SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR EXTENDING A MASTER-DETAIL RELATIONSHIP

• US 20110238705A1
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Gary John, Agrawal, Sonali, Woollen, Rob
• Application Number:
  US13/072,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for extending a master-detail relationship between objects. These mechanisms and methods for extending a master-detail relationship between objects can enable enhanced data usage, increased efficiency, improved user interaction, etc.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for extending a master-detail relationship between objects, the method comprising:

identifying a first and a second object within a system;

defining a master-detail relationship between the first and second objects at a first level;

identifying a third object within the system; and

extending the master-detail relationship from the first and second objects to the third object at a second level.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the object includes a record of the system.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first and second objects include objects of an organization of the system.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the system includes a multi-tenant on-demand database system.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the master-detail relationship is defined by a user.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein defining the master-detail relationship includes connecting the first object to the second object such that the second object inherits one or more characteristics from the first object.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the second object inherits one or more of access rules, ownership, sharing, and summary fields from the first object.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first object includes a master object, and the second object includes a detail object.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the third object includes a subdetail object.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein extending the master-detail relationship includes connecting the third object to the second object such that the third object inherits one or more characteristics from the first and second objects,

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that a foreign key to the first object is a required field to the second object and the third object.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that deleting the first object results in a cascade deletion of the second object and the third object.

13. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that sharing access to the second and third objects is enabled by sharing access to the first object.

14. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the master-detail relationship is extended from the first and second objects to the third object utilizing recursive code.

15. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the master-detail relationship is extended from the first, second, and third objects to additional objects at additional levels.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the number of additional objects and levels is limited based on a monetary amount paid to a system provider by an organization.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the master-detail relationship includes a parent-child relationship.

18. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the object is a standard object or a custom object.

19. A method, comprising;

identifying a first and a second object within a system;

defining a master-detail relationship between the first and second objects at a first level, utilizing a processor;

identifying a third object within the system; and

extending the master-detail relationship from the first and second objects to the third object at a second level.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor for;

identifying a first and a second object within a system;

defining a master-detail relationship between the first and second objects at a first level;

identifying a third object within the system; and

extending the master-detail relationship from the first and second objects to the third object at a second level.

21. A method for transmitting code for use multi-tenant database system on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code for identifying a first and a second object within a system;

transmitting code for defining a master-detail relationship between the first and second objects at a first level, utilizing a processor;

transmitting code for identifying a third object within the system; and

transmitting code for extending the master-detail relationship from the first and second objects to the third object at a second level.