Rewriting table functions as SQL strings

A storage device that is accessible to a processor, the storage device being characterized in that:

• the storage device contains code which, when executed by the processor, implements a relational database management system of the type wherein a table function returns a set of result rows which are represented in an SQL statement by a container for the table function,
• the relational database management system having the improvement comprising:
• a rewrite method, the rewrite method being associated with the table function and returning an SQL string which does not include the table function and which when executed will return a set of result rows which is equivalent to the set of result rows returned by the table function,
• the relational database system executing the rewrite method prior to executing the container to obtain the SQL string and thereupon rewriting the SQL statement such that the container for the table function is replaced by the returned SQL string.

A method executed by a relational database management system of the type wherein a table function returns a set of result rows which are represented in an SQL statement by a container for the table function, the relational database management system executing on a processor that has access to a storage device and

• the method comprising the steps of:
• receiving the SQL statement;
• making an SQL string which does not include the table function and which, when executed, will return a set of result rows which is equivalent to the set of result rows returned by the container function;
• and
• rewriting the SQL statement such that the container is replaced with the SQL string prior to executing the SQL statement.

A storage device that is accessible to a processor, the storage device being characterized in that:

• the storage device contains code which, when executed by the processor, implements a method executed by a relational database management system of the type wherein a table function returns a set of result rows which are represented in an SQL statement by a container for the table function,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• receiving the SQL statement;
• making an SQL string which does not include the table function and which t, when executed, will return a set of result rows which is equivalent to the set of result rows returned by the container function;
• and
• rewriting the SQL statement such that the container is replaced with the SQL string prior to executing the SQL statement.