An entity-based database interface

Abstract: A user interface to a database designed for casual, interactive use is presented. The system is entity-based · the data display to the user is based upon entities (e.g., persons, documents, organizations) that participate in relationships, rather than upon relations alone as in the relational data model (Codd[1970)).. Examples from an implementation of the system are shown, for a prototype personal database (PDB), developed in connection with the ZOG system at Carnegie-Mellon University (Robertson et al[1977]). Some details of the interface and associated issues concerning relational normal forms, views, and knowledge-based assistance are presented. Experience with the prototype system suggests that the entity-based presentation is appropriate for types of casual interactive use that existing database interfaces do not address, such as browsing. It is proposed that such an interface could be used to supplement a query language or other interface to allow users both kinds of views of the data. IThis work was primarily performed while the author was employed at Carnegie-Mellon University and was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research under contract NOOO14-76-0874. This paper was revised for publication as this report at the author's present address, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center. Further work based on the entity-based idea is now in progress. Comments on the ideas expressed herein arc solicited. CR Categories: 3.79, 4.33 Key words and phrases: database interface, man-Inachine interface, semantic data model, entity