Flexible relational data storage method and apparatus

A computer system, comprising:

• a central processor;
• an Internet access port connected to the central processor and to a network;
• and
• a data storage system connected to the central processor, the data storage system having stored thereon a sequence of instructions executable by the central processor which, when executed by the central processor, causes the central processor to perform the following steps:
• receiving from a user computer a query to display a data record within the set of data records, said query comprising a primary key uniquely associated with the data record;
• using the name of the set of data records to retrieve a table identifier key from a data table of table identifier keys associated with sets of data records;
• using the primary key to access from a data record table a row identifier key;
• using the table identifier key to access field identifier keys for the set of data records from a table of data field attributes information;
• sending to the user computer the data field attributes information for each data field identifier key;
• and
• sending to the user computer the content of each data field uniquely associated with each data field identifier key and the row identifier key.

A method for enabling a user to access data within a set of data records having a name stored within a relational database comprising sets of data records to permit easy reconfiguration of database tables, comprising:

• receiving from a user computer a query to display a data record within the set of data records, said query comprising a primary key uniquely associated with the data record;
• using the name of the set of data records to retrieve a table identifier key from a data table of table identifier keys associated with the sets of data records;
• using the primary key to access from a data record table a row identifier key;
• using the table identifier key to access field identifier keys for the set of data records from a table of data field attributes information;
• sending to the user computer the data field attributes information for each data field identifier key;
• and
• sending to the user computer the content of each data field uniquely associated with each data field identifier key and the row identifier key.

A method for programming computer-implemented method for storing in a relational database a set of data records having a name, comprising the steps:

• creating a data key data table comprising a primary key and a row identifier key for uniquely identifying a data record for the primary key and row identifier key;
• creating a column support data table comprising a table identifier key and the name of the set of data records;
• creating a custom fields data table comprising the table identifier key, a field identifier key, and data field attributes information for non-key data each related to a row identifier key;
• and
• creating a custom value data table comprising the field identifier key, the row identifier key, and stored data uniquely related to the field identifier key and the row identifier key.

A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to add a column to a data table having a table identifier key, comprising the steps:

• receiving from a user computer the table identifier key and a request to create a column in the data table identified by the table identifier key;
• using the table identifier key to retrieve a list of columns and a list of attributes from a custom fields data table associated with the table identifier key, said custom fields data table comprising the table identifier key, a field identifier key, and data field attributes information for non-key data each related to a row identifier key;
• sending to the user computer the list of columns and the list of attributes information in the data table;
• receiving from the user computer data field attributes information for the column to be added;
• receiving from the user computer data field attributes information for the column to be added, and
• storing in the custom fields data table the data field attributes information for the column to be added.

A computer-implemented method for enabling a user to modify a column of a data table having a custom fields table for storing data field attribute information, wherein said column is identified by a column identifier key, comprising the steps:

• receiving from a user computer the column identifier key and a request to modify the column identified by the column identifier key;
• using the column identifier key to retrieve data field attributes information from the custom fields table;
• sending to the user computer the retrieved data field attributes information;
• receiving from the user computer updated data field attributes information;
• and
• storing the updated data field attributes information in the custom fields table.