Hierarchical Structured Abstract File System Frieder, Ophir Kapoor, Sanjiv Kirubanandan, Nandakiran A method in a data processing system of searching a plurality of electronic files identified by filenames in a first hierarchical file structure that is on a recordable medium of the data processing system. A user-defined metalabel is assigned to each of the electronic files. The electronic files are organized as a function of the metalabels into a second hierarchical file structure existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure on the recordable medium of the data processing system. A search query is received from a user and the metalabels of the second hierarchical file structure are searched as a function of the query. Each electronic file having a metalabel matching the query is returned to the user as a search result. Sponsorship: Illinois Institute of Technology United States Patent 2012-03-20 2010-05-18 Patent application/pdf islandora:9833 7,720,869 http://hdl.handle.net/10560/2676 en No Copyright - United States http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/ Open Access