System and method for viewing relational data using a hierarchical schema

1. A computer-implemented method for mapping hierarchical data from a relational table comprising:

providing a schema for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

identifying from the schema a node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a column in the relational table;

determining that an element of the data elements in the schema is associated with an indicator that specifies the element as a hidden element;

copying data from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure, wherein the copied data excludes the hidden element; and

storing the hierarchical data structure that includes the copied data in a computer-readable storage medium.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.

6. A system for mapping hierarchical data from a relational table comprising:

a schema for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

processing means for identifying from the schema a node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a column in the relational table;

processing means for determining that an element of the data elements in the schema is associated with an indicator that specifies the element as a hidden element;

processing means for copying data from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure, wherein the copied data excludes the hidden element; and

processing means for storing the hierarchical data structure that includes the copied data in a computer-readable storage medium.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

8. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

9. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

10. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.

11. A computer-implemented method for mapping hierarchical data from a relational table comprising:

providing a schema for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

identifying from the schema a node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a column in the relational table; and

copying a predefined number of data values from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure wherein the predefined number of data values are from the same column of the relational table and each data value has a child relationship with another one of the data values and wherein the predefined number is determined from the schema.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.

16. A system for mapping hierarchical data from a relational table comprising:

a schema stored in a memory for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

processing means coupled to said memory for identifying from the schema a node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a column in the relational table; and

processing means for copying a predefined number of data values from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure wherein the predefined number of data values are from the same column of the relational table and each data value has a child relationship with another one of the data value and wherein the predefined number is determined from the schema.

17. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

18. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

19. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

20. The system as recited in claim 16 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.

21. A computer-implemented method for inserting hierarchical data into a relational table, comprising:

providing a schema for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

inserting data from the hierarchical data structure into a row of the relational table in a relational database; and

generating an identification number and inserting the identification number into a field in the row of the relational table when the schema provides an annotation indicative of the insertion of an identification number.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

23. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

24. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

25. A system for inserting hierarchical data into a relational table, comprising:

a schema stored in a memory for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

processing means coupled to said memory for inserting data from the hierarchical data structure into a row of a relational table in a relational database; and

processing means for generating an identification number and inserting the identification number into a field in the row of the relational table when the schema provides an annotation indicative of the insertion of an identification number.

26. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

27. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

28. The system as recited in claim 25 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

29. A computer-implemented method for mapping hierarchical data from a first relational table comprising:

providing a schema for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

identifying from the schema a first node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a first column in the relational table; and

copying a first data value from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure wherein the first data value is selected from the relational table in a sort order specified by the schema.

30. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

31. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

32. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

33. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.

34. A system for mapping hierarchical data from a relational table comprising:

a schema stored in a memory for a hierarchical data structure wherein the schema defines a hierarchical relationship of data elements;

processing means coupled to said memory for identifying from the schema a node within the hierarchical data structure corresponding to a column in the relational table; and

processing means for copying a data value from the relational table to the hierarchical data structure wherein the first data value is selected from the relational table in a sort order specified by the schema.

35. The system as recited in claim 34 wherein the hierarchical data structure comprises an extensible markup language (XML) document.

36. The system as recited in claim 34 wherein the relational table comprises a table in a structured query language (SQL) database.

37. The system as recited in claim 34 wherein the schema comprises an XML schema definition (XSD).

38. The system as recited in claim 34 wherein the copying act is performed in response to an XPath query.