On the completeness of visual operations for a semantic data model

doi:10.1016/0169-023X(92)90016-5

Data & Knowledge Engineering

Volume 9, Issue 1, October 1992, Pages 19-44

https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-023X(92)90016-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

In this paper we propose a data processing model called PIM towards management of personal information. This model is essentially based on a semantic data model AIS, and we define two sets of data manipulation languages, one is for visual operations, another for logic-based operations. Visual languages allow users to construct database queries utilizing iconic pictures over database diagrams while logic-based languages provide declarative semantics. The main result of this paper is that these two languages have the equivalent expressive power, that is to say, our visual language is complete. This means that the proposed visual language can be characterized by a logical framework.

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Cited by (8)

Kaleidoquery - a flow-based visual language and its evaluation
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This paper describes the Kaleidoquery visual query language for object databases and its comparative evaluation with object query language (OQL). The design philosophy behind the filter flow nature of Kaleidoquery and each of the language's constructs is described, and examples are given that allow comparisons to be made with OQL. This is followed by a description of an experiment with the Kaleidoquery and OQL languages. Two groups of subjects, programmers and non-programmers, were taught aspects of OQL and Kaleidoquery, and then tested under experimental conditions. Results show that both groups answered significantly more correct queries using certain constructs of the Kaleidoquery language.
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This work describes the design and implementation of hierarchical visual query system (HVQS). It is a user interface for querying and browsing databases in a hierarchical database schema. HVQS enables users to use ahierarchical visual query , i.e. they can visually formulate a query and watch the query results on a few higher layers of database schema. This simplifies the query, reduces the failure rate, conserves query time, allows users to work on a database schema with wider scope, and helps users understand database content and focus on meaningful data using a top-down method. This work first gives an overview of the hierarchical visual query, and then describes the prototype of HVQS, defines a hierarchical graph for representing hierarchical database schema, and discusses the Query Manager and Visual Interface Manager of HVQS. Also described herein is the expressive power and semantics of HVQS query. Finally, a evaluation report of an experiment is given to demonstrate that HVQS improves the query success rate and facilitates users in query formulation.
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In this paper we propose a new approach to provide us with (universal and existential) quantification in a visual data manipulation language. Overall ideas are two basic constructs, one for universal ∀ quantifier and another for existential ∃ quantifier. Then a nesting feature is considered to obtain general expressive power. The major contribution of this paper is that, for every query specification with any depth of nesting of quantification, there exists an equivalent simplified form. This means that database management systems can make plans for specific evaluation strategies to gain efficiency.
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View all citing articles on Scopus

¹

Takao Miura received the M. S. in Mathematics from Kyoto University. He is currently an Associate Professor of SANNO College, Kanagawa in Japan.

His current research interests are in the area of knowledge representation and data modelling, deductive databases, complex objects processing and database design methodology.

²

Kunihiko Moriya received the B.S. and M.S. degree in Computer Science from Yokohama National University, in 1978 and 1980, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Manager of Research & Development Department at Hitachi Software Engineering Co., Ltd.

His current research interests are in the area of knowledge representation (data model), database programming languages, view mechanism of database systems, and multi-media database systems.

View full text

On the completeness of visual operations for a semantic data model

Abstract

Data Knowledge Engrg.

Info. Syst.

Formal approach to database description

IEEE COMPCON

On the properties of extended inclusion dependencies

VLDB

SNAP, A graphics based schema manager

Data Engrg.

HiLog as a platform for database languages

DBPL

A graphical query language supporting recursion

SIGMOD

A graphical data manipulation language for an extended Entity Relationship model

IEEE Comput.

Reflections on NoteCards

CACM 31-7

Development of Iconic Browser

IPSJ-DBS

Semantic database modelling

ACM Comput. Surveys

The semantic knowledge interface

VLDB

Foundation of data manipulation languages design

Bull. SANNO Coll.

Query processing on personal computers

VLDB