Method, system, and program for a join operation on a multi-column table and satellite tables including duplicate values

A system for performing a join operation on a multi-column table and at least two satellite tables having a join condition, comprising:

• a computer;
• a memory area accessible to the computer including at least two satellite tables, wherein each satellite table is comprised of multiple rows and at least one join column and a multi-column table comprised of multiple rows and at least one column corresponding to the join column in each satellite table;
• program logic executed by the computer, comprising:
• (i) means for performing a join operation on the rows of the satellite tables to generate concatenated rows of the satellite tables;
• (ii) means for joining one of the concatenated rows to the multi-column table;
• (iii) means for receiving a returned entry from the multi-column table;
• (iv) means for determining whether the returned entry matches the search criteria;
• (v) means for determining whether one of:
• (a) the satellite tables has duplicates of values in the join column of the returned matching entry or (b) the multi-column table has duplicate entries in the join columns after determining that the returned entry matches the search criteria;
• and
• (vi) means for generating the returned matching entry for each one of:
• (a) the duplicate values in one of the satellite tables or (b) the duplicate entries in the multi-column table.

An article of manufacture for use in programming a computer to perform a join operation on a multi-column table and at least two satellite tables having a join condition, wherein each satellite table is comprised of multiple rows and at least one join column and wherein the multi-column table is comprised of multiple rows and at least one column corresponding to the join column in each satellite table, the article of manufacture comprising computer useable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that is capable of causing the computer to perform:

• performing a join operation on the rows of the satellite tables to generate concatenated rows of the satellite tables;
• joining one of the concatenated rows to the multi-column table;
• receiving a returned entry from the multi-column table;
• determining whether the returned entry matches the search criteria;
• determining whether one of:
• (i) the satellite tables has duplicates of values in the join column of the returned matching entry or (ii) the multi-column table has duplicate entries in the join columns after determining that the returned entry matches the search criteria;
• and
• generating the returned matching entry for each one of:
• (i) one of the satellite tables or (ii) the duplicate entries in the multi-column table.