Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Specification of a query language by the attribute method

  • Part I Computer Science
  • Published:
BIT Numerical Mathematics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Data base applications are large and complex in nature. Therefore we need effective tools to manage complexity in developing data base software. In this paper we demonstrate how the attribute method can be used as a systematic approach to specify software in the data area. We have a relationally complete query language as the specification subject. In data base applications it is important to specify precisely both the semantics of software and constraints related to data base structures and to data base operations. For the former purpose we definesemantic attributes and for the latterchecking attributes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. L. Brodie,Research issues in database specification, ACM Sigmod record, vol. 13, no. 3, (1983).

  2. D. E. Knuth.Semantics of context-free languages, Mathematical Systems Theory, vol. 2, (1968) and its “correction”, vol. 5, (1971).

  3. P. Naur,Formalization in program development, BIT, vol. 22, no. 4, (1982).

  4. D. Ridjanovic and L. Brodie,Defining database dynamics with attribute grammars, Information Processing Letters, vol. 14, no. 6, (1982).

  5. H. Kangassalo, H. Jaakkola, K. Järvelin, T. Lehtonen and T. Niemi,System D — an integrated tool for systems design, implementation and data base management, Proc. IFIP WG 8.1 working conference on Automated Tools for Information Systems Design and Development, New Orleans, (Jan. 1982).

  6. R. Kurki-Suonio,Towards better structured definitions of programming languages, Stanford University, STAN-CS-75-500, (1975).

  7. E. F. Codd,A relational model of data for large shared data banks, CACM, vol. 13, no. 6, (1970).

  8. A. L. Furtado and L. Kerschberg,An algebra of quotient relations, Proc. ACM Sigmod, Toronto, (August 1977).

  9. F. W. Tompa,Practical example of specification of abstract data types, Acta Informatica vol. 13, (1980).

  10. T. Niemi,A relational algebra for manipulating relations and their schemas together, Proc. 2nd Scandinavian research seminar on information modelling and data base management, Tampere, (Jan. 1983).

  11. T. Niemi,Seven-tuple representation for hierarchical data structures, Information Systems, vol. 8, no. 3, (1983).

  12. T. Niemi,Formal restructuring functions for hierarchical data bases, International Journal of Computer and Information Sciences, vol. 12, no. 6 (1983).

  13. Final Report of the ANSI/X3/SPARC DBS-SG Relational Database Task Group (eds. M. Brodie and J. Schmidt), ACM Sigmod record vol. 12, no. 4, (1982).

  14. A. Pirotte,A precise definition of basic relational notions and of the relational algebra. ACM Sigmod record, vol. 13, no. 1, (1982).

  15. S. P. Gosh,Data Base Organisation for Data Management, Academic Press, (1977).

  16. C. Date,A formal definition of the relational model, ACM Sigmod record, vol. 13, no. 1, (1982).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Computer Science Department, University of Tampere, P.O. Box 607, SF-33101, Tampere 10, Finland

    Timo Niemi

Authors
  1. Timo Niemi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Niemi, T. Specification of a query language by the attribute method. BIT 24, 171–186 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01937484

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01937484

Keywords

Search

Navigation