Method and system for effectively representing query results in a limited amount of memory

摘要

A method and system for effectively representing a result set in a limited amount of memory is provided. The result set is made up of a number of ordered rows. At least some of the rows contain row data, while each of the rows contains a bookmark that may be used to retrieve row data for the row. When it is determined that the size of the result set should be reduced, a subset of the rows of the result set is identified. The identified subset of rows is contiguous within the order of the results set and includes rows that contain row data. For each row of the identified subset, the row data is removed from the result set while retaining in the result set the bookmarks of the rows in the identified subset. As the result of the removal of row data, the size of the result set is reduced. In a further embodiment of the invention, when a request is received to return the row data for a row among the identified subset of rows, the retained bookmarks for the identified subset of rows are used to retrieve row data for the rows back into the result set. The requested row data is then returned from the result set in response to the request.