Abstract: A method and system for persisting an object in a relational database schema by creating a new relational table at application program run-time for each class of objects to be persisted. The method may generate a schema map object for each class of objects to be persisted. The schema map object may be generated in response to the first transaction in which an object of a certain class is to be persisted and remains in memory for persisting, querying, restoring or deleting objects of that class. The schema map object determines the fields of each class of objects to be persisted, defines one or more columns in the table in accordance with the data types of the fields, and controls the passing of data between the table and the object fields.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an object and an associated handle between the object-oriented schema of an application program and the relational schema of a database in which the object is persisted. The handle is reconstructed in response to a run-time request by an application program to instantiate the object. The handle may be an independent handle or an embedded handle. The relationships afforded by primary keys and foreign keys in a legacy, i.e., existing, relational database, can be preserved by mapping them to the independent and embedded handles, respectively. The mapping is performed prior to application program run-time, and is defined in a high-level schema mapping language, which may be generated with the aid of a schema mapping software tool.