Among other disclosure, a computer-implemented method for obtaining information from an object includes receiving a query configured to extract information from a non-XML object. The non-XML object is created using an object model that provides for: (1) organizing attributes under nodes in a hierarchy; and (2) creating, within the non-XML object, associations between the nodes, also to nodes in another non-XML object. The method includes identifying in the received query any portion thereof that is non-standard with regard to XQuery language. The method includes creating an XML document from the non-XML object using at least the non-standard portion identified in the query. The method includes performing a revised query on the created XML document, the revised query corresponding to the query and being formulated using the XQuery language. The method includes recording, as a response to the query, a result of the revised query.