Patent ID: 6961734

Claim:
A method for defining asset classes in a computer readable digital library coupled to a user interface and at least one application program to search heterogenous objects, comprising: defining at least one asset class to include at least one attribute; defining attributes for each asset class to have attribute object types, wherein the attribute object types for the defined attributes comprise at least one database object type and a text file type; defining the attribute object type to indicate one of a plurality of different data structure formats that are searchable through the at least one application program, wherein the attribute object types in one asset class are implemented in different data structure formats; generating an asset object instance for each asset class; and adding information to the asset object instance on a file location of attribute objects for the asset object instance; and using the at least one application program to query asset object instances on an attribute value by searching attribute objects of the asset object instances for the queried attribute value.