ATTRIBUTE-BASED CLASSIFICATION AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM

An attribute-based automated classification and retrieval system for group technology applications using a codeless classification system in which hierarchical classification structures are stored in a classification attribute file and in which searches can be performed at any level in the classification structure. The relationship between entities and classification attributes are kept in an item classification parameters file along with the parameter values associated with each entity-attribute pair. Queries on the data stored in the classification attribute file and item classification parameters file are stored alternately in a plurality of query results files as successive queries are used to narrow the scope of a search.