Using a conceptual data language to describe a database and its interface

Abstract

Abstract. We propose a conceptual approach to defining interfaces to databases which uses the features of a fully object oriented data language to specify interface objects combined with database objects. This achieves a uniform, natural way of describing databases and their interfaces. It is shown how this language can be used in the role of data definition and, when combined with interface classes, in the definition of database interfaces. A prototype developed to test this approach is presented.

A framework for information visualisation

“…Database objects include data objects and interface objects [MKB95]; each data object has corresponding interface objects which provide its graphical realisation on-screen. Characteristics common to several classes of objects may be factored out into (abstract) superclasses; for example, all visualisation classes may be derived from a class from which they inherit common properties such as their shape, spatial position etc., and common behaviour such as the abilities to be selected or moved.…”

A framework for user-interfaces to databases

“…A visualisation component is preferred to the more general output component in deference to the extensive body of research on data [19] and database [12,15,16,30,39,43,45] visualisation.…”

“…the referent which the current visualisation is representing. Typically, this concerns the visualisation of the database's contents, from concrete visualisation of database objects [30] to abstract visualisation of schemata [29] or queries [45]. At a lower level of detail the visualisation is required to represent nested interaction components, eg.…”

“…This is achieved by linking each database component to an appropriate interface component. In NOODL, this corresponds to a pair of obverted properties in both data and interface classes [30] (using the ref keword). A data class represents the features of a database component.…”

“…the user interface design environment (UIDE) [25]. Recent work has shown that it is possible to use NOODL for this purpose [30]. As in section 4.1, a NOODL interface description can associate each class in the database's schema with an interface class, which defines the appearance and interface actions related to the data.…”