1. A computer implemented method for automatically generating and customizing a class to facilitate access to a hierarchical database from an application comprising the steps of: (a) accessing a database definition; (b) accessing a logical database view; (c) accessing an extended field definition; (d) accessing control statement information; (e) building an in-memory representation of selective information obtained from steps (a) through (d); and (f) automatically generating and customizing said class in a first form utilizing said in-memory representation wherein said class is used to access said hierarchical database responsive to a hierarchical database access request from a first application.