Method(s) For Updating Database Object Metadata
First Claim
1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a file comprising a description of properties of a first object in a first database, the description being expressed in a text based markup language, the storage medium being further encoded with a patch to an application that uses said first object, the storage medium being further encoded with instructions to compare the description in said file with metadata of a second object in a second database, and to change the second database based on said file to generate a changed second database, depending at least partially on an outcome of said comparing, and to execute the application software as changed by said patch, to use the changed second database.
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Abstract
Two computers are respectively programmed to generate descriptions of database objects (such as tables) in a first database, and compare the generated descriptions to corresponding schema objects in a second database. Objects in the second database are changed to conform to the first database if differences are found during comparison. The just-described differences in objects may arise due to changes being made to a software program that uses data contained in the objects.
110 Citations
7 Claims
- 1. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a file comprising a description of properties of a first object in a first database, the description being expressed in a text based markup language, the storage medium being further encoded with a patch to an application that uses said first object, the storage medium being further encoded with instructions to compare the description in said file with metadata of a second object in a second database, and to change the second database based on said file to generate a changed second database, depending at least partially on an outcome of said comparing, and to execute the application software as changed by said patch, to use the changed second database.
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4. A method for supporting an upgrade of application software, wherein the application software has an interface for accessing a first database in a first computer, the method comprising:
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preparing a plurality of descriptions of a corresponding plurality of data structures of the first database in the first computer; wherein each description in said plurality of descriptions is expressed, by said preparing, in a predetermined markup language; comparing the plurality of descriptions to a second database in a second computer by use of hash codes; and changing the second database in the second computer based on at least one description in said plurality of descriptions, if at least one difference is found by said comparing.
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5. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising instructions to propagate a plurality of changes made to application software that uses a first relational database, the instructions comprising:
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instructions to receive an identification of a first table in the first relational-database; wherein first data in the first table in the first relational database is used in the application software; instructions to check if the first table is a primary object, by using a first data structure comprising a first plurality of predetermined types indicative of primary objects; instructions to extract first metadata describing the first table from a first data dictionary; wherein the first data dictionary is comprised in the first relational database; instructions to use the first metadata to prepare a first description of properties of the first table; instructions to check the first relational database, to see if said first table has associated thereto a first secondary object of any type identified by a second data structure comprising a second plurality of predetermined types indicative of secondary objects; instructions, responsive to finding said first secondary object associated with said first table on execution of said instructions to check the first relational database, to extract from the first data dictionary second metadata describing the first secondary object in the first relational database, and to prepare a second description of properties of the first secondary object. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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Specification