Re: What is SAMeDL?

[gdt@inmet.camb (Gary Tominovich)]

SAMeDL is a database programming language, currently undergoing ISO
standardization, that supports the development of Ada application interfaces
to relational Database Management Systems (DBMSs) that use SQL.
It differs from other Ada/SQL binding techniques such as ANSI Ada/SQL
Module Language or Ada/ESQL by providing features that better fit the
software engineering principles of Ada.

It supports:
    o A standard modular interface

    o isolation of DBMS differences and COTS DBMS dependencies (handled
      by the SAMeDL compiler and is thus transparent to the user), and
      therefore is very portable.

    o tighter integration with Ada applications by promoting facilities for
      the use of strong and abstract typing, record oriented interfaces, and
      exception handling.

SAMeDL is becoming a common requirement of DoD contracts such as LCU,
I-CASE, and CHS-2, and has been listed in the CIM Technical Reference
Model as a preferred Ada/SQL binding.

At a logical level, the interface generated by a SAMeDL compiler is a
layered approach comprised (from top to bottom) of an abstract interface,
an abstract module, a concrete interface, and a concrete module. The abstract
interface is a set of Ada package specifications containing the type and
procedure declarations to be used by the Ada application program.  The
abstract module is the set of corresponding Ada package bodies for the
abstract interface.  These bodies are reponsible for invoking the routines of
the concrete interface, and converting between the Ada and the SQL data and
error representations.  The concrete interface is a set of specifications
that define the SQL procedures needed by the abstract module.  The concrete
module is a set of SQL procedures that implement the concrete interface.

Intermetrics has implemented SAMeDL compilers that support a variety of
databases from vendors such as Informix, Oracle, Progress, Sybase, and CA/XDB.

If you would like further information, please contact Bill Zimmerman at
617-661-1840, or feel free to contact myself via e-mail or phone.

-- Gary Tominovich
   Intermetrics, Inc.
   (703)-827-2606
   gdt@fanny.wash.inmet.com