Patent ID: 7337187

Claim:
An XML document classifying method, comprising: extracting, from among a plurality of XML documents, stored in a storage system, only those XML documents that include an initial element having a first initial character string as a name, the first initial character string being an arbitrary character string designated by a user, wherein the extracting includes, (1) classifying, based on the identify of the character an initial element value, XML documents that have only a child of the initial element that is a character string; and (2) generating an initial element folder having the same name as the initial element, and arranging, for the individual element values, element value folders that employ the element values as names immediately under the initial element folder, and generating an initial element folder hierarchical expression wherein XML documents, the element values of which are the same as the names of the element value folders, are arranged immediately under the individual element value folders, and wherein the method further comprising: (3) when one of the element value folders is selected and a second initial character string is designated, extracting from the XML documents in the element value folders documents that include a second element having the second initial character string as a name, regarding the second “initial element as an initial element to perform operations (1) and (2), and generating a hierarchical expression wherein folders that are generated at step operation (2) and have the same name as the second initial element are arranged immediately under the element value folders, whereby an initial element folder hierarchical expression generated by recursive repetition of operations (1) to (3) is provided; further comprising: (a) when the initial element that is included in an XML document has subordinate elements as children, generating an initial element folder hierarchical expression wherein element value folders as subordinate element folders having the same name as the subordinate elements are arranged, for the individual subordinate elements, immediately under the initial element folder; (b) when one of the subordinate element folders is selected, regarding the selected subordinate element as an initial element to perform steps (1) and (2) and also step (a), whereby an initial element folder hierarchical expression generated by recursive repetition of steps (a) and (b) is provided; and displaying results of operations (1) to (3).