1. A computer-based file apparatus for accessing any of a plurality of previously-stored data objects, the apparatus characterized by
means for receiving a user request including a purported file name containing one or more non-file-name-substring-based search criteria and
means for locating one or more data objects using said search criteria.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further including
means for returning a key associated with each located data object to the user, each key identifying the location of an associated data object.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said key value is a Macintosh file identifier.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said key value is a Macintosh directory identifier.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the key is an inode index value.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the key includes an inode index value and a generation number.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one search criteria is a phonetic representation of a name.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one search criteria is a relational characteristic which exists between two or more of said data objects.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one search criteria is a substring which is to be matched against the contents of the previously-stored data objects.

10. In a computer-based file system, a method of accessing any of a plurality of previously-stored data objects, the method comprising the steps of
receiving a user request including a purported file name containing one or more non-file-name-substring-based search criteria and
locating one or more data objects using said search criteria.