests additional metadata, and the format agent fulfills the client's request and the filter system's request. The format agent fulfills portions of the client's request and the filter system's request regarding metadata which is contained in the associated format of the file system directly from the file system. The format agent accesses a storage means to fulfill portions of the client's request and the filter system's request regarding metadata which is not included in the associated format of the file system. If the client's request is to write or modify metadata, the filter system filters metadata to be written or modified by the format agent. If the client's request is to retrieve metadata, the filter system filters metadata retrieved by the format agent. In this manner, third parties can modify metadata which is requested by a client from a file system or compute metadata based on the client's request without altering the format of the file system and can benefit from the modification and/or computation of such metadata by other parties.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

William P Kain, Iii