Method and system for retrieval of stored graphs

Automation of graph image storage and retrieval in a multi-user system having a central processing facility with performing processes that create and translate graphical image representations in varying levels of readable expression. The created, translated representations are stored in system storage in the form of graph image files. The invention is expressed as a method that tabularizes stored graph image representations by table entries, each identifying a specific graph and including a listing of the corresponding graph image files. When a user of the system identifies a graph by table entry and specifies a machine output or modification function to be performed on the identified graph, the tabularized entries are searched to locate an entry for the identified graph. Once the correct table entry is found, the graph file listing is searched according to a user-specified representation preference ordering to determine whether a specified output function can be performed by any of the stored graph image files produced for the identified graph, If a match is found between one of the representations stored for the graph and one of the representations in the preference ordering, the matched file is retrieved from storage and translated to the level required for the function. The translated file is then dispatched to the user for performance of the function.