Graphical user interface (GUI) to associate information with an object

1. A method, comprising:

maintaining different attribute tree views providing different hierarchical arrangements of a set of objects wherein each attribute tree view organizes the objects in different hierarchical arrangements according to a different attribute type of the attribute types associated with the objects, wherein at least one object is associated with different attribute tree views;

receiving selection of one object in one of the attribute tree views;

receiving user selection to display one of the attribute tree views;

displaying the objects in the hierarchical arrangement of the selected attribute tree view that organizes the objects according to the attribute type associated with the attribute tree view;

receiving selection of one attribute instance in the displayed attribute view;

associating the selected attribute instance with the selected object by indicating the selected attribute instance with a metadata record for the selected object, wherein the associated attribute instance for the selected object is accessible in views in which the selected object with which the attribute instance is associated is accessible, and wherein the selection of one of the objects within one of the views enables the user to select attribute instances to associate with the selected object;

receiving, for the object, selection of attribute instances from different attribute tree views for different attribute types;

associating the selected attribute instances for the different attribute types selected from the different attribute tree views with the selected objects;

receiving selection of a folder from a folder tree view for the selected object to associate the selected folder from the folder tree view with the selected object, wherein the selected object may only be included in one folder but be included in multiple views; and

indicating the selected folder in which the selected object is to be included in the metadata record for the selected object.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the folder tree view includes a plurality of folders in a hierarchical arrangement, wherein each folder includes further folders or objects, wherein each attribute view includes a plurality of folders in a hierarchical arrangement, wherein each folder in the attribute tree view includes further folders or attribute instances of the attribute type represented by the attribute tree view.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one attribute tree view comprises a classification tree view displaying instances of classifications that are applied to the objects, wherein selection of one classification instance associates the selected classification instance with the selected object for which the classification instance was selected.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein one attribute tree view comprises a user tree view displaying instances of users, wherein selection of at least one user instance from the user tree view further comprises:

receiving user selection of a level of access the selected user has to the selected object; and

associating the selected user and selected level of access with the selected object.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving user selection of the folder tree view from a user;

determining any folders and objects in the folder tree view that are accessible to the user; and

disabling the selectability of the determined folders and objects to which the user does not have access, wherein the user is not permitted to modify information associated with objects whose selectability is disabled.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying a panel within the attribute tree view having multiple tabs, wherein the panels allow association of different instances of attribute types with the selected object.