Patent ID: 7787744

Claim:
A recording apparatus comprising: a recording medium comprising index data of a plurality of files of contents data and the files; and correlation means for correlating the index data of the plurality of files of contents data with the files; and formation means for forming the correlated index data in a predetermined format as an index file; and deletion means for deleting the index file, wherein the index data further comprises: a plurality of entries, each entry corresponding to a designated file of contents data, wherein each entry comprises a file identifier which represents the location of the designated file, thumbnail information related to the designated file, and text information related to the designated file, validity information which represents whether the designated file is valid or invalid, and attribute information, wherein the attribute information includes relation data which represents a reference relation data which contains at least information specifying a file which refers to the designated file and information representing whether the designated file refers to another file, wherein, before the designated file of contents data is deleted, the reference relation data is checked and it is determined whether or not another file references the designated file, and wherein, before the designated file is deleted and after it is determined whether or not another file references the designated file, the reference relation data is checked and it is determined whether of not the designated file references another file.