Title :
ALICE: an assertion language for integrity constraint expression
Author :
Urban, Susan Darling
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Comput. Sci., Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ, USA
Abstract :
A declarative constraint language, ALICE, for the expression of complex, logic-based constraints in an object-oriented database environment is presented. The translation of ALICE constraints to logic was developed to support a design approach that uses techniques from deductive databases to explain constraints at design time and to specify propagation actions. Two different translations for ALICE constraints are described: one that allows a relaxed interpretation in the presence of null values and one that enforces a stricter interpretation in which the use of null values is limited. An important contribution of ALICE is that the formal, declarative nature of the language forms the basis of a constraint management facility for intelligent object-oriented database environments
Keywords :
data integrity; database management systems; high level languages; logic programming; object-oriented programming; ALICE constraints; assertion language; constraint management facility; declarative constraint language; declarative nature; deductive databases; design approach; integrity constraint expression; intelligent object-oriented database environments; logic-based constraints; null values; propagation actions; relaxed interpretation; translation; Computer science; Data models; Database systems; Deductive databases; Environmental management; Ice; Logic design; Object oriented databases; Object oriented modeling; Remuneration;
Conference_Titel :
Computer Software and Applications Conference, 1989. COMPSAC 89., Proceedings of the 13th Annual International
Conference_Location :
Orlando, FL
Print_ISBN :
0-8186-1964-3
DOI :
10.1109/CMPSAC.1989.65098
