Abstract: A computer is programmed with multiple software programs to record structures including (a) unstructured information to denote a transition between portions of code, and (b) metadata related to one or more attributes of the information. In addition, the computer writes two additional types of structures: section type, and dump type. The section type structure has metadata to indicate a beginning and an end, to bracket a group of structures located therebetween. The dump type has a dump header and a dump body. The dump header includes a symbol to indicate it's of dump type. The dump body is a set of values of an object used by the software program(s) during execution by the computer. A group of structures, within a section type, may include structures of each of the trace record type, dump type and section type.

Abstract: Techniques for avoiding lock contention when processing data definition language (DDL) statements are provided. Some DDL statements modify metadata of a table and then require access to the table. After such a DDL statement modifies the metadata of a table and the updated metadata is made available (i.e., published) to other database statements, execution of the DDL statement is suspended. Data manipulation language (DML) statements acquire locks on the table. In one approach, the locks, of any DML statement, that are granted after the DDL statement is issued are timestamped. The DDL statement uses the timestamps to determine when to access the table. The timestamps are used to determine when the last DML statement (that was pending at the time the modified metadata was published) commits and releases its lock on the table.

Abstract: A computer is programmed with multiple software programs to record structures including (a) unstructured information to denote a transition between portions of code, and (b) metadata related to one or more attributes of the information. In addition, the computer writes two additional types of structures: section type, and dump type. The section type structure has metadata to indicate a beginning and an end, to bracket a group of structures located therebetween. The dump type has a dump header and a dump body. The dump header includes a symbol to indicate it's of dump type. The dump body is a set of values of an object used by the software program(s) during execution by the computer. A group of structures, within a section type, may include structures of each of the trace record type, dump type and section type.

Abstract: Techniques for avoiding lock contention when processing data definition language (DDL) statements are provided. Some DDL statements modify metadata of a table and then require access to the table. After such a DDL statement modifies the metadata of a table and the updated metadata is made available (i.e., published) to other database statements, execution of the DDL statement is suspended. Data manipulation language (DML) statements acquire locks on the table. In one approach, the locks, of any DML statement, that are granted after the DDL statement is issued are timestamped. The DDL statement uses the timestamps to determine when to access the table. The timestamps are used to determine when the last DML statement (that was pending at the time the modified metadata was published) commits and releases its lock on the table.