Abstract: Methods and apparatus for executing a query on dynamic properties of a plurality of objects in a database are provided. In one implementation, the method includes obtaining a query; determining that a first portion of the query comprises a method for accessing a dynamic property of the plurality of objects; obtaining mapping data associated with the dynamic property of the plurality of objects, the mapping data mapping the dynamic property to a pre-determined location in the database; translating the first portion of the query in accordance with the mapping data such that the first portion of the query is executable against a the pre-determined location in the database without creating instances of the plurality of objects; executing the query including executing the translated first portion of the query without creating instances of the plurality of objects; and displaying a result of the executed query to a user.

Abstract: A path expression, comprising a navigation path through a relationship in a schema, in an object oriented query is translated to a relational database outer join by analyzing each path expression defined in each level of the object oriented query, and by identifying each path expression which can be a candidate for a translation to an outer join. The path expressions are ordered starting with path expressions defined in a FROM clause, to which are added each path expression identified as a candidate for a translation to an outer join. These ordered path expressions are input to a select operator for each level of the object oriented query, and the ordered path expressions are grouped sequentially based upon on a source-target dependency between ordered path expressions and based upon the identifications as a candidate for a translation to an outer join.