This invention allows a user to play back desired information even in the form of an icon indicating a file, check the contents of the file, and open the file. The invention stores, in a search attribute file written in a structured format, location information indicating the location of a management target file, search item information used for searching, icon image for brief display created from the target file, and brief playback information for brief playback of a desired portion in the target file. When search key is input, a search attribute file matching the key is searched so that the attribute file is displayed as an icon based on icon image in the file. When right-clicking a desired icon, brief playback information in the attribute file is played back. When left-clicking the icon, the target file is opened according to location information in the attribute file.