No abstract

This paper presents a data sublanguage called SQUARE, intended for use in ad hoc, interactive problem solving by non-computer specialists. SQUARE is based on the relational model of data, and is shown to be relationally complete; however, it avoids the quantifiers and bound variables required by languages based on the relational calculus. Facilities for query, insertion, deletion, and update on tabular data bases are described. A syntax is given, and suggestions are made for alternative syntaxes, including a syntax based on English key words for users with limited mathematical background.

In this paper we present the data manipulation facility for a structured English query language (SEQUEL) which can be used for accessing data in an integrated relational data base. Without resorting to the concepts of bound variables and quantifiers SEQUEL identifies a set of simple operaticns on tabular structures, which can be shown to be of equivalent power to the first order predicate calculus. A SECUEL user is presented with a consistent set of keyword English templates which reflect how people use tables to obtain information. Moreover, the SEQUEL user is able to conpose these basic templates in a structured manner in order to form more complex queries. SEQUEL is intended as a data base sublanguage for both the professional programmer and the more infrequent data base user.

SQUARE (Specifying ~ueries As Relational Expressions) is a set oriented data sublanguage for expressing queries (access, modification, insertion, and deletion) to a data base consisting of a collection of time-varying relations. The language mimics how people use relations or tables to obtain information.It does not require the sophisticated mathematical machinery of the predicate calculus (bound variables, quantifiers, etc.) in order to express simple references to tables. However, the language has been shown to be complete, i.e., any query expressible in the predicate calculus is expressible in SQUARE.I.

SQUARE (<u>S</u>pecifying <u>Q</u>ueries <u>A</u>s <u>R</u>elational <u>E</u>xpressions) is a set oriented data sublanguage for expressing queries (access, modification, insertion, and deletion) to a data base consisting of a collection of time-varying relations. The language mimics how people use relations or tables to obtain information. It does not require the sophisticated mathematical machinery of the predicate calculus (bound variables, quantifiers, etc.) in order to express simple references to tables. However, the language has been shown to be complete, i.e., any query expressible in the predicate calculus is expressible in SQUARE.