XML is an emerging standard format for data on the Web as well as in business applications. In order to store and access this information in an efficient manner, database technology must be utilized. A relational database system, the most established and mature technology for query processing and storage, creates a strong foundation for such an XML data management system. However, while relational databases are based on SQL queries, the original user queries are written in XQuery, an XML query language. This XML query language has support for order-sensitive queries as XML is an order-sensitive markup language. A major problem has been discovered with loading XML in a relational database. That problem is the lack of native SQL support for and management of order handling. While XQuery has order and positional support, SQL does not have the same support. For example, individuals who were viewing XML information about music albums would have a hard time querying for the first three songs of a track list from a relational backend. Mapping XML documents to relational backends also proves hard as the data models (hierarchical elements versus flat tables) are so different. For these reasons, and other purposes, the Rainbow System is being developed at WPI as a system that bridges XML data and relational data. This thesis in particular deals with the algebra operators that affect order, order sensitive loading and mapping of XML documents, and the pushdown of order handling into SQL-capable query engines. The contributions of the thesis are the order-sensitive rewrite rules, new XML to relational mappings with different order styles, order-sensitive template-driven SQL generation, and a proposed metadata table for order-sensitive information. A system that implements these proposed techniques with XQuery as the XML query language and Oracle as the backend relational storage system has been developed. Experiments were created to measure execution time based on various factors. First, scalability of the system as backend data set size grows is studied. Second, scalability of the system as results returned from the database grows, and finally, query execution times with different loading types are explored. The experimental results are encouraging. Query execution with the relational backend proves to be much faster than native execution within the Rainbow system. These results confirm the practical utility of our proposed order-sensitive XQuery execution solution over relational data.

Although XML is a widely used technology, the majority of real-world XML documents does not conform to any particular schema. To fill the gap, the research area of automatic schema inference from XML documents has emerged. This work refines and extends recent approaches to the automatic schema inference mainly by exploiting an obsolete schema in the inference process, designing new MDL measures and heuristic excluding of excentric data inputs. The work delivers a ready-to-use and easy-to-extend implementation integrated into the jInfer framework (developed as a software project). Experimental results are a part of the work.

Aujourd'hui, les ordinateurs et l'Internet sont partout dans le monde : dans chaque maison, domaine et plateforme. Dans ce contexte, le standard XML s'est établi comme un moyen insigne pour la représentation et l'échange efficaces des données. Les communications et les échanges d'informations entre utilisateurs, applications et systèmes d'information hétérogènes sont désormais réalisés moyennant XML afin de garantir l'interopérabilité des données. Le codage simple et robuste de XML, à base de données textuelles semi-structurées, a fait que ce standard a rapidement envahi les communications medias. Ces communications sont devenues inter-domaines, partant de l'informatique et s'intégrant dans les domaines médical, commercial, et social, etc. Par conséquent, et au vu du niveau croissant des données XML flottantes entre des utilisateurs non-experts (employés, scientifiques, etc.), que ce soit sur les messageries instantanées, réseaux sociaux, stockage de données ou autres, il devient incontournable de permettre aux utilisateurs non-experts de manipuler et contrôler leurs données (e.g., des parents qui souhaitent appliquer du contrôle parental sur les messageries instantanées de leur maison, un journaliste qui désire regrouper et filtrer des informations provenant de différents flux RSS, etc.). L'objectif principal de cette thèse est l'étude des manipulations des données XML par des utilisateurs non-experts. Quatre principales catégories ont été identifiées dans la littérature : i) les langages visuels orientés XML, ii) les Mashups, iii) les techniques de manipulation des données XML, et iv) les DFVPL (langages de programmation visuel à base de Dataflow), couvrant différentes pistes. Cependant, aucune d'entre elles ne fournit une solution complète. Dans ce travail de recherche, nous avons formellement défini un Framework de manipulation XML, intitulé XA2C (XML-oriented mAnipulAtion Compositions). XA2C représente un environnement de programmation visuel (e.g., Visual-Studio) pour un DFVPL orienté XML, intitulé XCDL (XML-oriented Composition Definition Language) qui constitue la contribution majeure de cette thèse. XCDL, basé sur les réseaux de Pétri colorés, permet aux non-experts de définir, d'arranger et de composer des opérations de manipulation orientées XML. Ces opérations peuvent être des simples sélections/projections de données, ainsi que des opérations plus complexes de modifications de données (insertion, suppression, tatouage, etc.). Le langage proposé traite les données XML à base de documents ou de fragments. En plus de la définition formelle (syntaxique et sémantique) du langage XCDL, XA2C introduit une architecture complète à base d'un compilateur et un environnement d'exécution dédiés. Afin de tester et d'évaluer notre approche théorique, nous avons développé un prototype, intitulé X-Man, avec un Framework d'évaluation pour les langages et outils visuels de programmation orientés XML. Une série d'études de cas et d'expérimentations a été réalisée afin d'évaluer la qualité d'usage de notre langage, et de le comparer aux solutions existantes. Les résultats obtenus soulignent la supériorité de note approche, notamment en termes de qualité d'interaction, de visualisation, et d'utilisation. Plusieurs pistes sont en cours d'exploration, telles que l'intégration des opérations plus complexes (opérateurs de contrôle, boucles, etc.), les compositions automatiques, et l'extension du langage pour gérer la spécificité des formats dérivés du standard XML (flux RSS, RDF, SMIL, etc.)

<p>In many industries the tracking and tracing of products within the supply chain is required by law. Companies in the metal working industry exchange so-called material test reports, which specify the product’s properties, the customer’s requirements, and serve as an assurance between the supplier and the customer. Internet technologies have changed the way companies exchange information and conduct business. In the metal working industry companies can implement an intermediary platform and make the exchange of material test reports more efficient. Furthermore, a client application that allows the company to export test reports from their information system directly to the intermediary can significantly decrease the processing costs. This inter-organizational collaboration can render an increase in productivity for customers and suppliers. </p><p>The main goal of the thesis is to analyze how companies in a supply chain can exchange documents with an intermediary over the protocol SOAP as well as support companies by showing a structured procedure for how to achieve security in a system using SOAP. SOAP is a platform independent XML-based communication protocol. The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is of major importance in e-business applications, because of its platform, language, and vendor independent way of describing data. As a universal data format, it enables the seamless connection of business systems. </p><p>SOAP does not provide any security and is usually implemented over HTTP, which allows it to pass through firewalls. Companies are only prepared to join an inter-organizational collaboration if IT-security is guaranteed. In the exchange of material test reports, security has two objectives. The first is to replace the handwritten signature in the paper-based document exchange. The second is to guarantee security for the material test reports as well as for the information intermediary. </p><p>SOAP’s extensibility model allows organizations to develop new extensions, which build upon the protocol and provide functions which aren’t specified. Specifications for attachments as well as for security should be implemented in the electronic document exchange. To design a secure system, each security concept, such as confidentiality, authentication and integrity, can be analyzed in its context and the appropriate standard can thereafter be implemented.</p>

O uso da XML (Extensible Markup Language) em aplicações envolvendo bancos de dados vem se consolidando nos últimos dois anos. Os principais sistemas de gerenciamento de banco de dados já incorporam essa tecnologia em suas mais recentes versões. Dentre diversas aplicações destaca-se a publicação de dados relacionais em visões XML. Diferentemente da XML, o Modelo Temporal de Versões (TVM) não apresenta suporte entre os bancos de dados atuais. Esse modelo, que une características temporais com o conceito de versão para projetar aplicações orientadas a objetos, precisa ser mapeado para ser adequadamente controlado em um SGBD (Sistema de Gerenciamento de Banco de Dados). Cumprida essa etapa, aplicações do TVM também podem gerar visões XML. Nesse trabalho é inicialmente apresentada uma forma de representar instâncias de aplicações do TVM em um formato XML. Os documentos definidos a partir desse formato de representação são utilizados como base para consultas. Em seguida, é proposta uma extensão de uma linguagem de consulta XML visando proporcionar recursos para a recuperação de informações temporais e de versão representadas em documentos XML. São definidas funções temporais e versionadas que são incorporadas à linguagem base. O funcionamento das funções e a especificação de consultas temporais versionadas são descritos em detalhes no decorrer do trabalho. Uma ferramenta que implementa a linguagem base é utilizada na realização de testes visando validar as novas funções. / The use of the XML in applications involving databases has grown in the last two years. Recent versions of the main database management systems already incorporate this technology. Publishing relational data in XML can be identified as one of the different applications of XML. The Temporal Version Model (TVM) has no support in current databases. This model matches temporal features with the version concept to project object-oriented applications and needs to be mapped to be managed in a DBMS (Database Management System). Once this mapping is achieved, TVM applications can also generate XML views. This work presents initially a way to represent TVM instances in a XML format. Thus, documents created following this representation may be used in queries. Afterwards, an extension of a XML query language is proposed, aiming to provide features for the retrieval of temporal and version information represented in XML documents. Temporal and version functions are defined and incorporated in a base language. The way functions are executed and the specification of temporal version queries are described in details. A tool that implements the base language is used to test the new functions, with the aim of validation.

O uso da XML (Extensible Markup Language) em aplicações envolvendo bancos de dados vem se consolidando nos últimos dois anos. Os principais sistemas de gerenciamento de banco de dados já incorporam essa tecnologia em suas mais recentes versões. Dentre diversas aplicações destaca-se a publicação de dados relacionais em visões XML. Diferentemente da XML, o Modelo Temporal de Versões (TVM) não apresenta suporte entre os bancos de dados atuais. Esse modelo, que une características temporais com o conceito de versão para projetar aplicações orientadas a objetos, precisa ser mapeado para ser adequadamente controlado em um SGBD (Sistema de Gerenciamento de Banco de Dados). Cumprida essa etapa, aplicações do TVM também podem gerar visões XML. Nesse trabalho é inicialmente apresentada uma forma de representar instâncias de aplicações do TVM em um formato XML. Os documentos definidos a partir desse formato de representação são utilizados como base para consultas. Em seguida, é proposta uma extensão de uma linguagem de consulta XML visando proporcionar recursos para a recuperação de informações temporais e de versão representadas em documentos XML. São definidas funções temporais e versionadas que são incorporadas à linguagem base. O funcionamento das funções e a especificação de consultas temporais versionadas são descritos em detalhes no decorrer do trabalho. Uma ferramenta que implementa a linguagem base é utilizada na realização de testes visando validar as novas funções. / The use of the XML in applications involving databases has grown in the last two years. Recent versions of the main database management systems already incorporate this technology. Publishing relational data in XML can be identified as one of the different applications of XML. The Temporal Version Model (TVM) has no support in current databases. This model matches temporal features with the version concept to project object-oriented applications and needs to be mapped to be managed in a DBMS (Database Management System). Once this mapping is achieved, TVM applications can also generate XML views. This work presents initially a way to represent TVM instances in a XML format. Thus, documents created following this representation may be used in queries. Afterwards, an extension of a XML query language is proposed, aiming to provide features for the retrieval of temporal and version information represented in XML documents. Temporal and version functions are defined and incorporated in a base language. The way functions are executed and the specification of temporal version queries are described in details. A tool that implements the base language is used to test the new functions, with the aim of validation.

O uso da XML (Extensible Markup Language) em aplicações envolvendo bancos de dados vem se consolidando nos últimos dois anos. Os principais sistemas de gerenciamento de banco de dados já incorporam essa tecnologia em suas mais recentes versões. Dentre diversas aplicações destaca-se a publicação de dados relacionais em visões XML. Diferentemente da XML, o Modelo Temporal de Versões (TVM) não apresenta suporte entre os bancos de dados atuais. Esse modelo, que une características temporais com o conceito de versão para projetar aplicações orientadas a objetos, precisa ser mapeado para ser adequadamente controlado em um SGBD (Sistema de Gerenciamento de Banco de Dados). Cumprida essa etapa, aplicações do TVM também podem gerar visões XML. Nesse trabalho é inicialmente apresentada uma forma de representar instâncias de aplicações do TVM em um formato XML. Os documentos definidos a partir desse formato de representação são utilizados como base para consultas. Em seguida, é proposta uma extensão de uma linguagem de consulta XML visando proporcionar recursos para a recuperação de informações temporais e de versão representadas em documentos XML. São definidas funções temporais e versionadas que são incorporadas à linguagem base. O funcionamento das funções e a especificação de consultas temporais versionadas são descritos em detalhes no decorrer do trabalho. Uma ferramenta que implementa a linguagem base é utilizada na realização de testes visando validar as novas funções. / The use of the XML in applications involving databases has grown in the last two years. Recent versions of the main database management systems already incorporate this technology. Publishing relational data in XML can be identified as one of the different applications of XML. The Temporal Version Model (TVM) has no support in current databases. This model matches temporal features with the version concept to project object-oriented applications and needs to be mapped to be managed in a DBMS (Database Management System). Once this mapping is achieved, TVM applications can also generate XML views. This work presents initially a way to represent TVM instances in a XML format. Thus, documents created following this representation may be used in queries. Afterwards, an extension of a XML query language is proposed, aiming to provide features for the retrieval of temporal and version information represented in XML documents. Temporal and version functions are defined and incorporated in a base language. The way functions are executed and the specification of temporal version queries are described in details. A tool that implements the base language is used to test the new functions, with the aim of validation.

In many industries the tracking and tracing of products within the supply chain is required by law. Companies in the metal working industry exchange so-called material test reports, which specify the product’s properties, the customer’s requirements, and serve as an assurance between the supplier and the customer. Internet technologies have changed the way companies exchange information and conduct business. In the metal working industry companies can implement an intermediary platform and make the exchange of material test reports more efficient. Furthermore, a client application that allows the company to export test reports from their information system directly to the intermediary can significantly decrease the processing costs. This inter-organizational collaboration can render an increase in productivity for customers and suppliers. The main goal of the thesis is to analyze how companies in a supply chain can exchange documents with an intermediary over the protocol SOAP as well as support companies by showing a structured procedure for how to achieve security in a system using SOAP. SOAP is a platform independent XML-based communication protocol. The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is of major importance in e-business applications, because of its platform, language, and vendor independent way of describing data. As a universal data format, it enables the seamless connection of business systems. SOAP does not provide any security and is usually implemented over HTTP, which allows it to pass through firewalls. Companies are only prepared to join an inter-organizational collaboration if IT-security is guaranteed. In the exchange of material test reports, security has two objectives. The first is to replace the handwritten signature in the paper-based document exchange. The second is to guarantee security for the material test reports as well as for the information intermediary. SOAP’s extensibility model allows organizations to develop new extensions, which build upon the protocol and provide functions which aren’t specified. Specifications for attachments as well as for security should be implemented in the electronic document exchange. To design a secure system, each security concept, such as confidentiality, authentication and integrity, can be analyzed in its context and the appropriate standard can thereafter be implemented.

The present work proposes visibly pushdown transducers (VPTs) for defining transformations of documents with a nesting structure. We show that this subclass of pushdown transducers enjoy good properties. Notably, we show that functionality is decidable in PTime and k-valuedness in co-NPTime. While this class is not closed under composition and its type checking problem against visibly pushdown automata is undecidable, we identify a subclass, the well-nested VPTs, closed under composition and with a decidable type checking problem. Furthermore, we show that the class of VPTs is closed under look-ahead, and that the deterministic VPTs with look-ahead characterize the functional VPTs transductions. Finally, we investigate the resources necessary to perform transformations defined by VPTs. We devise a memory efficient algorithm. Then we show that it is decidable whether a VPT transduction can be performed with a memory that depends on the level of nesting of the input document but not on its length. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The primary goal of this work is a implementation of temporal XML database in Java. There are described databases for XML documents and temporal databases with emphasis on their query languages and problem data storing is also analyzes for temporal databases. Source codes of the resulting application are public as open-source.