Converting handle-based find first/find next/find close to non-handle based find first/find next

摘要

Handle-based finding operations for search operations in an operating system (20) in a computing system are converted into non-handle-based finding operations. The invention is responsive to a program module (30) performing search operations specifying a file search path and has a find first module (32), a find next module (40) and a find close module (42). The find first module, in response to a find first call from the program module, locates (70) a search block for use in storing file identification information for a first file in the file search path. The find first module marks (78) the search block as "in use," generates a handle identifying the search block and passes the handle back to the program module. The find next module is responsive to a find next call containing the handle. The find next module converts (90) the handle into a search block address and locates the search block from the search block address. The search block is used to store the file identification information for a next file in the file search path. The find close module is responsive to a find close call with handle from the program module. The find close module converts (110) the handle into a search block address, locates the search block from the search block address and marks (114) the search block "not in use" to close finding operations in the operating system.