Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for performing an updating of child records associated with a parent record within the specified time period, wherein the parent record has a value including a sum of values present in the associated child records, wherein a row lock on the child records is obtained, and the update is performed, and wherein such an update does not require a row lock on the associated parent record, wherein the parent record is periodically updated within the specified time period.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting access to metadata based on package membership. The system creates at least one customized metadata type for a first software package and assigns a package protected access mode to control access to the at least one customized metadata type by respective components of one or more software packages. The system denies access to the at least one customized metadata type, according to the package protected access mode, by at least one component of a second software package that shares a namespace with the first software package.

Abstract: Described herein is a system and method for performing an updating of child records associated with a parent record within the specified time period, wherein the parent record has a value including a sum of values present in the associated child records, wherein a row lock on the child records is obtained, and the update is performed, and wherein such an update does not require a row lock on the associated parent record, wherein the parent record is periodically updated within the specified time period.

Abstract: A system and method for protecting access to metadata based on package membership. The system creates at least one customized metadata type for a first software package and assigns a package protected access mode to control access to the at least one customized metadata type by respective components of one or more software packages. The system denies access to the at least one customized metadata type, according to the package protected access mode, by at least one component of a second software package that shares a namespace with the first software package.

Abstract: Embodiments regard conditional selection of compound fields of structured objects. An embodiment of a method for conditionally selecting compound fields from structured objects includes: receiving a query at a database system to select a compound field from any structured object that satisfies a condition; determining by the database system whether a structured object stored in a database satisfies the condition; generating automatically by the database system a plurality of accessors that correspond to a plurality of columns in the compound field associated with the structured object in response to a determination that the structured object satisfies the condition; and providing a result of the query, the result including the plurality of accessors.

Abstract: A definition of a custom object specifying a custom format for metadata is received within a database system where creation of the metadata is required to comply with the custom format specified within the custom object with the metadata is associated with the custom object. At least a portion of the metadata refers to another custom metadata object type. The custom object having the definition is stored within the database system. A database record is created utilizing the custom object with reference to the another custom metadata object type. At least one aspect of an application is defined utilizing the database system using the metadata of the record.

Abstract: A definition of a custom object specifying a custom format for metadata is received within a database system where creation of the metadata is required to comply with the custom format specified within the custom object with the metadata is associated with the custom object. At least a portion of the metadata refers to another custom metadata object type. The custom object having the definition is stored within the database system. A database record is created utilizing the custom object with reference to the another custom metadata object type. At least one aspect of an application is defined utilizing the database system using the metadata of the record.

Abstract: Embodiments regard conditional selection of compound fields of structured objects. An embodiment of a method for conditionally selecting compound fields from structured objects includes: receiving a query at a database system to select a compound field from any structured object that satisfies a condition; determining by the database system whether a structured object stored in a database satisfies the condition; generating automatically by the database system a plurality of accessors that correspond to a plurality of columns in the compound field associated with the structured object in response to a determination that the structured object satisfies the condition; and providing a result of the query, the result including the plurality of accessors.