Abstract: Techniques are provided for changing data for an XML construct in an SQL/XML compliant database management system (DBMS). The DBMS allows instances of XML type to represent XML constructs, such as XML documents, XML elements, XML attributes, and fragments of XML documents. An SQL statement is received that includes an XML operator that operates on a particular component in an instance of XML type. During execution of the SQL statement, the XML operator is evaluated by modifying content for the component without modifying the entire instance. For example, an XML delete operator deletes the particular component from the instance. Other XML operators include an insert operator, an insert-before operator, an append-child operator, and an update operator. During execution, these operators may be rewritten to operate on existing SQL constructs, or evaluated by updating only some of the existing SQL constructs, or both.

Abstract: Described is a hierarchical index that captures the hierarchical relationship of a hierarchy emulated by a relational database system. The hierarchical index is implemented, using a database table which contains rows that serve as entries of the hierarchical index. Another table has rows that are associated with nodes in the hierarchy. Each entry in the hierarchal index maps to a row that corresponds to a node in the hierarchy. A node in the hierarchy may be a parent node with one or more child nodes. In this case, the corresponding entry in the hierarchical index contains identifiers which identify other entries in the index, where the other entries correspond to rows associated with child nodes of the parent node.

Abstract: Techniques for transferring a serialized image of data for an XML construct includes selecting a first format from multiple different XML serialization formats that represent, in a database system, data for XML constructs as a series of data units, such as a series of bytes representing characters, or a series of bits, bytes or octets representing binary values. A message is generated that includes a payload and a payload type field. The payload includes particular serialized data that represents particular data for a particular XML construct in the first format. The type field includes data that indicates the first format. The message is sent from a sending component of the database system to a different receiving component of the database system. These techniques allow the format selection to be based on characteristics of the sending or receiving components to make better use of the resources available to the two components.

Abstract: Various techniques are provided for facilitating the management of hierarchical data within a relational database system. One such technique involves separating the storage structures used to store data that captures the information about the hierarchy (the “hierarchy structures”), from the storage structures used to store the content of the resources that belong to the hierarchy (the “content structures”). Techniques are also provided for allowing users to customize the metadata attributes associated with resources that belong to the information hierarchy. One technique involves registering XML schemas that specify the metadata attributes desired by a user. Another technique involves storing attributes that do not correspond to any declared field in a “catch-all” column within the resource table. Techniques are provided for determining how to store resources as they are added to the database. According to one technique, the database server searches the data of the resource to find content-type information.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for changing data for an XML construct in an SQL/XML compliant database management system (DBMS). The DBMS allows instances of XML type to represent XML constructs, such as XML documents, XML elements, XML attributes, and fragments of XML documents. An SQL statement is received that includes an XML operator that operates on a particular component in an instance of XML type. During execution of the SQL statement, the XML operator is evaluated by modifying content for the component without modifying the entire instance. For example, an XML delete operator deletes the particular component from the instance. Other XML operators include an insert operator, an insert-before operator, an append-child operator, and an update operator. During execution, these operators may be rewritten to operate on existing SQL constructs, or evaluated by updating only some of the existing SQL constructs, or both.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for changing data for an XML construct in an SQL/XML compliant database management system (DBMS). The DBMS allows instances of XML type to represent XML constructs, such as XML documents, XML elements, XML attributes, and fragments of XML documents. An SQL statement is received that includes an XML operator that operates on a particular component in an instance of XML type. During execution of the SQL statement, the XML operator is evaluated by modifying content for the component without modifying the entire instance. For example, an XML delete operator deletes the particular component from the instance. Other XML operators include an insert operator, an insert-before operator, an append-child operator, and an update operator. During execution, these operators may be rewritten to operate on existing SQL constructs, or evaluated by updating only some of the existing SQL constructs, or both.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for changing data for an XML construct in an SQL/XML compliant database management system (DBMS). The DBMS allows instances of XML type to represent XML constructs, such as XML documents, XML elements, XML attributes, and fragments of XML documents. An SQL statement is received that includes an XML operator that operates on a particular component in an instance of XML type. During execution of the SQL statement, the XML operator is evaluated by modifying content for the component without modifying the entire instance. For example, an XML delete operator deletes the particular component from the instance. Other XML operators include an insert operator, an insert-before operator, an append-child operator, and an update operator. During execution, these operators may be rewritten to operate on existing SQL constructs, or evaluated by updating only some of the existing SQL constructs, or both.

Abstract: Techniques for transferring a serialized image of data for an XML construct includes selecting a first format from multiple different XML serialization formats that represent, in a database system, data for XML constructs as a series of data units, such as a series of bytes representing characters, or a series of bits, bytes or octets representing binary values. A message is generated that includes a payload and a payload type field. The payload includes particular serialized data that represents particular data for a particular XML construct in the first format. The type field includes data that indicates the first format. The message is sent from a sending component of the database system to a different receiving component of the database system. These techniques allow the format selection to be based on characteristics of the sending or receiving components to make better use of the resources available to the two components.

Abstract: Described is a hierarchical index that captures the hierarchical relationship of a hierarchy emulated by a relational database system. The hierarchical index is implemented, using a database table which contains rows that serve as entries of the hierarchical index. Another table has rows that are associated with nodes in the hierarchy. Each entry in the hierarchal index maps to a row that corresponds to a node in the hierarchy. A node in the hierarchy may be a parent node with one or more child nodes. In this case, the corresponding entry in the hierarchical index contains identifiers which identify other entries in the index, where the other entries correspond to rows associated with child nodes of the parent node.