Using a metamodel to represent object-oriented data models

A metamodel for describing the semantics of object-oriented data models is presented. This metamodel supports the automatic generation of conceptual database design tool software for a variety of data models. Data modeling is viewed as having three levels of abstraction. The physical database, at the lowest level, stores objects and relationships. Specific data models reside at the middle level. A data model consists of object types and relationship types. The metamodel resides at the highest level and is composed of metaobject types and metarelationship types. To illustrate the utility of the metamodel, the representation of the ORION data model is presented