Synthesizing database structures from a user oriented data model

Abstract: In data processing a form (document) is normally a medium for data entry. Forms are mainly user oriented, however, they can also be motivated for other reasons. In this study different properties and motives for use of forms are discussed. It will be demonstrated how user defined form types can be used to generate definitions for consistent and non-redundant databases and also how form types can be interfaced to such databases and provide a query language. It will also be shown that form types can constitute application programs written in a special purpose language. An important feature here is that form types can be used as input in a process for automatic program generation. Discussed is also the extraction of efficient access paths from the user defined form types and the architecture of a form oriented system which make full use of the mentioned properties.