## Adding custom data

This section explains how to add application specific data (custom data) to a GdaMetaStore object.

Applications of course don't need to use that feature to manage their own data but it makes sense to use it if the application also uses metadata to avoid having to manipulate several files for the same "task".

#### Storing data as (key, value) pairs

In very simple cases, when the data to store is made of named values, the easiest way is to use the gda_meta_store_set_attribute_value() and gda_meta_store_get_attribute_value() methods where the values are stored and retrieved as strings.

#### Declaring the new custom database objects

The gda_meta_store_schema_add_custom_object() method canbe used to add custom objects, which have to be described using an XML syntax. The advantages of using that method are:

- The object's definition will be the same for all database types

- If another object with a different definition already exists, then a error is returned

#### Adding and removing data

For the moment adding and removing data must be done as for any other database connection, using the GdaMetaStore's internal connection obtained with gda_meta_store_get_internal_connection().

#### Removing custom database objects

For the moment adding and removing data must be done as for any other database connection, using the GdaMetaStore's internal connection obtained with gda_meta_store_get_internal_connection().