javadoc wrote:
public ResultSet getTables(String catalog,
String schemaPattern,
String tableNamePattern,
String[] types)
throws SQLException

Retrieves a description of the tables available in the given catalog. Only table descriptions matching the catalog, schema, table name and type criteria are returned. They are ordered by TABLE_TYPE, TABLE_SCHEM and TABLE_NAME.

Each table description has the following columns:

1. TABLE_CAT String => table catalog (may be null)
2. TABLE_SCHEM String => table schema (may be null)
3. TABLE_NAME String => table name
4. TABLE_TYPE String => table type. Typical types are "TABLE", "VIEW", "SYSTEM TABLE", "GLOBAL TEMPORARY", "LOCAL TEMPORARY", "ALIAS", "SYNONYM".
5. REMARKS String => explanatory comment on the table
6. TYPE_CAT String => the types catalog (may be null)
7. TYPE_SCHEM String => the types schema (may be null)
8. TYPE_NAME String => type name (may be null)
9. SELF_REFERENCING_COL_NAME String => name of the designated "identifier" column of a typed table (may be null)
10. REF_GENERATION String => specifies how values in SELF_REFERENCING_COL_NAME are created. Values are "SYSTEM", "USER", "DERIVED". (may be null)

Note: Some databases may not return information for all tables.

Parameters:
catalog - a catalog name; must match the catalog name as it is stored in the database; "" retrieves those without a catalog; null means that the catalog name should not be used to narrow the search
schemaPattern - a schema name pattern; must match the schema name as it is stored in the database; "" retrieves those without a schema; null means that the schema name should not be used to narrow the search
tableNamePattern - a table name pattern; must match the table name as it is stored in the database
types - a list of table types to include; null returns all types
Returns:
ResultSet - each row is a table description
Throws:
SQLException - if a database access error occurs
See Also:
getSearchStringEscape()