BIROn - Birkbeck Institutional Research Online

    A nested-graph model for the representation and manipulation of complex objects

    Poulovassilis, Alex and Levene, Mark (1994) A nested-graph model for the representation and manipulation of complex objects. ACM Transactions on Information Systems 12 (1), pp. 35-68. ISSN 1046-8188.

    Full text not available from this repository.

    Abstract

    Three recent trends in database research are object-oriented and deductive databases and graph-based user interfaces. We draw these trends together in a data model we call the Hypernode Model. The single data structure of this model is the hypernode, a graph whose nodes can themselves be graphs. Hypernodes are typed, and types, too, are nested graphs. We give the theoretical foundations of hypernodes and types, and we show that type checking is tractable. We show also how conventional type-forming operators can be simulated by our graph types, including cyclic types. The Hypernode Model comes equipped with a rule-based query language called Hyperlog, which is complete with respect to computation and update. We define the operational semantics of Hyperlog and show that the evaluation can be performed efficiently. We discuss also the use of Hyperlog for supporting database browsing, an essential feature of Hypertext databases. We compare our work with other graph-based data models—unlike previous graph-based models, the Hypernode Model provides inherent support for data abstraction via its nesting of graphs. Finally, we briefly discuss the implementation of a DBMS based on the Hypernode Model.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences
    Depositing User: Sarah Hall
    Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2021 17:13
    Last Modified: 09 Aug 2023 12:51
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/44733

    Statistics

    Activity Overview
    6 month trend
    0Downloads
    6 month trend
    117Hits

    Additional statistics are available via IRStats2.

    Archive Staff Only (login required)

    Edit/View Item Edit/View Item