Text/Relational Database Management Systems: Overview and Proposed SQL Extensions

This paper (pdf) provides an overview of concepts that were foundational to all that followed.

Adding Structured Text to SQL

The SQL2 standard (which became an international standard in 1992) does not define how new types of information, such as structured text, might be integrated into relational database technology.

The SQL3 standard (now in the process of being prepared) addresses this limitation in SQL2, by allowing implementors to develop new Abstract Data Type (ADT's) which are accessed via interfaces that the implementor defines, and which SQL3 uses when accessing these new types of data.

As a complimentary exercise SQL/MM (SQL Multi-Media) is developing standards which define suitable SQL3 interfaces to an eclectic collection of generic Abstract Data Types, intended for use in Multi-Media applications. SQL/MM is focused on providing support for text, spacial representations, and still images.

TextServer builds on the structured text extensions developed by the University of Waterloo. These standards were accepted as a change proposal by the SQL/MM committee, with the caveat that they be designated for "later progression".

A Structured Text ADT for Object-Relational Databases

This paper (ps 1,500K) and (Word95 500K) presents the results of initial proof of concept work conducted at the University of Waterloo, into developing a Hybrid Text-Relational database system.

Integrating XPath with SQL

This paper presents the Textserver query language and its capabilities to a wider audience.

Version 1 (html) or (word doc 87K)

Version 2 (html)

Indexing XPath expressions

This paper (word doc 154k) or (pdf 629K) describes in some detail the indexing strategies employed by our product.