Dynamic database access via standard query language and abstraction technology

1. A computer-implemented method of gathering data from a database, comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from the database, including query constructs of a first query language format and a reference to at least one previously defined abstract query containing logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database;

obtaining the abstract query referenced in the query statement;

generating a query executable against the database, based on the abstract query referenced in the query statement, as modified by the query constructs of the first query language format; wherein generating the query executable against the database comprises generating a new abstract query based on the previously defined abstract query and the query constructs;

and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed query.

2. A computer-implemented method of gathering data from a database, comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from the database, including query constructs of a first query language format and a reference to at least one previously defined abstract query containing logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database;

obtaining the abstract query referenced in the query statement;

generating a query executable against the database, based on the abstract query referenced in the query statement, as modified by the query constructs of the first query language format; wherein generating the query executable against the database comprises:

transforming the previously saved abstract query into a first query executable against the database; and

modifying the first query based on the query constructs; and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed query.

3. A computer-implemented method of gathering data from a database, comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from the database, including query constructs of a first query language format and a reference to at least one previously defined abstract query containing logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database, wherein the first query language is the Structured Query Language (SQL);

obtaining the abstract query referenced in the query statement;

generating a query executable against the database, based on the abstract query referenced in the query statement, as modified by the query constructs of the first query language format; wherein the query constructs comprise at least one UNION construct and the at least one previously saved abstract query comprises at least first and a second previously saved abstract queries; and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed query.

4. A computer-implemented method of gathering data from a database, comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from the database, including query constructs of a first query language format and a reference to at least one previously defined abstract query containing logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database; wherein the logical fields are defined by respective logical field definitions contained in a data abstraction model, each logical field definition being mapped to a respective physical field and containing a reference to an access method configured to retrieve the data from the respective physical field;

obtaining the abstract query referenced in the query statement;

generating a query executable against the database, based on the abstract query referenced in the query statement, as modified by the query constructs of the first query language format; and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed query.

5. A computer-implemented method of gathering data from a database, comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from the database, including query constructs of a first query language format and a reference to at least one previously defined abstract query containing logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database;

obtaining the abstract query referenced in the query statement;

generating a new abstract query based on the previously defined abstract query and the query constructs;

generating an executable query by mapping logical fields of the new abstract query to physical fields of the database;

executing the executable query against the database; and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed executable query.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first query language is one of the Structured Query Language (SQL) and extensible markup language (XML).

7. A computer readable storage medium containing a program for automatically generating physical query statements which, when executed, performs operations comprising:

receiving a query statement configured to request a result set from a database, the query statement including data manipulation logic in a first query language format and a reference to a previously defined abstract query containing data manipulation logic related to logical fields corresponding to physical fields of the database;

merging the data manipulation logic contained in the query statement with the data manipulation logic contained in the previously defined abstract query;

generating a query, executable against the database, based on the merged data manipulation logic; and

receiving query results corresponding to the executed executable query.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise:

providing a user with an interface for generating the query statement, wherein the interface allows the user to specify the previously defined abstract query and specify the data manipulation logic in the first query language.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the first query language format is at least one of the Structured Query Language (SQL) format and the extensible markup language (XML) format.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 , wherein merging the data manipulation logic included in the query statement with the data manipulation logic contained in the saved abstract query comprises:

creating a new abstract query based on the previously defined abstract query and the data manipulation logic included in the query statement.