System, method and computer program product for validating one or more metadata objects

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for creating, exporting, viewing and testing, and importing custom applications in a multitenant database environment. These mechanisms and methods can enable embodiments to provide a vehicle for sharing applications across organizational boundaries. The ability to share applications across organizational boundaries can enable tenants in a multi-tenant database system, for example, to easily and efficiently import and export, and thus share, applications with other tenants in the multi-tenant environment.

1 . A method, comprising:
 creating a package definition that references a set of one or more metadata objects describing an application;   distributing the one or more metadata objects; and   validating the one or more metadata objects;   wherein the validation occurs prior to installation of the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the package definition includes a package identifier. 
     
     
         3 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein object dependencies for the metadata are identified and included in the package definition. 
     
     
         4 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the validating includes checking for missing components. 
     
     
         5 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the package definition is stored in a database. 
     
     
         6 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the validation is performed in response to a user request. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:
 computer code for creating a package definition that references a set of one or more metadata objects describing an application;   computer code for distributing the one or more metadata objects; and   computer code for validating the one or more metadata objects;   wherein the validation occurs prior to installation of the application.   
     
     
         8 . The computer program product recited in  claim 7 , wherein the package definition includes a package identifier. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product recited in  claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that object dependencies for the metadata are identified and included in the package definition. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product recited in  claim 7 , wherein the computer code for validating includes computer code for checking for missing components. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product recited in  claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the package definition is stored in a database. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product recited in  claim 7 , wherein the computer program product is operable such that the validation is performed in response to a user request. 
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising:
 a processor for creating a package definition that references a set of one or more metadata objects describing an application, distributing the one or more metadata objects, and validating the one or more metadata objects;   wherein the validation occurs prior to installation of the application.   
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the package definition includes a package identifier. 
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the system is operable such that object dependencies for the metadata are identified and included in the package definition. 
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the system is operable such that the validating includes checking for missing components. 
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the system is operable such that the package definition is stored in a database. 
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 13 , wherein the system is operable such that the validation is performed in response to a user request.