US Patent 7260578 Database-file link system and method therefor

A database management system has a data structure intending to manage external files and an external file linking function extension called during an update process of a record including the data structure, whereby update of the record is carried out in synchronism with update of the content of an external file to maintain matching between the record and the external file. By reflecting the update on only a link destination file of an updated database record in accordance with the number of references from the database record to the file, the edition management of files using the database can be realized.