Abstract
We discuss a universal metamodel aimed at the representation of schemas in a way that is at the same time model-independent (in the sense that it allows for a uniform representation of different data models) and model-aware (in the sense that it is possible to say to whether a schema is allowed for a data model). This metamodel can be the basis for the definition of a complete model-management system. Here we illustrate the details of the metamodel and the structure of a dictionary for its representation. Exemplifications of a concrete use of the dictionary are provided, by means of the representations of the main data models, such as relational, object-relational or XSD-based. Moreover, we demonstrate how set operators can be redefined with respect to our dictionary and easily applied on it. Finally, we show how such a dictionary can be exploited to automatically produce detailed descriptions of schema and data models, in a textual (i.e. XML) or visual (i.e. UML class diagram) way.
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Atzeni, P., Gianforme, G., Cappellari, P. (2009). A Universal Metamodel and Its Dictionary. In: Hameurlain, A., Küng, J., Wagner, R. (eds) Transactions on Large-Scale Data- and Knowledge-Centered Systems I. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5740. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03722-1_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03722-1_2
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