公开(公告)号：JPS63273947A

公开(公告)日：1988-11-11

申请号：JP10021587

申请日：1987-04-24

Applicant: IBM

Inventor： KAJITANI KOICHI ,  KOSAKA KAZUYA ,  SATO MASAKI

IPC: G06F12/00 ,  G06F17/30

Abstract: A user friendly interface is provided to a database system using real world modelling and card-like display representation wherein the format of the display representation enables the user to select and move directly to another such representation. As an example, the combination of a relational data base, a complex syntax language for processing it and apparatus handling the data base by executing in the language enables the user, within reason, to perform the macro-operations which he would do were he using the data base provided on a manual card system. The structure of the data base is comprised of two classes of entity, "complicate" accessible by name or via another such entity, and "basic" accessible only via a complicate entity. An entity is stored as format and data separately, these being combined in entirety for display purposes and, in appropriate part, for syntax generation, when required. The number of possible formats is limited so that full selection is a two step operation - first, the format and then the data - by name or by relational operation. Both local and relational operations can be performed and selection of the operation to be performed is by menu. If a relational operation is instructed, selection of a field in the format of the starting entity on the display automatically generates, within the apparatus, the appropriate syntax frame, which is filled with the parameters corresponding to that part of the data segment of the entity that is displayed in the field. If the instructed operation is local, the syntax is not generated. Additional operation parameters and data can be entered from a keyboard.