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Magic checking: Constraint checking for database query optimisation

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Constraint Databases and Application (CDB 1995)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1034))

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Abstract

Constraint satisfaction techniques, embedded in constraint programming languages such as CHIP, have proven their worth on a wide variety of practical applications. This paper describes a first step towards integrating these techniques into database systems. The main idea is to optimise complex queries by continually checking to see if the current partial results are consistent with the remainder of the query.

In this paper we present a query language, based on Datalog, which enables the database user to control the checking by annotating certain atomic goals. We show how queries expressed in this language can be translated into queries expressed in standard Datalog. Each Datalog rule is separately optimised by the database optimiser.

The language and the translation are motivated by various examples; in particular an application to crossword generation is described where the optimisation proposed in this paper adds significantly to standard database optimisation techniques.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IC-Parc, Imperial College, SW7 2AZ, London

    Mark Wallace, Stephane Bressan & Thierry Le Provost

  2. ECRC, Arabellastr 17, 81725, München

    Mark Wallace, Stephane Bressan & Thierry Le Provost

  3. 76 Rue Cauchoise, F-76000, Rouen

    Mark Wallace, Stephane Bressan & Thierry Le Provost

Authors
  1. Mark Wallace
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  2. Stephane Bressan
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  3. Thierry Le Provost
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Editor information

Gabriel Kuper Mark Wallace

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© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Wallace, M., Bressan, S., Le Provost, T. (1996). Magic checking: Constraint checking for database query optimisation. In: Kuper, G., Wallace, M. (eds) Constraint Databases and Application. CDB 1995. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1034. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-60794-3_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-60794-3_19

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-60794-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49456-0

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