a method and apparatus are provided for storing non - persistent attributes separately from persistent attributes in a print management system . the system server may register callback functions with the object database which allow an attribute to be stored non - persistently , yet be obtained from the object database as if they were stored as one of the persistent attributes . the server attempts to retrieve the attribute from an object database . the object database may then determine whether the requested attribute has been registered as non - persistent in a separate virtual memory . if the requested attribute is registered as non - persistent , the object database invokes the callback function . otherwise , if the requested attribute is not registered as non - persistent , the object database retrieves the information from disk using a database application program .