SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR APPLYING USER SUPPLIED RELATION DEFINITIONS TO APPLICATION FILES FOR A RELATIONAL DATABASE

Disclosed is a system and method for applying structured query language on user application files not conforming to the definition of a base relation of a relational database management system. A relational database management system has a runtime supervisor and a data manager. For the use of the data manager a plurality of library procedures generalized for manipulation of user application files are provided installed with the database management system. Responsive to user selection, a class for user application files is defined by naming members of a set of the library procedures for use with member application files of the class and by naming the class. Further responsive to user selection, column definitions on an application file within the class are made to create a user defined table. The user defined table corresponds to a specified user application file and to the definition. To create a class of user application files, a class control block is created in which the members of the set of library procedures are named for the class. For the user defined table, a user defined table control block is created in which the column definitions are stored. Both control blocks are accessible to the runtime supervisor for use with an access plan generated from SQL statements. Special structured query language statements are provided for user invocation to define a class of user application files and for providing column definitions, as well as for deleting a class control block and a user defined table control block.