Visual software development using an object-relationship model

There are many general techniques for software development that are based on variations of the Entity-Relationship model. In this paper we propose a methodology based on a prototyping paradigm for software development which uses ObjectRelationship (OR) models. In most stages of development we use an OR model with virtual objects (entities), relationships and attributes to capture the static information about the modeled enterprise. Dynamic aspects of the application are captured by creating graphical queries and updates, graphical rules, state diagrams and interface forms. Our methodology is supported by CASE tools, such as the OR Schema Tool which allows OR schema creation, the OR Diagram Tool, which is for the specification of graphical operations or messages, a Virtual Component Tool, which allows the creation of virtual objects, virtual relationships and virtual attributes, and a Code Generator to generate code that is included as an integral part of the prototype. Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. ’99 ACM Southeast Regional Conference 1999 ACM 1-58113-128-3/99/0004 5.00