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@inproceedings{DBLP:conf/vldb/WongK82,
author = {Harry K. T. Wong and
Ivy Kuo},
title = {GUIDE: Graphical User Interface for Database Exploration},
booktitle = {Eigth International Conference on Very Large Data Bases, September
8-10, 1982, Mexico City, Mexico, Proceedings},
publisher = {Morgan Kaufmann},
year = {1982},
isbn = {0-934613-14-1},
pages = {22-32},
ee = {db/conf/vldb/WongK82.html},
crossref = {DBLP:conf/vldb/82},
bibsource = {DBLP, http://dblp.uni-trier.de}
}
This paper describes a system which uses graph- ics devices as tools to interface to complex data- bases. The difficulties associated with using query languages for large, complex databases such as some of the statistical databases (e.g., Census data, energy data) are examined, We will describe a system con- taining features such as subject directories, help messages, zooming facilities to the relevant part of the database schema, and partial query formulation with intermediate results.
The system offers a graphics interface to the user. The database schema is displayed as a network of entity and relationship types. Queries can be expressed as traversal paths on this network. Partial queries (called "local queries") can be formulated and represented graphically and database retrieval results of any local query are available at any time. Local queries can be linked together to form larger queries and provide the basis for building queries in a piecemeal fashion. Parts of the schema can be selec- tively made visible or invisible and provide the basis of representing multiple levels of details of the schema.
Copyright © 1982 by the VLDB Endowment. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage, the VLDB copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by the permission of the Very Large Data Base Endowment. To copy otherwise, or to republish, requires a fee and/or special permission from the Endowment.
