An approach to standard DDL for OODBMSs

Abstract In this paper, we focus on standards for an OODBMS Data Definition Language (DDL), a facility to specify object classes. Key requirements include support of multiple languages, multiple and large databases, portability and heterogeneity, avoiding definition of yet another language, and support of both dynamic and pre-compiled interfaces. We propose an approach based on C++, and address semantics necessary to provide the following capabilities: well-defined primitives for portability and heterogeneity, varying-sized arrays, associations (links), versions, and propagation of methods among objects. We conclude that it is possible to converge on this DDL standard, allowing object models to be defined once for multiple DBMSs.