User interface tools for object-oriented database systems

The authors describe an architecture for a user interface for an OODB which is general in nature, independent of variations in the details of an underlying object model, and capable of supporting a variety of user interface requirements. The prototype employs a default interface style based on hybrids of forms and control panels. Within this framework, a tool is built which allows users to declaratively define applications at a high-level of abstraction. Such user interface tools will be a requirement for OODBs in order to permit users to exploit their powerful data and computational models while hiding their complexity. It is also likely that such tools will permit users to specify application-specific user interface behaviour