Database and Expert Systems Integration - Information Systems Reengineering, Integration and Normalization - page 311

Description: Class
Class { Class_Name /* a unique name in all system */
Primary_Key /*an attribute name or by default a
class_name */
Parents /* a list of class names */
Description /* the description of the class */
Attributes /*a list of attributes */
Methods /* a list of methods; */
Constraints /* constraint methods for the class */
}
Description: Attribute
Attribute{
Attribute_Name /* a unique name in this class */
Attribute_Type /* the data type for the attribute */
Default_Value /* predefined value for the attribute */
Cardinality /* is the attribute single or multi-valued */
Description /* a description of the attribute */
Constraints /* constraint methods for the attribute */
}
Description: Method
Method { Method_Name /* a unique name in this class */

Parameters /* a list of arguments for the method */
Type /* the final result data type */
Description /* the description of the method */
Method_Body /* processing function of the method */
{

If /* the rule conditions */
Then /* the rule actions or normal methods */

}

Constraints /* a list of constraints for this method */
}
Description: Constraint
Constraints /* a list of constraint methods for this class */
{

Method_Name /* constraint method name */
Parameters /* a list of arguments for the method */
Ownership /* the class name of the owner of the
method*/
Event /* triggered event */
Sequence /* method action time */
Timing /* the method action timer */ }

Fig. 8.2 The structure of the frame model metadata

The components of the frame model metadata can be described as follows:

• Classes

The Frame model metadata consists of three classes: static classes, active classes,
and coupling classes. Static classes represent factual data entities, active classes rep-
resent rule entities, and coupling classes represent the temporal entities imported
from tier 1 and used by tier 3 to form an EDS. In other words, an active class is event