S-NAR: Generating narrations of SQL queries using regular expressions

Abejide Ade-Ibijola, George Obaido

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Structured Query Language (SQL) is popular with relational databases. Despite the simple and highly structured nature of SQL, end users often find it difficult to comprehend written queries and/or write new queries. Hence, a number of tools have been proposed to aid the comprehension of SQL queries via visualisation. In this paper, we present a different comprehension aid called narrations. Narrations are non-technical, textual descriptions of SQL queries. Using a representation of regular languages, regular expressions, we have designed a tool, called S-NAR (or Sql-NARrator), that reads queries and generates a narration of these queries using pre-defined templates. S-NAR was tested with 5,000 queries and narrated 96% of the queries. The generated narrations should find applications in aiding comprehension in the teaching of database courses at higher institutions of learning, and assisting the comprehension of legacy queries in data-centered industries.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSouth African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists
Subtitle of host publicationComputing for Humanity in Today�s World!, SAICSIT 2017 - Proceedings
EditorsPieter Blignaut, Tanya Stott
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery
ISBN (Electronic)9781450352505
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Sept 2017
Event23rd South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists Conference, SAICSIT 2017 - Thaba 'Nchu, South Africa
Duration: 26 Sept 201728 Sept 2017

Publication series

NameACM International Conference Proceeding Series
VolumePart F130806

Conference

Conference23rd South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists Conference, SAICSIT 2017
Country/TerritorySouth Africa
CityThaba 'Nchu
Period26/09/1728/09/17

Keywords

  • Learning via abstraction
  • Query comprehension
  • Regular expression application
  • SQL query narration

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Software
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
  • Computer Networks and Communications

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