Importance

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Abstract

Automation of retrieval of stored graphs in a multi-user system having a central processing facility with processes that create and translate graphical representation into varying levels of readable expression. The created, translated representations are stored in system storage in the form of graph files. The invention is expressed as a method that tabularizes stored graph files by table entries, each identifying a specific graph and including a listing of the corresponding graph files produced for the graph. When a user of the system identifies a graph by table entry and specifies a machine output or modification function to be performed on the identified graph, the tabularized entries are searched to locate an entry for the identified graph. Once the correct table entry is found, the graph file listing is searched according to a user-specified representation preference ordering in the form of a priority schedule to determine whether a specified output function can be performed with any of the stored graph files stored for the identified graph. If a match is found between one of the representations stored for the graph and one of the representations in the priority schedule, the matched file is retrieved from storage and translated to the level required for the function. The translated file is then dispatched to a graphical output device for performance of the function.

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First Claim