An inline tree data structure and one or more auxiliary data structure encode a multitude of data records of a dataset; data fields of the dataset define a tree hierarchy. The inline tree comprises one binary string for each data record that are all the same length, are arranged in an ordered sequence that corresponds to the tree hierarchy, and include an indicator string indicating position in the tree hierarchy of each data record relative to an immediately adjacent data record. A search program is guided through the dataset by interrogating each indicator string in the inline tree data structure so as to reduce unnecessary interrogation of data field values.