1,570 research outputs found
Query processing in temporal object-oriented databases
This PhD thesis is concerned with historical data management in the context of objectoriented
databases. An extensible approach has been explored to processing temporal object queries within a uniform query framework. By the uniform framework, we mean
temporal queries can be processed within the existing object-oriented framework that is extended from relational framework, by extending the existing query processing
techniques and strategies developed for OODBs and RDBs.
The unified model of OODBs and RDBs in UmSQL/X has been adopted as a basis for this purpose. A temporal object data model is thereby defined by incorporating a time
dimension into this unified model of OODBs and RDBs to form temporal relational-like cubes but with the addition of aggregation and inheritance hierarchies. A query algebra,
that accesses objects through these associations of aggregation, inheritance and timereference, is then defined as a general query model /language. Due to the extensive
features of our data model and reducibility of the algebra, a layered structure of query processor is presented that provides a uniforrn framework for processing temporal object
queries. Within the uniform framework, query transformation is carried out based on a set of transformation rules identified that includes the known relational and object rules plus those pertaining to the time dimension. To evaluate a temporal query involving a path with timereference, a strategy of decomposition is proposed. That is, evaluation of an enhanced path, which is defined to extend a path with time-reference, is decomposed by initially dividing the path into two sub-paths: one containing the time-stamped class that can be optimized by
making use of the ordering information of temporal data and another an ordinary sub-path (without time-stamped classes) which can be further decomposed and evaluated using
different algorithms. The intermediate results of traversing the two sub-paths are then joined together to create the query output. Algorithms for processing the decomposed query components, i. e., time-related operation algorithms, four join algorithms (nested-loop forward join, sort-merge forward join, nested-loop reverse join and sort-merge reverse join) and their modifications, have been presented with cost analysis and implemented with stream processing techniques using C++. Simulation results are also provided. Both cost analysis and simulation show the effects of time on the query processing algorithms: the join time cost is linearly increased with the expansion in the number of time-epochs (time-dimension in the case of a regular TS). It is also shown that using heuristics that make use of time information can lead to a significant time cost saving. Query processing with incomplete temporal data has also been discussed
The advantages and cost effectiveness of database improvement methods
Relational databases have proved inadequate for supporting new classes of
applications, and as a consequence, a number of new approaches have been taken
(Blaha 1998), (Harrington 2000). The most salient alternatives are denormalisation
and conversion to an object-oriented database (Douglas 1997). Denormalisation
can provide better performance but has deficiencies with respect to
data modelling. Object-oriented databases can provide increased performance
efficiency but without the deficiencies in data modelling (Blaha 2000).
Although there have been various benchmark tests reported, none of these
tests have compared normalised, object oriented and de-normalised databases.
This research shows that a non-normalised database for data containing type
code complexity would be normalised in the process of conversion to an objectoriented
database. This helps to correct badly organised data and so gives the
performance benefits of de-normalisation while improving data modelling.
The costs of conversion from relational databases to object oriented databases
were also examined. Costs were based on published benchmark tests, a
benchmark carried out during this study and case studies. The benchmark tests
were based on an engineering database benchmark. Engineering problems such as
computer-aided design and manufacturing have much to gain from conversion to
object-oriented databases. Costs were calculated for coding and development, and
also for operation. It was found that conversion to an object-oriented database was
not usually cost effective as many of the performance benefits could be achieved
by the far cheaper process of de-normalisation, or by using the performance
improving facilities provided by many relational database systems such as
indexing or partitioning or by simply upgrading the system hardware.
It is concluded therefore that while object oriented databases are a better
alternative for databases built from scratch, the conversion of a legacy relational
database to an object oriented database is not necessarily cost effective
Development of Use Cases, Part I
For determining requirements and constructs appropriate for a Web query language, or in fact
any language, use cases are of essence. The W3C has published two sets of use cases for XML
and RDF query languages. In this article, solutions for these use cases are presented using
Xcerpt. a novel Web and Semantic Web query language that combines access to standard Web
data such as XML documents with access to Semantic Web metadata
such as RDF resource
descriptions with reasoning abilities and rules familiar from logicprogramming.
To the
best knowledge of the authors, this is the first in depth study of how to solve use cases for
accessing XML and RDF in a single language: Integrated access to data and metadata
has been
recognized by industry and academia as one of the key challenges in data processing for the
next decade. This article is a contribution towards addressing this challenge by demonstrating
along practical and recognized use cases the usefulness of reasoning abilities, rules, and
semistructured
query languages for accessing both data (XML) and metadata
(RDF)
Survey over Existing Query and Transformation Languages
A widely acknowledged obstacle for realizing the vision of the Semantic Web is the inability
of many current Semantic Web approaches to cope with data available in such diverging
representation formalisms as XML, RDF, or Topic Maps. A common query language is the first
step to allow transparent access to data in any of these formats. To further the understanding
of the requirements and approaches proposed for query languages in the conventional as well
as the Semantic Web, this report surveys a large number of query languages for accessing
XML, RDF, or Topic Maps. This is the first systematic survey to consider query languages from
all these areas. From the detailed survey of these query languages, a common classification
scheme is derived that is useful for understanding and differentiating languages within and
among all three areas
Query Lifting: Language-integrated query for heterogeneous nested collections
Language-integrated query based on comprehension syntax is a powerful
technique for safe database programming, and provides a basis for advanced
techniques such as query shredding or query flattening that allow efficient
programming with complex nested collections. However, the foundations of these
techniques are lacking: although SQL, the most widely-used database query
language, supports heterogeneous queries that mix set and multiset semantics,
these important capabilities are not supported by known correctness results or
implementations that assume homogeneous collections. In this paper we study
language-integrated query for a heterogeneous query language
that combines set and multiset constructs. We show how
to normalize and translate queries to SQL, and develop a novel approach to
querying heterogeneous nested collections, based on the insight that ``local''
query subexpressions that calculate nested subcollections can be ``lifted'' to
the top level analogously to lambda-lifting for local function definitions.Comment: Full version of ESOP 2021 conference pape
A general framework for positioning, evaluating and selecting the new generation of development tools.
This paper focuses on the evaluation and positioning of a new generation of development tools containing subtools (report generators, browsers, debuggers, GUI-builders, ...) and programming languages that are designed to work together and have a common graphical user interface and are therefore called environments. Several trends in IT have led to a pluriform range of developments tools that can be classified in numerous categories. Examples are: object-oriented tools, GUI-tools, upper- and lower CASE-tools, client/server tools and 4GL environments. This classification does not sufficiently cover the tools subject in this paper for the simple reason that only one criterion is used to distinguish them. Modern visual development environments often fit in several categories because to a certain extent, several criteria can be applied to evaluate them. In this study, we will offer a broad classification scheme with which tools can be positioned and which can be refined through further research.
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