def get(db, node, create=False, store_ids=False, row_ct_ref=None, pkeys=None):

    def obj(node, parent_id=None):

        table = name_of(node)

        pkey_ = pkey(table)

        row = {}

        children = []

        # Divide children into fields and children with fkeys to parent

        for child in xml_dom.NodeElemIter(node):

            child_name = name_of(child)

            if xml_dom.is_text(child): row[child_name] = xml_dom.value(child)

            elif is_ptr(child_name): row[child_name] = obj(ptr_target(child))

            else: children.append(child)

        try: del row[pkey_]

        except KeyError: pass

        # Add fkey to parent

        if parent_id != None: row[pkey(name_of(node.parentNode))] = parent_id

        # Insert node

        for try_num in range(2):

            try:

                id_ = sql.get(db, table, row, pkey_, create, row_ct_ref)

                if store_ids: xml_dom.set_id(node, id_)

                break

            except sql.NullValueException, ex:

                if try_num > 0: raise # exception still raised after retry

                # Search for required column in ancestors and their children

                target = find_by_name(node, ptr_type(ex.col))

                if target == None: raise

                row[ex.col] = xml_dom.get_id(target)

        # Insert children with fkeys to parent

        for child in children: obj(child, id_)

        return id_

    return obj(node)

    for child in xml_dom.NodeElemIter(node):

        if not xml_dom.is_text(child): # not XML metadata

            get(db, child, True, True, row_ct_ref)