A reusable graphical user interface for manipulating object-oriented databases using Java and XML

This paper describes the design and functionality of a graphical user interface (GUI) written in Java Swing that is used to support instructional activities associated with teaching object-oriented database (OODB) concepts. The GUI supports the manipulation of objects in an OODB, assuming the implementation of a specified interface for interacting with an OODB. By using the interface, students can focus on object-oriented design and programming concepts associated with OODB concepts rather than the development of a user interface. Since the GUI uses the Extensible Markup Language (XML) for defining the database schema and data import/export, the use of the GUI provides the added benefit of demonstrating the manner in which XML interacts with database technology.