Time-by-example query language for historical databases

The authors propose a graphical query language, Time-by-Example (TBE), which has suitable constructs for interacting with historical relational databases in a natural way. TBE is user-friendly. It follows the graphical, two-dimensional approach of such previous languages as Query-by-Example (QBE), Aggregation-by-Example (ABE), and Summary-Table-by-Example (STBE). TBE also uses the hierarchical window (subquery) concept of ABE and STBE. TBE manipulates triple-valued (set-triple-valued) attributes and historical relations. Set-theoretic expressions are followed to deal with time intervals. The BNF specification for TBE is given.<>