Providing access to database objects is described. An object selection
area capable of presenting representations of a plurality of database
objects is displayed. Each of the database objects is associated with one
of a plurality of predetermined contexts. A plurality of panels are
capable of presenting portions of data belonging to database objects
selected in the object selection area. Some panels are relevant to more
than one of the contexts. An input from the user selecting a database
object presented in the object selection area is received. A panel
selection control associated with the context of the selected database
object is displayed. The control provides that the user can select for
display any panel that is relevant to the selected object's context. Any
of the selectable panels that are relevant also to a different context
can also be selected in a panel selection control associated with the
different context.