Abstract: A platform (referred to herein as Extensible Application Platform, or XAP) for developing extensible business applications. In one set of embodiments, XAP can include an Extensible Markup Language (XML) based application model that is designed to support a high degree of application extensibility. For example, the XAP application model can support declarative definition of application semantics, separation of application data and metadata, and a flexible type system that allows constraints and calculations (e.g., XQuery constraints and calculations) for a data object instance (e.g., an XML document) to change over time. In certain embodiments, the XAP application model can be implemented via a server-side database/application engine that is configured to interoperate with a spreadsheet-like, client-side user interface. Using the spreadsheet-like UI, a non-programmer can build, customize, and run an application workflow that operates on top of a shared database like a traditional business application.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for performing OID-to-VMA translations during runtime. Vector registers are used to implement a “software TLB” to perform OID-to-VMA translations. Runtime dereferencing is performed using one or more vector registers to compare each OID that needs to be dereferenced against a set of cached OIDs. When a cached OID matches the OID being dereferenced, the VMA of the cached OID is retrieved from cache. Buffer cache items may be pinned during the period in which the software TLB stores entries for the items. The cache of OID translation information may be single or multi-leveled, and may be partially or completely stored in registers within a processor. When stored in registers, the translation information may be spilled out of the register, and reloaded into the register, as the register is needed for other purposes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing relationships between resources stored in a repository is provided. A client sends, to a server, a request to store a first resource within a repository. In response to receiving the request, the server parses the first resource to retrieve relationship data that identifies a relationship between two or more resources to be stored, or currently stored, within the repository. The server stores, within a database accessible to the server, one or more relationship records that identify the relationship between the two or more resources. The one or more relationship records are stored separate from the two or more resources. Subsequently, the client may issue queries, to the server, about the one or more relationships records stored in the database. In this way, a user may access the one or more relationship records to analyze the relationship between resources stored in repository.

Abstract: A compact binary encoding technique for information that is logically hierarchically structured, such as XML data, maintains all of the features of XML data in a useable form, such as the hierarchical structure underlying the data. Hence, data encoded in this format can undergo XML-based processing on-the-fly as it is being received or fetched, as if the data was being processed linearly in its textual character-based format. Processing of data encoded in this format can begin without having to wait for and decode the entire data set. The overhead due to XML tags is significantly minimized. The encoded data can be processed more efficiently because the data is pre-parsed. Values may be stored in their native type formats and, therefore, processing of the encoded data avoids costly type conversions. Further, any available structural constraint information can be effectively exploited.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for managing file versions. In one technique, versions of directories are created responsive to creation of versions of files descendant from the directories. Directory versions are associated with times. Interfile links are maintained so file versions descendant from a directory version reflect the directory version's time. In another technique, a mechanism is provided for tagging file versions that shouldn't be overwritten. Responsive to a first file version's update, it is determined whether that version is tagged. If so, a second version is stored while retaining the first version. Otherwise, the first version is deleted responsive to the second version's storage. In another technique, responsive to a first file version's change, it is determined whether first criteria are satisfied. If so, a second version is created while retaining the first version, and versions of the file's ancestor files that satisfy second criteria are created.

Abstract: A method, mechanism, and computer program product for storing, accessing, and managing XML data is disclosed. The approach supports efficient evaluation of XPath queries and also improves the performance of data/fragment extraction. The approach can be applied to schema-less documents. The approach is applicable to all database systems and other servers which support storing and managing XML content. In addition, the approach can be applied to store, manage, and retrieve other types of unstructured or semi-structured data in a database system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an action in response to a file system event is provided. According to one aspect, sets of “event listeners” are associated with a file hierarchy and/or the nodes thereof. Each event listener contains a set of “event handlers.” Each event handler corresponds to a separate type of event that may occur relative to the file hierarchy's nodes. When an event is going to occur relative to the hierarchy or a node thereof, all event listeners that are associated with that hierarchy/node are inspected to determine whether those event listeners contain any event handlers that correspond to the event's type. Those event handlers that correspond to the event's type are placed in an ordered list of event handlers to be invoked. As the event handlers in the list are invoked, programmatic mechanisms that correspond to those event handlers are executed to perform customized user-specified actions.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with providing an XML-based translation service are described. One method embodiment includes accessing a translation-aware XML document that may comply with a translation-enabling XML schema. The document may store a first XML element that stores translatable data and a second XML element that stores a translation of the translatable data. The schema may describe that the first XML element includes a first identifier that identifies the first element as storing translatable data. The schema may also describe that the second XML element includes a second identifier that identifies the second element as storing a translation for translatable data. The method may also include establishing a session language identifier and providing a virtual view of the translation-aware XML document, the virtual view being determined, at least in part, by the session language identifier.

Abstract: Business logic is integrated within a repository through the use of “resource configurations.” A resource configuration is a unit of business logic that is supplied by a user to the repository and associated with a particular directory and/or a resource. Each resource configuration contains one or more configuration items that each defines and/or expresses one or more business rules for managing a resource associated with the resource configuration.

Abstract: A method and storage media for performing access resolution using ACL types is provided. Under an AND semantic, an intersection set formed from the types of multiple ACLs protecting a resource may be utilized to efficiently determine whether a request for a privilege to access the resource is granted or denied. If the privilege is not a member of the intersection set, the privilege cannot be granted. A union set may be used for an OR semantic. A global ACL type may represent all privileges system-wide or application-wide. A global ACL may represent a system-wide or application-wide access policy. A conjunction of a global ACL and a regular ACL may be stored in a cache. The union set, intersection set, or access resolution may also be cached for subsequent request processing.

Abstract: Queries that request fields that are contained in the same XML fragments are written to execute them more efficiently.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for accessing data stored in a database. According to one technique, an application makes one or more calls to an operating system to access a file. The operating system includes routines that implement an operating system file system. The one or more calls are made to the routines that implement the operating system file system. In response to the one or more calls, one or more database commands are issued to a database server that manages the database. The database server executes the database commands to retrieve the data from the database. The file is generated from the data, and provided to the application.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for extracting a valid, self-contained fragment for a node in a XML document stored in a database management system. An XML index is used to identify a location in which XML fragment data corresponding to the node is located. Ancestors of the node are identified and examined for any information needed for the proper interpretation of the fragment. If an ancestor node contains such needed information, this information is patched into the XML fragment to ensure that the fragment is a valid, self-contained XML fragment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for streaming validation of XML documents is provided. A particular event of a series of events is received. The series of events is generated as an XML document is parsed by a parser, and the received particular event indicates that the parser has encountered a particular part of the XML document. The particular part of the XML document indicated by the particular event is then received. A current validation state for the XML document is determined. The current validation state, which is one of a plurality of validation states for the XML document, indicates a validation type associated with the particular part of the XML document. Based on at least the current validation state, the particular part of the XML document is validated against an XML schema that defines the structure of the XML document.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an action in response to a file system event is provided. According to one aspect, sets of “event listeners” are associated with a file hierarchy and/or the nodes thereof. Each event listener contains a set of “event handlers.” Each event handler corresponds to a separate type of event that may occur relative to the file hierarchy's nodes. When an event is going to occur relative to the hierarchy or a node thereof, all event listeners that are associated with that hierarchy/node are inspected to determine whether those event listeners contain any event handlers that correspond to the event's type. Those event handlers that correspond to the event's type are placed in an ordered list of event handlers to be invoked. As the event handlers in the list are invoked, programmatic mechanisms that correspond to those event handlers are executed to perform customized user-specified actions.

Abstract: Cost-based optimizer functionality for an XML database repository provides means for optimizing the execution of database queries that access XML resources in the database repository. Statistics about XML resources that are stored in the database repository are gathered, stored and utilized by a query optimizer to compute computational costs associated with each of multiple methods of accessing particular XML resources requested in a database query. Hence, the optimizer is able to select the most efficient query execution plan based on the costs of possible access paths. In one embodiment, specific statistics about the hierarchical structure of XML resources stored in the XML database repository are gathered, stored in a relational table in the database management system, and used to compute the selectivity of query predicates and the index cost associated with traversing one or more indexes to access requested XML resources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an action in response to a file system event is provided. According to one aspect, sets of “event listeners” are associated with a file hierarchy and/or the nodes thereof. Each event listener contains a set of “event handlers.” Each event handler corresponds to a separate type of event that may occur relative to the file hierarchy's nodes. When an event is going to occur relative to the hierarchy or a node thereof, all event listeners that are associated with that hierarchy/node are inspected to determine whether those event listeners contain any event handlers that correspond to the event's type. Those event handlers that correspond to the event's type are placed in an ordered list of event handlers to be invoked. As the event handlers in the list are invoked, programmatic mechanisms that correspond to those event handlers are executed to perform customized user-specified actions.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for maintaining an XML index in response to piece-wise modifications on indexed XML documents. The database server that manages the XML index determines which nodes are involved in the piece-wise modifications, and updates the XML index based on only those nodes. Index entries for nodes not involved in the piece-wise modifications remain unchanged.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for indexing XML documents using path subsetting. According to one embodiment, a PATH table created for storing one row for each indexed node of the XML documents using user-defined criteria. The user-defined criteria are used to determine which nodes of XML documents to included in The PATH TABLE. The PATH table row for a node includes (1) information for locating the XML document that contains the node, (2) information that identifies the path of the node, and (3) information that identifies the position of the node within the hierarchical structure of the XML document that contains the node. Use of the user defined criteria is transparent to any query improves DML indexes overhead costs.

Abstract: An application platform examines, at runtime, various specified aspects of an application environment in which an application interacts with a user. Such examinations are made to determine a state for each of the various specified aspects. Further, the platform automatically activates particular application environment roles for the user depending on the result of the examinations. For example, an application environment role may be activated representing a particular detected mode of communication (e.g., encrypted network communications) or a particular detected manner of authentication (e.g., password authentication). Such activations are based on the detected states and specified states for the various specified aspects of the application environment. Such activations may occur in the context of an application attempting to perform an operation on an access controlled object on behalf of a user.