A Tree is a hierarchical object database, based on Offsider technology.
Data and/or functionality is stored as properties of nodes on the database.
The Tree and all its nodes understand about paths.
Database and nodes respond to object messages.
Tree is an Offsider that acts as a hierarchical object database.
You create a specific Tree by cloning the original one, and giving it a name of your choosing. Once you have a new Tree, you can set it up and customise its functionality as you require. If you give the Tree a name, this name becomes the name of the executable that you use to send messages to the Tree.
The database consists of a hierarchy, or tree, of nodes. Each node stored in the Tree is itself an Offsider, and will respond to messages. Messages can be used to modify data, or to envoke functionality associated with that node. You send a message to a node via the Tree, which then passes the message onto the particular node. You can specify a particular node by using a `path', similar to a file-system path in Unix. Each node understands about relative and absolute paths, as does the Tree.
Because Tree is based on Offsider technology, it fits very comfortably into the standard Unix environment. It provides a convenient way to store and access both data and functionality in a hierarchical manner.
Tree is based on Offsider technology, and is itself an Offsider object. It is persistent, and can be cloned to create new instances. All interaction with (an instance of) Tree is by means of messages. Messages can be passed from the command line, or from a programming language that supports system calls.
Tree provides its instances with a number of methods which can be extended or over-riden as required. Any programming language can be used for this purpose.
Tree nodes are stored as anonymous Offsiders within the Tree infrastructure. You access nodes by means of the various Tree and node methods supplied. Nodes within the Tree are referenced by means of path names similar to those used in a Unix filesystem.