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@inproceedings{DBLP:conf/sigmod/DeheneffeH76,
author = {Claude Deheneffe and
Henri Hennebert},
editor = {James B. Rothnie Jr.},
title = {NUL: A Navigational User's Language for a Network Structured
Data Base},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 1976 ACM SIGMOD International Conference on
Management of Data, Washington, D.C., June 2-4, 1976},
publisher = {ACM},
year = {1976},
pages = {135-142},
ee = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/509383.509402, db/conf/sigmod/DeheneffeH76.html},
crossref = {DBLP:conf/sigmod/76},
bibsource = {DBLP, http://dblp.uni-trier.de}
}
This paper presents an end-user's language which tries to solve the problem of an easy navigation through a DBTG-like data base structure. A request is expressed in a nonprocedural and hierarchically structured fashion. The dialogue is split into two main parts : first a data context definition, then the manipulations of this context.
A context is a part of the data base that the user is concerned with. A context definition is formed by a set of labelled lines; each line is a condition declaration on one entity-set. By means of labels and link names declared in the data structure, a line may be connected to another one; this expresses a 'join', by the named link, between the two entity-sets involved in the two lines.
The originality of the language .lies in the fact that it permits the user to navigate easily and fairly naturally from one entity-set to another through a link; in fact, this navigation is mapped into a hierarchical structure which appears more comprehensible to the user.
On the.other hand, a manipulation is a command such as print, update, insert or other standard actions the user may want to execute on the context.
Copyright © 1976 by the ACM, Inc., used by permission. Permission to make digital or hard copies is granted provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or direct commercial advantage, and that copies show this notice on the first page or initial screen of a display along with the full citation.
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