One embodiment of the invention includes an architecture for extending the data requesting and data viewing capabilities of a database system. Data from the database is requested and viewed using a plan. The plan defines the steps to perform to request and view the data. The extensible architecture allows for the relatively easy addition of new steps for use in the database retrieval and viewing system. In one system, each step includes executable code for accessing, manipulating and/or outputting data. Each step conforms to a predefined interface that allows the step to be used in a plan, manipulate data received from another step (if necessary), and output data to another step (if necessary). By generating steps that conform to the predefined interface, developers can extend the functionality of the data retrieval and viewing application. In one embodiment, the interface defines the type of step, the number of inputs and outputs to the steps, the type of record accessing characteristics are best used by the step, and whether the step uses the original records or copies of the records. Importantly, the interface does not need to define the actual data manipulation performed by the step. Therefore, the step's internal operations are independent of the operations performed by the application. This separation allows developers to generate powerful steps without having to modify the application to support the new steps.

The invention comprises a method and system for managing computer database connections. In accordance with the method of the invention, a database operation request is received for a first database. The first database comprises a first database type and the first database operation request comprises at least a portion of a first transaction A pool of interface objects is maintained, each interface object comprising an interface to a database of the first database type. Interface object status information is maintained, either by the interface object itself or externally, indicating whether or not the interface object is connected to the first database and whether or not the interface object is currently being used for a transaction. If a first interface object is connected to the first database and is assigned to the first transaction, then the first database operation request is processed using that first interface object. If no interface object is both connected to the first database and assigned to the first transaction and if a second interface object is connected to the first database but not currently being used for a transaction, then the second interface object may be assigned to the first transaction, the interface object status for the second interface object updated, and the first database operation request processed using the second interface object.

A system and computer-implemented methods for accessing and storing information embedded in a column of a database row, especially useful for complex data, that is, data which is logically multi-valued or hierarchical. Embedded data is not stored in a separate table but is stored directly in a complex column comprising embedded data a subtables. A row of data is physically stored in a tagged, variable-length object-relational format, which allows the data to be stored as atomic data values or embedded as collections of data values, data structures, or collections of data structures. The structures can have further levels of embedding, i.e. more collections and/or structures. Embedded data may further include typed data embedded in multiple tables and columns. The query language for accessing the data includes a series of extensions that provide additional access paths to the data. Searches can access data within tables and sub-tables, and can access data by user defined type (UDT) in a single table or across multiple tables.

Providing economical interconnectivity between application programs and database content is obviated by the described database management system interface. The system of the invention includes at least one database server that serves disparate database clients through an object-oriented interface. This object-oriented interface has classes including a database access class and methods within the database access class to implement the interface, define other methods, and create and manage database connections. There is at least one object within the database access class that retrieves database properties, and creates an object from the contained properties needed to establish a connection to the database. The class also contains a connection manager method to instantiate the interface, create a connection to the database, and thereafter call methods within the database access class to access database content, execute database queries on the database content, and disconnect from database content.

A computer program product is provided as a session search system and associated method that provide a novel type of query referred to as "session query". In the context of a session query, a user issues a search query using, for example, a web-based form. This query is processed immediately by the search engine, yielding search result elements that are returned within the new context of a "dynamic search result set". As long as the user is reviewing the "dynamic search result set" of the session query, the search result is updated automatically in almost real-time, when new information arrives. When the user is no longer interested in continuing the search, the session query is terminated. The session search system generally includes two modules: A client module that presents the "dynamic search result set" to the user, and a server module that manages the current set of active session queries. The client module implements an executable code in the user's web browser.