Windows Expedition is a SQL server database model to duplicate and expand upon the functionality offered by traditional file systems such as FAT and NTFS. The primary goal for augmenting the existing file system is to expand the functionality to allow for numerous files to be grouped together and allow that group to exist in multiple folder locations. The only way this is accomplishable with current technology is to place grouped files in a folder and create short cuts to that folder in other locations. Expedition will also allow for historical and archival information to be maintained for files present on offline media.

    The main application form consists of a Folder tree view and Item list view similar to the Windows Explorer interface. A splitter in the center allows both controls to be resized to fix the specific desire of the user. The Folder tree view is automatically loaded from the default database and rendered with the Imported and Published tree nodes expanded. When a Folder is selected the details on the Folder is displayed in the status bar and the Item contents of the Folder are listed on the right. Selecting an Item from the list on the right will display the Item details in its respective status bar. Double clicking the item will launch an Item specific dialog window.

    The Import Form provides an existing Path selection box. If a local path is entered into the Search Path dialog then a new Path record is created in the system if a suitable parent path cannot be determined. A start and end date range filter is provided to filter for files created or modified in the specified time range. Only one Item Type may be imported at a time. Progress is indicated in the status bar. The folder display counts the number of new Folder records created compared to the number of physical directories encountered. The item display counts the number Item records created compared to the number of physical files located. The current relative search path is displayed on the right for status purposes.

    The Item Form Photo Tab displays the specific attributes for the Photo entity. The form allows the Title, Author, Date/Time Taken, Subject and Description to be edited and updated. The thumbnail screen shows a thumbnail of the highest resolution File associated with the Photo Item. The default thumbnail size is 320 x 240 pixels and preserves the correct aspect ratio for rotated or odd sized images.

    The Photo business object provides a function to create resized Jpeg files from a source Jpeg file. The algorithm uses the highest resolution (largest) source file available for reduction and creates a new Jpeg file at the location provided. A File record must be created and added to the Item in order for the association to be persisted in Expedition.

    The Path entity is responsible for keeping track of root location or starting point for a file system overlay. Paths reference a directory located on a local drive, network share or removable disc. A username and password may be persisted for each path if access security is enabled. Each path maintains a root universal resource locator (url), label and serial number.

    The File entity represents a physical file located in a sub-directory of a specified path. Each file’s location is stored as a url relative to the root url of the path. Files are typed as one of the currently support primary file types: Image, Audio, Video.

    The Item entity allows for the grouping of files together for folder assignment and overlay profile populate. Each item record loosely references another record in any database table. The item type determines which table to locate the record in by primary key. The current implementation abstracts the Path entity to allow grouping.

    The Folder entity maintains a hierarchal tree structure with role based security. Each folder or sub-folder has an identifying name and one of four role security levels: Private, Protected, Public, Published. All items assigned to the folder assume that folders security level.