Increasing productivity in High Energy Physics data mining with a Domain Specific Visual Query Language

Diese Arbeit entwickelt die erste anwendungsspezifische visuelle Anfragesprache für Hochenergiephysik. Nach dem aktuellen Stand der Technik ist Analyse von experimentellen Ergebnissen in der Hochenergiephysik ein sehr aufwendiger Vorgang. Die Verwendung allgemeiner höherer Programmiersprachen und komplexer Bibliotheken für die Erstellung und Wartung der Auswertungssoftware lenkt die Wissenschaftler von den Kernfragen ihres Gebiets ab. Unser Ansatz führt eine neue Abstraktionsebene in Form einer visuellen Programmiersprache ein, in der die Physiker die gewünschten Ergebnisse in einer ihrem Anwendungsgebiet nahen Notation formulieren können. Die Validierung der Hypothese erfolgte durch die Entwicklung einer Sprache und eines Software-Prototyps. Neben einer formalen Syntax wird die Sprache durch eine translationale Semantik definiert. Die Semantik wird dabei mittels einer Übersetzung in eine durch spezielle Gruppierungsoperatoren erweiterte NF2-Algebra spezifiziert. Die vom Benutzer erstellten visuellen Anfragen werden durch einen Compiler in Code für eine Zielplattform übersetzt. Die Benutzbarkeit der Sprache wurde durch eine Benutzerstudie validiert, deren qualitative und quantitative Ergebnisse vorgestellt werden

An Introduction to Database Systems

This textbook introduces the basic concepts of database systems. These concepts are presented through numerous examples in modeling and design. The material in this book is geared to an introductory course in database systems offered at the junior or senior level of Computer Science. It could also be used in a first year graduate course in database systems, focusing on a selection of the advanced topics in the latter chapters

The introduction of realism into SCADA mimic diagrams using object oriented techniques and C++

This project shows how an interactive object based graphical user interface for a plant supervision or control application may be implemented using state-of-the-art software languages and tools. In many current plant supervisory, control and data acquisition systems (SCADA) data presentation is limited to archaic character based graphics and text based prompts with little or no use of pointing devices. With the emergence of object-oriented programming languages and graphics function libraries this project shows how a decisive upgrade in the graphics for these systems may be achieved, thereby bringing realism into plant mimic diagrams. The mimic diagrams created in this project consist of a static background, acquired by the use of scanning devices or paint packages, and a dynamic background of icons, generated using object-oriented C++ classes. The project is an object-oriented application and hence illustrates the object-oriented paradigm. The thesis introduces the area of supervisory, control and data acquisition systems. It examines graphic standards and operating system options, and highlights the need for a user friendly extensible graphic interface to telemetry systems. It also shows how object-orientation should provide for systems that are not only easier to extend and maintain but may also spawn parts which may be used for future projects. The thesis, based on experience gained throughout the project, examines C++, classes, inheritance, problems associated with C++ environments and the dangers of product incompatibility. It discusses graphic elements, such as bitmaps, icons and menus, and shows how object-orientation may be applied to them. It expounds on real-time considerations and icon animation and details the full project implementation including compilation and memory management systems used. Finally it points to the future, to the impact of object-oriented programming on technical management, to object-oriented databases and the object-oriented SCADA workstation of the future, and to changes imminent in C++ itself

Informational Lights from Service Science for the progression of Society

That the Age of Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries, the spirit of reason, science, humanism and progress, as opposed to obscurantism, has led to the emergence of scientific, disruptive knowledge, even regarding the foundations of Society, is indisputable to anyone using their reason. Thus, were brought about great transformations of Society, which took place. In our time, digital technologies, through enabling observations of otherwise invisible phenomena, induce also a multitude of disruptive practices. As this effect and its inevitable implications continue to accelerate into the future, their integration into the progression of Society and enterprise is now absolutely imperative. The intention of this book is to bring out the intelligence of the progression of Society or of enterprise by enabling the intelligence of living together (Human Sciences), the intelligence of solutions (Natural Sciences) and the intelligence of the artificial (Sciences of Engineering, including the Digital), to connect together through the informational intelligence of services. Such a connection is established thanks to Service Science. It forms the base for the Informational Lights. Michel Léonard is a professor at the University of Geneva since 1977 in Information Systems and Service Science. He has been the initiator of numerous courses and curricula including the Franco-Swiss European DEA MATIS, and of the IESS (International Conference on Exploring Service Science) series of international scientific conferences. His research has focused on the one hand on methods for the design and evolution of information systems, and on the other hand on the creation of database management systems in accordance with these methods. They now focus on Service Science by adding the informational dimension

Integrated modelling for 3D GIS

A three dimensional (3D) model facilitates the study of the real world objects it represents. A geoinformation system (GIS) should exploit the 3D model in a digital form as a basis for answering questions pertaining to aspects of the real world. With respect to the earth sciences, different kinds of objects of reality can be realized. These objects are components of the reality under study. At the present state-of-the-art different realizations are usually situated in separate systems or subsystems. This separation results in redundancy and uncertainty when different components sharing some common aspects are combined. Relationships between different kinds of objects, or between components of an object, cannot be represented adequately. This thesis aims at the integration of those components sharing some common aspects in one 3D model. This integration brings related components together, minimizes redundancy and uncertainty. Since the model should permit not only the representation of known aspects of reality, but also the derivation of information from the existing representation, the design of the model is constrained so as to afford these capabilities. The tessellation of space by the network of simplest geometry, the simplicial network, is proposed as a solution. The known aspects of the reality can be embedded in the simplicial network without degrading their quality. The model provides finite spatial units useful for the representation of objects. Relationships between objects can also be expressed through components of these spatial units which at the same time facilitate various computations and the derivation of information implicitly available in the model. Since the simplicial network is based on concepts in geoinformation science and in mathematics, its design can be generalized for n-dimensions. The networks of different dimension are said to be compatible, which enables the incorporation of a simplicial network of a lower dimension into another simplicial network of a higher dimension.The complexity of the 3D model fulfilling the requirements listed calls for a suitable construction method. The thesis presents a simple way to construct the model. The raster technique is used for the formation of the simplicial network embedding the representation of the known aspects of reality as constraints. The prototype implementation in a software package, ISNAP, demonstrates the simplicial network's construction and use. The simplicial network can facilitate spatial and non spatial queries, computations, and 2D and 3D visualizations. The experimental tests using different kinds of data sets show that the simplicial network can be used to represent real world objects in different dimensionalities. Operations traditionally requiring different systems and spatial models can be carried out in one system using one model as a basis. This possibility makes the GIS more powerful and easy to use

Studies related to the process of program development

The submitted work consists of a collection of publications arising from research carried out at Rhodes University (1970-1980) and at Heriot-Watt University (1980-1992). The theme of this research is the process of program development, i.e. the process of creating a computer program to solve some particular problem. The papers presented cover a number of different topics which relate to this process, viz. (a) Programming methodology programming. (b) Properties of programming languages. aspects of structured. (c) Formal specification of programming languages. (d) Compiler techniques. (e) Declarative programming languages. (f) Program development aids. (g) Automatic program generation. (h) Databases. (i) Algorithms and applications

Langages et modèles à objets - état des recherches et perspectives

Langages et modèles à objets donne un aperçu de la diversité des travaux développés autour de la notion d'objet, à un moment où leur incidence est de plus en plus grande dans tous les domaines de l'informatique. l'ouvrage est divisé en quatre parties, centrées autour de thèmes choisis : génie logiciel, concepts avancés, représentation des connaissances et applications. Tous les chapitres (sauf un) ont été spécialement conçus pour l'occasion et leurs auteurs ont été choisis parmi les meilleurs spécialistes français. l'ouvrage peut être lu sans la connaissance préalable d'un langage particulier et ne donne pas une connaissance approfondie d'un langage ou de son histoire. l'accent est plutôt mis sur les grands principes des thèmes traités, qui sont présentés en détail et caractérisés les uns par rapport aux autres