Data is now able to be transferred back and forth between computer systems which have disparate file systems, e.g., between a computer having a hierarchical
file system and a computer having a nonhierarchical
file system. The differences, however, are not limited to the
file storage system. Data may now be transferred across different platforms, different human and computer languages, different binary codes, etc. From one computer
system the associated
metadata is stored in a interpretable format on the second computer
system so that when data and its associated
metadata are transferred, the second computer system can interpret the transferred data. Data transfer can be accomplished in both directions. Thus, a tool writer or a
software developer using a integrated
development environment, such as
Eclipse, on a Linux
workstation with its hierarchical
file system may download source files and other resources from an iSeries computer
server with its OS / 400 nonhierarchical file system, modify the resources, and then put them back onto the iSeries
machine for use on the iSeries. The
metadata of the source file and other resources are stored in a .properties file which, if in
XML format, supports the transfer of resources across
the Internet.