Appeal No. 1996-0331
Application 08/239,942
feature (a CDL based on a SQL) as it is recited in the claims on appeal.
Representative claim 1 is reproduced below:
1. A method of altering an existing data structure in a database system,
said existing data structure including a plurality of related tables of columns and rows of data values and
further including one or more indexes for said related tables to provide a relational database, said
existing data structure being defined by a catalog data structure including tables of tables and indexes,
said method comprising the steps of:
a) receiving a change indication signal,
1) said change indication signal encoding one or more statements conforming to a
change definition language that is a superset of a SQL structured query
language,
2) said change definition language including a plurality of available statements
for changing at least one of A) a data specification of a column, B) an owner of
a table or an index, and C) a name of a column or an index,
3) said one or more statements specifying one or more requested changes to be
made in the existing data structure;
b) testing whether said one or more requested changes can be made in the existing data
structure; and
c) if said changes can be made in said existing data structure, then making said changes, or else
signaling an error.
The following reference is relied on by the examiner:
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