Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Object comprehensions: A query notation for object-oriented databases

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Directions in Databases (BNCOD 1994)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 826))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

Existing object-oriented query notations have been criticised for being unclear, verbose, restrictive, and computationally weak. This paper introduces a new query notation, object comprehensions, that allows queries to be expressed clearly, concisely, and processed efficiently. Object comprehensions are designed for object-oriented databases and include features that are missing from or inadequate in existing object-oriented query languages. Novel features include: a predicate-based optimisable sub-language providing support for the class hierarchy; numerical quantifiers for dealing with occurrences of collection elements; operations addressing collection elements by position and order; a high-level support for interaction between different collection kinds; and recursive queries with computation.

Supported by the Overseas Research Award Scheme of the Committee of Chancellors and Vice-Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom (ORS/8817021), the Glasgow University Postgraduate Scholarship, and ESPRIT Project 2071 Comandos.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. M. Atkinson, F. Bancilhon, D. DeWitt, K. Dittrich, D. Maier, and S. Zdonik. The Object-Oriented Database System Manifesto. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Deductive and Object-Oriented Databases, pages 40–57. Elsevier, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  2. R. Agrawal and L.G. DeMichiel. Type Derivation Using the Projection Operation. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Extending Database Technology. Springer-Verlag, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  3. F. Bancilhon. Query Languages for Object-Oriented Database Systems: Analysis and a Proposal. In Proceedings of the GI Conference on Database Systems for Office, Engineering, and Scientific Applications, pages 1–18. Springer-Verlag, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  4. E.J. Borowski and J.M. Borwein. Dictionary of Mathematics. Collins, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  5. F. Bancilhon, C. Delobel, and P. Kanellakis, editors. Building An Object-Oriented Database System — The Story of O 2. Morgan Kaufmann, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  6. D. Beech. A Foundation for Evolution from Relational to Object Databases. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Extending Database Technology, volume 303 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 251–270. Springer-Verlag, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  7. O. Boucelma and J.L. Maitre. Querying Complex-Object Databases: the LIFOO Functional Language. Technical report, Université de Provence, France, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  8. R.M. Burstall, D.B. MacQueen, and D.T. Sanella. Hope: an Experimental Applicative Language. In Proceedings of the 1st ACM Lisp Conference, pages 136–143. ACM Press, 1980.

    Google Scholar 

  9. E. Bertino, M. Nagri, G. Pelagatti, and L. Sbattella. Object-Oriented Query Languages: The Notion and the Issues. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, 4(3):223–237, June 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  10. J.A. Blakeley, C.W. Thompson, and A.M. Alashqur. OQL[X]: Extending a Programming Language X with a Query Capability. Technical Report 90-07-01, Texas Instruments Incorporated, U.S.A., November 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  11. M.J. Carey, D.J. DeWitt, and S.L. Vandenberg. A Data Model and Query Language for EXODUS. In Proceedings of the ACM SIGMOD International Conference on Management of Data, pages 413–422. ACM Press, 1988.

    Google Scholar 

  12. D.K.C. Chan, D.J. Harper, and P.W. Trinder. A Reference Object-Oriented Data Model Specification. Technical Report DB-92-2, University of Glasgow, U.K., November 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  13. D.K.C. Chan, D.J. Harper, and P.W. Trinder. A Case Study of Object-Oriented Query Languages. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems and Management of Data, pages 63–86. Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC), 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  14. D.K.C. Chan and D.A. Kerr. Improving One's Views of Object-Oriented Databases. In Proceedings of the Colloquium on Object-Orientation in Databases and Software Engineering, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  15. D.K.C. Chan and P.W. Trinder. An Object-Oriented Data Model Supporting Multi-methods, Multiple Inheritance, and Static Type Checking: A Specification in Z. In Proceedings of the 8th Z User Meeting, Workshops in Computing Series. Springer-Verlag, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  16. D.K.C. Chan and P.W. Trinder. Optimising Object Comprehensions. In Prcoeedings of the 6th International Conference on Computing and Information. IEEE Press, 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  17. S. Dar, N.H. Gehani, and H.V. Jagadish. CQL++: A SQL for the ODE Object-Oriented DBMS. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Extending Database Technology, volume 580 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 201–216. Springer-Verlag, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  18. K.R. Dittrich. Object-Oriented Database Systems: The Notion and the Issues. In On Object-Oriented Database Systems, pages 3–10. Springer-Verlag, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  19. D.H. Fishman, J. Annevelink, E. Chow, T. Connors, J.W. Davis, W. Hasan, C.G. Hoch, W.Kent, S. Leichner, P. Lyngbaek, B. Mahbod, M.A. Neimat, T. risch, M.C. Shan, and W.K. Wilkinson. Overview of the Iris DBMS. In W. Kim and F.H. Lochovsky, editors, Object-Oriented Concepts, Databases, and Applications, pages 219–250. ACM Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  20. G. Ghelli, R. Orsini, A. Pereira Paz, and P.W. Trinder. Design of an Integrated Query and Manipulation Notation for Database Languages. Technical Report FIDE/92/41, University of Glasgow, U.K., 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  21. K. Hammond. Definitional List Comprehensions. Technical Report 90/R3, University of Glasgow, U.K., January 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  22. A. Heuer and P. Sander. Classifying Object-Oriented Query Results in a Class/Type Lattice. In Proceedings of the 3rd Symposium on Mathematical Fundamentals of Database and Knowledge Base Systems, volume 495 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 14–28. Springer-Verlag, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  23. A. Heuer and M.N. Scholl. Principles of Object-Oriented Query Languages. In Proceedings of the GI Conference on Database Systems for Office, Engineering, and Scientific Applications, pages 178–197. Springer-Verlag, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  24. P. Hudak and P. Wadler. Report on the Functional Programming Language Haskell. Technical Report 89/R5, University of Glasgow, U.K., February 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  25. W. Kim. Introduction to Object-Oriented Databases. MIT Press, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  26. M. Kifer, W. Kim, and Y. Sagiv. Querying Object-Oriented Databases. In Proceedings of the ACM SIGMOD International Conference on Management of Data, pages 393–402. ACM Press, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  27. R. Morrison, A.L. Brown, R.C.H. Connor, and A. Dearle. The Napier88 Reference Manual. Technical Report PPRR-77-89, University of Glasgow & University of St. Andrews, U.K., 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  28. M. Missikoff and M. Scholl. An Algorithm for Insertion into a Lattice: Application to Type Classification. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Foundations of Data Organisation and Algorithms, volume 367 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 64–82. Springer-Verlag, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Ontologic Inc., U.S.A. ONTOS Developer's Guide, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Ontologic Inc., U.S.A. ONTOS SQL Guide, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  31. N.W. Paton and P.M.D. Gray. Optimising and Executing DAPLEX Queries using Prolog. The Computer Journal, 33(6):547–555, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  32. S. Peyton-Jones. The Implementation of Functional Programming Languages, chapter 7, pages 127–138. Prentice-Hall, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Servio Logic Development Corporation, U.S.A. Programming in OPAL, Version 1.3, 1987.

    Google Scholar 

  34. C. Small and A. Poulovassilis. An Overview of PFL. In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Database Programming Languages, pages 89–103. Morgan Kaufmann, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  35. P.W. Trinder, D.K.C. Chan, and D.J. Harper. Improving Comprehension Queries in PS-algol. In Proceedings of the 1990 Glasgow Database Workshop, pages 103–119, U.K., 1990. University of Glasgow.

    Google Scholar 

  36. P.W. Trinder. A Functional Database. D.Phil thesis, Oxford University, December 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  37. P.W. Trinder. Comprehensions: a Query Notation for DBPLs. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Database Programming Languages, pages 55–70. Morgan Kaufmann, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  38. D.A. Turner. Recursion Equations as a Programming Language. In Darlington, Henderson, and Turner, editors, Functional Programming and its Application. Cambridge University Press, 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  39. D.A. Turner. Miranda: a Non-strict Functional Language with Polymorphic Types. In Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Functional Programming Languages and Computer Architectures, volume 201 of Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 1–16. Springer-Verlag, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

  40. P.W. Trinder and P.L. Wadler. Improving List Comprehensions Database Queries. In Proceedings of the TENCON'89, pages 186–192. IEEE Press, 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  41. R. Unland and G. Schlageter. Object-Oriented Database Systems: State of the Art and Research Problems. In K. Jeffery, editor, Expert Database Systems, chapter 5, pages 117–222. Academic Press, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  42. D. Watt and P.W. Trinder. Towards a Theory of Bulk Types. Technical Report FIDE/91/26, University of Glasgow, U.K., July 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  43. S.B. Zdonik and D. Maier, editors. Readings in Object-Oriented Database Systems. Morgan Kaufmann, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  44. S.B. Zdonik and G. Mitchell. ENCORE: An Object-Oriented Database Systems. IEEE Data Engineering Bulletin, 14(2):53–57, June 1991.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computing Science Department, Glasgow University, G12 8QQ, Glasgow, UK

    Daniel K. C. Chan & Philip W. Trinder

Authors
  1. Daniel K. C. Chan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Philip W. Trinder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

David S. Bowers

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Chan, D.K.C., Trinder, P.W. (1994). Object comprehensions: A query notation for object-oriented databases. In: Bowers, D.S. (eds) Directions in Databases. BNCOD 1994. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 826. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58235-5_35

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58235-5_35

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-58235-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48580-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation