Patent ID: 7283731

Claim:
A reproducing apparatus for reproducing digital data from a record medium that is removable and assigned unique medium identification information, the digital data having a file structure that allows a first file format and a second file format to be used, the first file format being handled by computer software and composed of a reference information storing portion and a real data storing portion, the second file format being composed of only a reference information storing portion, reference file information and medium identification information of the record medium or information of which the medium identification information has been converted being recorded to at least the reference information storing portion of a file having the second file format, comprising: means for determining the file format of data that is read from the record medium and for reproducing the data when the file format of the data that has been read is the first file format; means for reading the reference file identification information and the medium identification information or the information of which the medium identification information has been converted from the reference information storing portion when the file format of the data that has been read is the second file format; means for reading the medium identification information or the information of which the medium identification information has been converted and the reference file information from the record medium; and means for determining whether or not the medium identification information or the information of which the medium identification information has been converted recorded in the reference information storing portion matches the medium identification information or the information of which the medium identification information has been converted recorded on the record medium and for reading a file designated by the reference file information and reproducing the file when they match, wherein unintended files are prevented from being referenced during recording of data.