Appartus and method for storing diagram data

PCT No. PCT/GB95/00631 Sec. 371 Date May 29, 1996 Sec. 102(e) Date May 29, 1996 PCT Filed Mar. 22, 1995 PCT Pub. No. WO95/26532 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 5, 1995An apparatus for storing data for use in displaying diagrams comprises a computer and a file server. Each diagram includes boxes and flow lines connecting the boxes. The software includes a database and a main program which is responsible for storing and retrieving diagram data as well as performing predetermined operations on the data. In the database, data describing a box is stored as an instance of a first software object class, data describing a flow line is stored as an instance of a second software object class, general data relating to a diagram is stored as an instance of a third software object class, and data describing the location of each entity (box or flow line) on a diagram is stored as an instance of a fourth software object class. Each instance of the fourth software object class includes a pointer to the instance of the third software object class which contains general data for the diagram and also to a pointer to the instance of the first or second software object class which describe the entity.