Formal Methods in Databases and Software Engineering

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-vii

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2. Transaction Logic: An (Early) Exposé

   • Anthony J. Bonner, Michael Kifer

   Pages 1-23

3. Aggregate Operations in the Information Source Tracking Method

   • Fereidoon Sadri

   Pages 24-38

4. An Incremental Concept Formation Approach for Learning from Databases

   • Rokia Missaoui, Robert Godin

   Pages 39-53

5. The Tecton Proof System

   • Deepak Kapur, David R. Musser, Xumin Nie

   Pages 54-79

6. Modeling Time in Information Systems

   • V. S. Alagar

   Pages 80-95

7. A Unified Framework for Database Specification: Functional Approach

   • Geetha Ramanathan

   Pages 96-110

8. Using VDM within an Object-Oriented Framework

   • Lynn S. Marshall, Linda Simon

   Pages 111-121

9. Software Engineering Environments — what do we want?

   • Pankaj Goyal

   Pages 122-138

10. Efficient Deduction and Induction: Key to the Success of Data-Intensive Knowledge-Base Systems

    • Jiawei Han

    Pages 139-157

11. On Querying Temporal Deductive Databases

    • Laks V. S. Lakshmanan, Daniel A. Nonen

    Pages 158-174

12. Intuitionistic Interpretation of Deductive Databases with Incomplete Information

    • Fangqing Dong, Laks V. S. Lakshmanan

    Pages 175-191

13. Back Matter

    Pages 193-195

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Logic and object-orientation have come to be recognized as being among the most powerful paradigms for modeling information systems. The term "information systems" is used here in a very general context to denote database systems, software development systems, knowledge­ base systems, proof support systems, distributed systems and reactive systems. One of the most vigorously researched topics common to all information systems is "formal modeling". An elegant high-level abstraction applicable to both application domain and system domain concepts will always lead to a system design from "outside in"; that is, the aggregation of ideas is around real-life objects about which the system is to be designed. Formal methods \yhen applied with this view in mind, especially during early stages of system development, can lead to a formal reasoning on the intended properties, thus revealing system flaws that might otherwise be discovered much later. Logic in different styles and semantics is being used to model databases and their transactions; it is also used to specify concurrent, distributed, real-time, and reactive systems. ,The notion of "object" is central to the modeling of object­ oriented databases, as well as object-oriented design and programs in software engineering. Both database and software engineering communities have undoubtedly made important contributions to formalisms based on logic and objects. It is worthwhile bringing together the ideas developed by the two communities in isolation, and focusing on integrating their common strengths.

• data mining
• database
• databases
• deductive database
• development
• formal methods
• incomplete information
• information system
• logic
• modeling
• object
• programming
• software
• software engineering
• verification

• Department of Computer Science, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

  V. S. Alagar, Laks V. S. Lakshmanan, F. Sadri

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