Method and system for transactioning of modifications to a tree

Abstract

A method and system for interfacing an application program with a compound document storage system. The present invention provides an interface which an application program uses to manipulate compound documents. In a preferred embodiment, this interface is implemented in a multilayered architecture. The first layer provides methods which an application program uses to access a compound document using the functions of the second layer. The second layer maps requests to store data in the compound document to a storage format using the functions of the third layer. The third layer maps requests to write to a file to an arbitrary storage medium. In another aspect, the present invention provides for the transactioning of modifications to data in a file that is stored in a tree structure having nodes. When modifications are made to a node that is not transacted, the modifications are associated with the closest ancestor node that is transacted. When modifications are made to a node that is transacted, the modifications are associated with that node. When such associated modifications are committed, the modifications are disassociated from that node and associated with the closest ancestor node that is transacted.