Importance

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Abstract

A system of the present invention includes a relational database management system (RDBMS). Methods are described for maintaining integrity between 'design documents,' which may be creating under different operating systems, and one or more information tables of the system. The system provides each field of a table with a unique ID ('field ID') for tracking the field regardless of restructuring changes which may be made to the table by various clients. Corresponding field IDs are stored with the fields of design documents, thereby permitting the system to maintain a link between a design document and its table. Upon a restructure of a table, the dependent design documents may be appropriately updated by their respective clients. Methods are also described for improved storage of free-form or 'memo' data. In a preferred embodiment, memo data are stored in a separate file comprised of variable-length storage blocks. Methods are described for allocating storage space in the blocks and sub-allocating storage space within a block. For increased efficiency, the system maintains a sorted 'free list' of free storage blocks.

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First Claim