Method and mechanism for implementing and accessing virtual database table structures

1. A computer implemented process for accessing a virtual table comprising:

identifying a first data source;

associating a first record within said first data source to a virtual table;

accessing said first record;

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said first record and said second record, said first record populates a row in said virtual table, said second record also populate said row.

2. A computer implemented process for accessing a virtual table comprising:

identifying a data source;

associating a record within said data source to a virtual table, said record comprises a first column and a second column;

accessing said record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said record, both said first column and said second column of said record are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

3. A computer implemented process for accessing a virtual table comprising:

identifying a first data source;

associating a first record within said first data source to a first virtual table;

accessing said first record;

logically populating said first virtual table with said first record;

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to a second virtual table;

accessing said second record;

logically populating said second virtual table with said second record; and

performing a data manipulation operation against both said first virtual table and said second virtual table.

4. The process of claim 3 in which said data manipulation operation comprises a database join operation.

5. A computer program product that includes a tangible storage medium usable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to execute a process for accessing a virtual table, said process comprising:

identifying a first data source;

associating a first record within said first data source to a virtual table;

accessing said first record;

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said first record and said second record, said first record populates a row in said virtual table, said second record also populates said row.

6. A computer program product that includes a tangible storage medium usable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to execute a process for accessing a virtual table, said process comprising:

identifying a data source;

associating a record within said data source to a virtual table, said record comprises a first column and a second column;

accessing said record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said record, both said first column and said second column of said record are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

7. A computer program product that includes a tangible storage medium usable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to execute a process for accessing a virtual table, said process comprising:

identifying a first data source;

associating a first record within said first data source to a first virtual table;

accessing said first record;

logically populating said first virtual table with said first record;

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to a second virtual table;

accessing said second record;

logically populating said second virtual table with said second record; and

performing a data manipulation operation against both said first virtual table and said second virtual table.

8. A computer implemented system for accessing a virtual table comprising:

means for identifying a first data source;

means for associating a first record within said first data source to a virtual table;

means for accessing said first record;

means for identifying a second data source;

means for associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

means for accessing said second record; and

means for logically populating said virtual table with said first record and said second record, said first record populates a row in said virtual table, said second record also populates said row.

9. A computer system for accessing a virtual table comprising:

means for identifying a data source;

means for associating a record within said data source to a virtual table, said record comprises a first column and a second column;

means for accessing said record; and

means for logically populating said virtual table with said record, both said first column and said second column of said record are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

10. A computer implemented system for accessing a virtual table comprising:

means for identifying a first data source;

means for associating a first record within said first data source to a first virtual table;

means for accessing said first record;

means for logically populating said first virtual table with said first record;

means for identifying a second data source;

means for associating a second record within said second data source to a second virtual table;

means for accessing said second record;

means for logically populating said second virtual table with said second record; and

means for performing a data manipulation operation against both said first virtual table and said second virtual table.

11. A computer implemented method for accessing a virtual table comprising:

identifying a data source;

associating a record within said data source to a viral table, wherein said virtual table is not defined with database metadata;

accessing said record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said record.

12. The method of claim 11 in which said record is accessed based upon data description information for said record.

13. The method of claim 11 in which a user-defined function is used to access said virtual table.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said second record.

15. The method of claim 14 in which said record populates a row in said virtual table, said second record also populates said row.

16. The method of claim 11 in which said record comprises a first and a second column, both said first and said second columns are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

17. The method of claim 11 in which a data manipulation operation is performed against said virtual table.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to a second virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said second virtual table with said second record, wherein said data manipulation operation operates against both said virtual table and said second virtual table.

19. A computer program product that includes a tangible storage medium usable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to execute a method for accessing a virtual table, said method comprising:

identifying a data source;

associating a record within said data source to a virtual table, wherein said viral table is not defined with database metadata;

accessing said record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said record.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 in which said record is accessed based upon data description information for said record.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 in which a user-defined function is used to access said virtual table.

22. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said virtual table with said second record.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 in which said record populates a row said virtual table, said second record also populates said row.

24. The computer program product of claim 19 in which said record comprises a first and a second column, both said first and said second columns are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

25. The computer program product of claim 19 in which a data manipulation operation is performed against said virtual table.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 further comprising:

identifying a second data source;

associating a second record within said second data source to a second virtual table;

accessing said second record; and

logically populating said second virtual table with said second record, where said data manipulation operation operates against both said virtual table and said second virtual table.

27. A computer implemented system for accessing a virtual table comprising:

means for identifying a data source;

means for associating a record within said data source to a virtual table, wherein said virtual table is not defined with database metadata;

means for accessing said record; and

means for logically populating said virtual table with said record.

28. The system of claim 27 in which said record is accessed based upon data description information for said record.

29. The system of claim 27 in which a user-defined function is used to access said virtual table.

30. The system of claim 27 further comprising:

means for identifying a second data source;

means for associating a second record within said second data source to said virtual table;

means for accessing said second record; and

means for logically populating said virtual table with said second record.

31. The system of claim 30 in which said record populates a row in said virtual table, said second record also populates said row.

32. The system of claim 27 in which said record comprises a first and a second column, both said first and said second columns are used to populate a single column in said virtual table.

33. The system of claim 27 in which a data manipulation operation is performed against said virtual table.

34. The system of claim 33 further comprising:

means for identifying a second data source;

means for associating a second record with said second data source to a second virtual table;

means for accessing said second record; and

means for logically populating said second virtual table with said second record, wherein said data manipulation operation operates against both said virtual table and said second virtual table.