Technical Status Report - 95Q4 Ian Davis University of Waterloo Progress Report In the period January 1st - March 31 1995 our primary focus was on development of a data model for text (110), design of the DML (150), improvement of the paper entitled 'Text/Relational Database Management Systems: Harmonizing SQL and SGML.' (120 & 150), and implementation of a hybrid query processor (320, 331, 341). We were actively involved in the Hybrid Query Processor Working Group meetings (195) which occurred January 24th, February 24th, and April 3rd and distributed minutes of these three meetings to CSSC. We have integrated all of the components necessary to translate a SQL92 select statement into a distributed execution plan, and are able to use our Hybrid Query Processor (HQP) as a federated database engine. The HQP is capable of performing certain SQL operations and in particular simple relational joins. It can currently communicate with Oracle, DB2, and Fulcrum's SearchServer engine, which are themselves located on different platforms (320,330). We have successfully installed the HQP as an operational component under an ODBC server, and are developing additional interfaces between the HQP and this server which will allow us to support standard ODBC core functionality (160,180). We have begun to consider how we might implement text operators, and are exploring how these text operators might be applied efficiently by the Pat Agent with which the HQP communicates. This Pat Agent may communicate with Pat using the Pat native command language (341). Achievements The major progress in our (100) activities has been the design and acceptance of a data model for text, and associated operators (110A) which allows SGML text to be integrated with SQL. The major progress in our (300) activities has been the development of a rudimentary hybrid query processor (330B) accessible through an ODBC interface, which is capable of providing access to a relation table whose columns are distributed between a relation database system (either Oracle or DB2) and Fulcrum's SearchServer engine. We have distributed for general review within CSSC our Hybrid Query Processor Requirements Statement (310A and 310B), and our Hybrid Query Processor Design Statement (320A and 320B). Problem review One of the individuals assisting us in the development of our HQP requested a leave of absence in January 1995. This meant that the task of completing the software that he was developing, had to be assumed by the remaining two members of our software development team, and that this individual was unavailable to assist as planned in later software development activities. Work is needed to improve the translation between SQL92 and the languages supported by Oracle, DB2, Fulcrum and Open Text, since none of the engines which the HQP communicates with support full SQL92, and those of most interest to us (ie Text Engines) provide at best only limited support for SQL. A better understanding is needed of how Fulcrum and Open Text intend to enhance existing SQL and ODBC interfaces to their engines, since we are encountering limitations with these current interfaces which will in due course need to be resolved. Coming events plan Weekly meetings of the research group within the University will continue throughout the next period. The next meeting of the HQP WG will be on Thursday May 4th, 1995. We will meet from 10 am - 4 pm. Fulcrum will host this meeting in Ottawa. The University of Waterloo is planning to host a meeting with CSSC, May 30th, to review the year's activities, and coordinate future activities. Project Status 6 110 Model Requirements [A] 94May01 94Sep30 100% 7 110 Model Requirements [B] 94Oct01 95Jan30 100% 18 120 DDL Design [A] 94Jan01 94Dec30 95% 19 120 DDL Design [B] 95Feb01 95Feb30 5% 20 120 DDL Design [C] 95Mar01 94Mar30 0% 22 131 DDL Interface Validator [A] 94Oct01 95Jan30 25% 23 131 DDL Interface Validator [B] 95Feb01 95Mar30 0% 33 140 DDL Specification [A] 95Jul01 95Dec30 0% 34 140 DDL Specification [B] 96Dec01 96Jun30 0% 42 150 DML Design [A] 94Jan01 94Jun30 100% 43 150 DML Design [B] 94Jul01 94Sep30 100% 44 150 DML Design finalised 94Oct01 95Jan30 80% 46 161 DML Interface Validator [A] 95Jan01 95Jun30 100% 47 161 DML Interface Validator [B] 95Jul01 96Jan31 0% 48 161 DML Interface Validator [C] 96Feb01 96Jun30 0% 49 161 DML Interface Validator [D] 96Jul01 96Dec30 0% 59 170 DML Specification 95Jul01 95Dec30 0% 60 170 DML Specification 96Jan01 96Jun30 0% 66 180 API Design [A] 94Oct01 94Dec30 100% 67 180 API Design [B] 95Jan01 95Sep30 0% 68 180 API Design [C] 95Oct01 95Dec30 0% 74 190 API Specification [A] 96Jan01 96Jun30 0% 75 190 API Specification [B] 96Jul01 96Dec30 0% 125 310 HQP Requirements [A] 94Oct01 95Jan01 100% 126 310 HQP Requirements [B] 95Jan01 95Mar30 100% 132 320 HQP Design [A] 94Jan01 94Dec30 100% 133 320 HQP Design [B] 95Jan01 95Mar30 100% 135 331 HQP Prototype [A] 94Jan01 94Jun30 100% 136 331 HQP Prototype [B] 94Jan01 95Jun30 75% 137 331 HQP Prototype [C] 95Jul01 96Jan31 0% 138 331 HQP Prototype [D] 96Feb01 96Jun30 0% 146 341 HQP/Agent Integration 94Sep01 95Jun30 40% 146 341 Agent/Oracle Integration 95Apr01 95Sep30 15% 341 Agent/DB2 Integration 95Apr01 95Sep30 15% 147 341 Agent/Fulcrum Integration 95Oct01 96Jun30 15% 148 341 Agent/Pat Integration 95Oct01 96Jun30 5% 900 Project Coordination 93Apr01 97Mar31 33% Ian Davis. April 6, 1995