Patent ID: 7149745

Claim:
A computer-based method for accessing data in a column of a database table, the method comprising: receiving a request for data, the requested data being stored in the column of the database table; determining a data type of the requested data stored in the column, the data type being of a first data type; accessing the requested data in the first data type, wherein accessing the requested data in the first data type further comprises: a) selecting an access method to access the requested data, the access method being able to access data of a particular data type, the access method being at least one of a plurality of access methods able to access data of a particular data type, and the access method being implemented in a data base driver, b) executing the access method to attempt access of the requested data, c) determining if the requested data is successfully accessed by the access method, d) upon a determination that the requested data is not successfully accessed by the access method, incrementing to a next access method in said plurality of access methods so that a different access method is selected, and repeating operations a, b, and c; and e) upon a determination that the requested data is successfully accessed by the access method, accessing the requested data; converting the requested data from the first data type to a second data type based upon a single user input of a selection of an option to convert the requested data from the first data type to a second data type; and outputting the requested data.