A MODUIARIZATION t#HXANISM FOR CONCEPTUAL MODELING

The abstraction mechanisms of Semantic Data Models aggregation, classification and generalization are considered the basic features to be supported by conceptual languages, i.e., programming languages with high-level constructs for database applications. This paper shows that conceptual languages should also provide a modularization mechanism as another feature to achieve a more adequate database modeling capability. Such a mechanism is required to organize structural and procedural aspects of a complex schema in smaller, interrelates units. A proposal is presented in the framework of Galileo, a strongly-typed, interactive, conceptual language designed specifically for database applications.