Abstract
The semantics of many bulk data models depends on user-defined attributes such as definitions of element equality, ordering, and other domain predicates. While these attributes are an intrinsic part of the data model, they are not normally treated as part of the static type description. This leads to the occurrence of data modelling errors which are not statically detectable, such as a union operator accidentally being applied to two sets which have different equality semantics.
Here we introduce a model of bulk types which includes such attributes as part of the type definition, along with a typechecking scheme which is statically decidable. The model relies upon the value dependencies being manifest to the typechecker; one neat way of achieving this is through the new paradigm of hyper-programming.
Article Note
The original version of this paper [1] includes a section on polymorphism which has been removed from this version for reasons of space.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Connor RCH Atkinson MP Berman S Cutts QI Kirby GNC Morrison R “The Joy of Sets” In Database Programming LanguagesNew York City1993, C. Beeri, A. Ohori, D. Shasha (ed), Workshops in Computing, Springer-Verlag 1994, pp 417–433.
Atkinson, M. P., Lécluse, C, Philbrow, P., Richard, P. “Design Issues in a Map Language”. In Bulk Types & Persistent Data, Kanellakis, P., Schmidt, J. W. (ed), Morgan Kaufmann (1991) pp 20–32.
Connor, R. C. H., Brown, A. L., Cutts, Q. I., Dearie, A., Morrison, R., Rosenberg J. “Type Equivalence Checking in Persistent Object Stores”. In Implementing Persistent Object Bases — Principles and Practice, Morgan Kaufmann, pp 154–170.
Mitchell, J. C., Piotkin, G. D. “Abstract Types have Existential Type”. ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems 10, 3 (1988) pp 470–502.
Milner, R., Tofte, M., Harper, R. The Definition of Standard ML. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts (1989).
Donahue, J., Demers, A. “Data Types are Values”. ACM Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems 7, 3 (1985) pp 421–445.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Connor, R., Atkinson, M.P., Berman, S., Cutts, Q., Kirby, G., Morrison, R. (2000). The Joy of Sets. In: Atkinson, M.P., Welland, R. (eds) Fully Integrated Data Environments. Esprit Basic Research Series. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59623-0_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59623-0_15
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64055-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59623-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive