A Common Semantic Framework for Procedural and Non-Procedural Object-Oriented Database Development

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将研究一种方法来创建数据库应用程序，结合用户友好的非过程交互式开发的便利性与面向对象数据库（OODB）的丰富编程能力。这个项目的成功完成将把更多的权力掌握在非程序员手中，而不限制程序员的权力。非程序员将能够开发自己的简单应用程序，并更容易定制和增强程序员开发的更复杂的应用程序。所有用户都将能够比现有工具更快、更可靠地开发应用程序。关系数据库（RDB）通常包括非过程性工具，如模式设计器、按示例查询和报告生成器，这些工具可由相对不熟练的用户用于开发重要的应用程序。虽然OODB本质上更强大，更自然地模拟了许多真实的应用领域，但到目前为止，OODB应用程序开发需要相当强的编程能力。我们的方法的关键思想是在非过程工具（如RDB中可用的工具）和完整的通用过程编程语言之间提供无缝接口，在必要时（仅在必要时）可以用于编写应用程序的部分。持久数据系统的方法将由一个正式的语义模型指导，该模型将有助于设计一个易于学习和使用的开发系统，该系统允许对其工具集进行持续的增量改进。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate an approach to the creation of database applications that combines the convenience of user-friendly non-procedural interactive development with the rich programming power of an object-oriented database (OODB). Successful completion of this project will put more power in the hands of non-programmers without limiting the power available to programmers. Non-programmers will be able to develop their own simple applications and more easily tailor and enhance the more complex applications developed by programmers. All users will be able to develop applications more quickly and more reliably than is possible with currently available tools. Relational databases (RDBs) often include non-procedural tools such as schema designers, query-by-example, and report generators that can be used by relatively unsophisticated users to develop significant applications. Although OODBs are intrinsically more powerful and more naturally model many real world application domains, to date OODB application development has required considerable programming ability. The key idea that underlies our approach is to provide a seamless interface between non-procedural tools, like those available in RDBs, and a full general-purpose procedural programming language that when necessary (and only when necessary) can be used to write parts of an application. Persistent Data Systems' approach will be guided by a formal semantic model that will contribute to the design of an easy to learn and use development system that permits continuous incremental improvement to its set of tools.