Method and system for reconstruction of object model data in a relational database

1. A computer implemented method for creating a table populated with information derived from an object oriented program environment, comprising:

storing data structures in a relational database managed by a relational database management system, the data structures containing data related to entities and entity relationships in the object oriented program environment;

storing a lookup table within the relational database; and

populating the lookup table within the relational database with metadata of the entity relationships, wherein the metadata includes descriptions of hierarchical relationships between the entities in the entity relationships.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising providing an interface to submit queries to the relational database management system, wherein the queries pertain to the entities and entity relationships.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

querying the lookup table based on a first set of user provided selections of at least one entity type and entity value; and

providing a first set of query results based on the first set of user selections.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

querying the entity relationship data based on a second set of user provided selections, wherein the selections are chosen from the first set of query results; and

providing a second set of query results based on the second set of user selections.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data structures residing in the relational database are organized in database schemas and are selected from one of: tables, indexes and views.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the data related to entities and entity relationships reside in two or more database schemas.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises including an entry for each of the plurality of entity relationships, each entry containing a parent ID string representing a parent node of an entity relationship, a child ID string representing a child node of an entity relationship, and a tree ID string representing a root node of an hierarchy that contains the entity relationship.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises creating records corresponding to all relationships a particular entity is a part of.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the lookup table comprises columns which contain data values that represent a parent node, child node and root node, respectively.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

querying the lookup table and the data structures via a query building application that logically represents physical data structures in the relational database according to a data abstraction model.

11. A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation for creating a table populated with information derived from an object oriented program environment, the operation comprising:

storing data structures in a relational database managed by a relational database management system, the data structures containing data related to entities and entity relationships in the object oriented program environment;

storing a lookup table within the relational database; and

populating the lookup table within the relational database with metadata of the entity relationships, wherein the metadata includes descriptions of hierarchical relationships between the entities in the entity relationships.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein when executed further provides an interface to submit queries to the relational database management system, wherein the queries pertain to the entities and entity relationships.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the executable code of the database management system includes a query engine which, when executed by the processor, is configured to:

query the lookup table based on a first set of user provided selections of at least one entity type and entity value; and

provide a first set of query results based on the first set of user selections.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the query engine which, when executed by the processor, is further configured to:

query the entity relationship data based on a second set of user provided selections, wherein the selections are chosen from the first set of query results; and

provide a second set of query results based on the second set of user selections.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the data structures residing in the relational database are organized in database schemas and are selected from one of: tables, indexes and views.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the data related to entities and entity relationships reside in two or more database schemas.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises including an entry for each of the plurality of entity relationships, each entry containing a parent ID string representing a parent node of an entity relationship, a child ID string representing a child node of an entity relationship, and a tree ID string representing a root node of an hierarchy that contains the entity relationship.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises creating records corresponding to all relationships a particular entity is a part of.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the lookup table comprises columns which contain data values that represent a parent node, child node and root node, respectively.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein when executed, further queries the lookup table and the data structures via a query building application that utilizes a data abstraction model for logically representing physical data structures in the relational database.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a relational database managed by a relational database management system, the relational database storing:

data structures containing data related to entities and entity relationships in the object oriented program environment; and

a lookup table; and

the database management system having executable code which, when executed by the processor, performs an operation comprising:

populating the lookup table within the relational database with metadata of the entity relationships, wherein the metadata includes descriptions of hierarchical relationships between the entities in the entity relationships.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising an interface to submit queries to the relational database management system, wherein the queries pertain to the entities and entity relationships.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the executable code of the database management system includes a query engine which, when executed by the processor, is configured to:

query the lookup table based on a first set of user provided selections of at least one entity type and entity value; and

provide a first set of query results based on the first set of user selections.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the query engine which, when executed by the processor, is further configured to:

query the entity relationship data based on a second set of user provided selections, wherein the selections are chosen from the first set of query results; and

provide a second set of query results based on the second set of user selections.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the data structures residing in the relational database are organized in database schemas and are selected from one of: tables, indexes and views.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the data related to entities and entity relationships reside in two or more database schemas.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises including an entry for each of the plurality of entity relationships, each entry containing a parent ID string representing a parent node of an entity relationship, a child ID string representing a child node of an entity relationship, and a tree ID string representing a root node of an hierarchy that contains the entity relationship.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein populating the lookup table comprises creating records corresponding to all relationships a particular entity is a part of.

29. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the lookup table comprises columns which contain data values that represent a parent node, child node and root node, respectively.

30. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the query engine which, when executed by the processor, is further configured to query the lookup table and the data structures via a query building application that utilizes a data abstraction model for logically representing physical data structures in the relational database.