A method for converting a table object from a first partitioning type to a second partitioning type includes steps or acts of gathering information including a definition of a clustering index of the table object; converting the table object of the first partitioning type into a virtual table object of the second partitioning type by virtually applying the information to a clustering index of the table object such that the virtual table object represents how the table object will appear when it is explicitly converted; and presenting the virtual table object to a user for viewing and manipulating as a table of the second partitioning type before generating an explicit conversion to said second partitioning type.