CADDY : Computer-Aided Design of Non-Standard Databases

The CADDY project is concerned with the development of an integrated environment for Computer-Aided conceptual Design of non-standard Databases. The environment comprises tools for specification, anaiysis, and automatic prototyping of conceptuai database schemas. rn the CADDY project, a conceptuai schema consists of a four layered description formed by the data, object, evolution, and action rayer. All these layers have a well-defined formal semantics that forms the basis for analysis and automatic prototyping. The system is currently being implemented on SUN workstations in the programming language C. lt uses the X-Window system for realizing the user interface and the INGRES database system for installing prototyping databases. At the current state, syntax oriented editors for the data and object layer are completed. Syntax oriented editors for the evolution and action layer as weil as prototyping tools are currently under development. 1 Jntroduction Most complex software systems have a common characteristic in that they administer a Iot of structured data. This means that they provide a fast access to a singre datum during the runtime of the software system and that they use a database system for permanent storage of the data. Examples of such software systems are office automation systems or software development environments, where a Iot of structured documents are manipurated and stored in a centrar database. Traditionar database systems are not appropriate for the realization of such database apprication software, since they do not provide adequate means for application-oriented modelling and handfing of these complex structured data. Therefore, non-standard databases have to be designed and rearized as centrar components in such comprex software systems. Jn this sense, the design of non-standard databases is one important task during the software deveropment process. Like all other software deveropment activities, this task can be supported by appropriate toors in a database design environment. lt is the goal of project CADDY to design and implement such a database design K.