Method and system for dynamically modifying database metadata and structures

• US 10,089,333 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sesame Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Richard Banister, William Dubberley
• Inventors: Banister, Richard, Dubberley, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US14/806,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20170024420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases

Abstract

A system and method enable the selection of database records for editing and writing. A database record is queried for the size of the data fields contained therein. The size of the data field is compared to the field width limitation of a storage database. When it is determined that the data field displays a size greater than the size of the field width limitation of the storage database, a computing device extends the size of the limitation to accommodate the new database record data field. When the size of the limitation is expanded, the new database record is written to the storage database. The system and method may optionally include the input of a user at the final steps, wherein the user may optionally approve or disapprove the extension of the size of the field width limitation.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for modifying a database structure in a computer, the computer having a processor coupled with a memory and adapted to enable a database management software, the method comprising:

a. Structuring a database table having at least one data field having a data field width allocation;

b. Receiving a data record having at least one data field that exceeds the a corresponding data field width allocation;

c. Attempting to insert or update the data record into the database;

d. Detecting a DBMS error message indicating that at least one data field exceeds a data field allocation width;

e. Comparing each data field content of the data record with a corresponding data field width allocation as described by metadata of the database;

f. Determining a new metadata data field width allocation, the new metadata data field width allocation greater or equal to a width sufficient to store the corresponding data field content of the data record;

g. Adjusting the metadata data field width allocation to the new metadata data field width allocation; and

h. Inserting or updating the data record into the database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is a relational database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the newly input data base record is a relational database record.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the data field is expressed as a column of the relational database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is an object oriented data base.

6. A computer implemented method for modifying a database structure in a computer, the computer having a processor coupled with a memory and adapted to enable a database management software, the method comprising:

a. Structuring a data base having at least one data field having a metadata width allocation;

b. Receiving a data assigned to the at least one data field that exceeds the metadata width allocation;

c. Determining a new metadata width allocation, the new metadata width allocation equal to a memory size sufficient to store the data;

d. Informing a user that the data exceeds the metadata width allocation of the data field; and

e. Increasing the metadata width allocation to the new width allocation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the database is a relational database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the newly input data base record is a relational database record.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the data field is expressed as a column of the relational database.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the database is an object oriented data base.

11. A computer comprising:

a. a memory;

b. a processor coupled with the memory, the processor and memory adapted to enable a database management software, wherein the memory is configured to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the computer to;

i. Structure a database having at least one data field having a metadata width allocation;

ii. Receive a data assigned to the at least one data field that exceeds the metadata width allocation;

iii. Determine a new metadata width allocation, the new metadata width allocation equal to a memory size sufficient to store the data; and

iv. Increase the metadata width allocation to the new width allocation.

12. The computer of claim 11 further comprising:

g. an output module and an output module communicatively coupled with the processor, and wherein the instructions further direct the computer to;

v. inform a user that the new data exceeds the metadata width value allocation of the data field; and

vi. receive and execute an instruction to increase the metadata data field width value allocation to the new width data field value allocation.

13. A computer implemented method for modifying a database structure in a computer, the computer having a processor coupled with a memory and adapted to enable a database management software, the method comprising:

a. Structuring a database table having at least one data field having a data field width allocation as maintained in a metadata;

b. Receiving a data record having at least one data field having a content that exceeds a corresponding data field width allocation of the metadata;

c. Determining a new metadata data field width allocation, the new metadata data field width allocation greater or equal to a width sufficient to fully store the content of the at least one data field of the data record;

d. Adjusting the corresponding metadata data field width allocation to the new metadata data field width allocation; and

e. Inserting or updating the data record into the database.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

a. Attempting to insert or update the data record into the database prior to determining that the corresponding data field width allocation of the metadata is insufficient to fully store the content of the at least one data field of the data record;

b. Detecting a DBMS error message indicating that the at least one data field exceeds the corresponding data field allocation width;

c. Proceeding on to determining a new metadata data field width allocation, the new metadata data field width allocation greater or equal to a width sufficient to fully store the content of the at least one data field of the data record;

d. Adjusting the corresponding metadata data field width allocation to the new metadata data field width allocation; and

e. Inserting or updating the data record into the database.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

a. Attempting to insert or update the data record into the database prior to determining that an additional corresponding data field width allocation of the metadata is insufficient to fully store the content of an additional data field of the data record;

b. Detecting a DBMS error message indicating that the additional data field exceeds the additional corresponding data field allocation width;

c. Proceeding on to determining an alternate metadata data field width allocation, the alternate metadata data field width allocation greater or equal to a width sufficient to fully store the content of the additional data field of the data record;

d. Adjusting the corresponding additional metadata data field width allocation to the alternate metadata data field width allocation; and

e. Inserting or updating the data record into the database.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

a. Attempting to insert or update the data record into the database prior to determining that a plurality of corresponding data field width allocations of the metadata are each insufficient to fully store a plurality of separate content of each of a plurality of corresponding data fields of the data record;

b. Detecting a succession of DBMS error messages indicating that the additional data field exceeds the additional corresponding data field allocation width;

c. Proceeding on to determining a series of alternate metadata data field width allocations, with each metadata data field width allocation of the series of alternate metadata data field width allocations greater or equal to a width sufficient to fully store the content of a selected data field of the plurality of corresponding data fields of the data record;

d. Sequentially adjusting the corresponding additional metadata data field width allocations to each of the series of the alternate metadata data field width allocations; and

e. Inserting or updating the data record into the database.