1. A computer storage medium used to store information that can be accessed by a computer and having a data structure stored thereon, the data structure comprising: a first data set containing a plurality of property values representing metadata of an first electronic file; and a second data set within the first electronic file, the second data set containing data for a hierarchical structure organizing the plurality of property values representing metadata of the electronic file, wherein the second data set includes a first flat path string associated with a first property value of the plurality of property values, wherein the first flat path string identifies a first hierarchical path through a first hierarchy to the first property value within the structure of the plurality of property values within the first electronic file and, further, wherein the first hierarchical path is identified within a second hierarchy that is separate from the first hierarchy, and wherein the second hierarchy is referenced to access the first property value associated with the first flat path string identified within the second hierarchy.