diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/__init__.py b/gramps/gen/db/__init__.py
index d9fcf1ad1..7806c7926 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/__init__.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/__init__.py
@@ -110,3 +110,10 @@ def __index_surname(surn_list):
     else:
         surn = ""
     return surn
+
+def open_database(database, force_unlock=False):
+    """
+    Shortcut for external uses of databases.
+    """
+    from ..dbstate import DbState
+    return DbState().open_database(database, force_unlock)
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/event.py b/gramps/gen/lib/event.py
index 0cc0a8385..b3ab66eeb 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/event.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/event.py
@@ -153,6 +153,33 @@ class Event(CitationBase, NoteBase, MediaBase, AttributeBase,
                 "tag_list": TagBase.to_struct(self),
                 "private": self.private}
 
+    @classmethod
+    def get_schema(cls):
+        """
+        Return the schema as a dictionary for this class.
+        """
+        from .attribute import Attribute
+        from .citation import Citation
+        from .note import Note
+        from .date import Date
+        from .tag import Tag
+        from .mediaobj import MediaObject
+        return {
+            "handle": Handle("Event", "EVENT-HANDLE"),
+            "gramps_id": str,
+            "type": EventType,
+            "date": Date,
+            "description": str,
+            "place": Handle("Place", "PLACE-HANDLE"),
+            "citation_list": [Citation],
+            "note_list": [Note],
+            "media_list": [MediaObject],
+            "attribute_list": [Attribute],
+            "change": float,
+            "tag_list": [Tag],
+            "private": bool,
+        }
+
     @classmethod
     def get_labels(cls, _):
         return {
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/mediaobj.py b/gramps/gen/lib/mediaobj.py
index 643f20d41..165afbac0 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/mediaobj.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/mediaobj.py
@@ -153,6 +153,61 @@ class MediaObject(CitationBase, NoteBase, DateBase, AttributeBase,
                 "tag_list": TagBase.to_struct(self),
                 "private": self.private}
 
+    @classmethod
+    def get_schema(cls):
+        """
+        Returns the schema for EventRef.
+
+        :returns: Returns a dict containing the fields to types.
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+        from .attribute import Attribute
+        from .citation import Citation
+        from .note import Note
+        from .date import Date
+        from .tag import Tag
+        return {
+            "handle": Handle("Media", "MEDIA-HANDLE"),
+            "gramps_id": str,
+            "path": str,
+            "mime": str,
+            "desc": str,
+            "checksum": str,
+            "attribute_list": [Attribute],
+            "citation_list": [Citation],
+            "note_list": [Note],
+            "change": float,
+            "date": Date,
+            "tag_list": Tag,
+            "private": bool,
+        }
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_labels(cls, _):
+        """
+        Given a translation function, returns the labels for
+        each field of this object.
+
+        :returns: Returns a dict containing the fields to labels.
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+        return {
+            "_class": _("Media"),
+            "handle": _("Media"),
+            "gramps_id": _("Gramps ID"),
+            "path": _("Path"),
+            "mime": _("MIME"),
+            "desc": _("Description"),
+            "checksum": _("Checksum"),
+            "attribute_list": _("Attributes"),
+            "citation_list": _("Citations"),
+            "note_list": _("Notes"),
+            "change": _("Last changed"),
+            "date": _("Date"),
+            "tag_list": _("Tags"),
+            "private": _("Private"),
+        }
+
     @classmethod
     def from_struct(cls, struct):
         """
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/mediaref.py b/gramps/gen/lib/mediaref.py
index fc44f92e5..201df3818 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/mediaref.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/mediaref.py
@@ -98,6 +98,26 @@ class MediaRef(SecondaryObject, PrivacyBase, CitationBase, NoteBase, RefBase,
                 "ref": Handle("Media", self.ref),
                 "rect": self.rect if self.rect != (0, 0, 0, 0) else None}
 
+    @classmethod
+    def get_schema(cls):
+        """
+        Returns the schema for MediaRef.
+
+        :returns: Returns a dict containing the fields to types.
+        :rtype: dict
+        """
+        from .attribute import Attribute
+        from .citation import Citation
+        from .note import Note
+        return {
+            "private": bool,
+            "citation_list": [Citation],
+            "note_list": [Note],
+            "attribute_list": [Attribute],
+            "ref": Handle("Media", "MEDIA-HANDLE"),
+            "rect": tuple, # or None if (0,0,0,0)
+        }
+
     @classmethod
     def from_struct(cls, struct):
         """
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/person.py b/gramps/gen/lib/person.py
index c6c871ae3..ac11e33e4 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/person.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/person.py
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ class Person(CitationBase, NoteBase, AttributeBase, MediaBase,
     @classmethod
     def get_labels(cls, _):
         return {
-            "_class": _("Person"),
             "handle":  _("Handle"),
             "gramps_id": _("Gramps ID"),
             "gender": _("Gender"),
@@ -292,6 +291,9 @@ class Person(CitationBase, NoteBase, AttributeBase, MediaBase,
 
     @classmethod
     def get_schema(cls):
+        """
+        Return the schema as a dictionary for this class.
+        """
         from .mediaref import MediaRef
         from .address import Address
         from .url import Url
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/primaryobj.py b/gramps/gen/lib/primaryobj.py
index 20c03e182..9c4f5f16c 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/primaryobj.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/primaryobj.py
@@ -217,8 +217,13 @@ class BasicPrimaryObject(TableObject, PrivacyBase, TagBase):
             if hasattr(current, part): # attribute
                 current = getattr(current, part)
             elif part.isdigit(): # index into list
-                current = current[int(part)]
-                continue
+                if int(part) < len(current):
+                    current = current[int(part)]
+                    continue
+                elif ignore_errors:
+                    return
+                else:
+                    raise Exception("Can't get position %s of %s" % (part, current))
             elif isinstance(current, (list, tuple)):
                 current = [getattr(attr, part) for attr in current]
             else: # part not found on this self