26 lines
3.1 KiB
TeX
26 lines
3.1 KiB
TeX
%!TEX root = ../main.tex
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Spreadsheet style interfaces for relational data have been of interest to researchers and practitioners alike for some time now.
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In \cite{Tyszkiewicz:2010:SRD:1807167.1807191}, Tyszkiewicz demonstrated an embedding of SQL into spreadsheet formula semantics.
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Furthermore, Excel already includes minimal database integration capabilities, and there exists a spectrum of existing attempts at hybrid environments~\cite{Bakke:2011:SUI:1978942.1979313, bakke2011schema, Kandel:2011:WIV:1978942.1979444, Bendre:2015:DUD:2824032.2824121,Liu:2009:SAD:1546683.1547431}.
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\tinysection{Spreadsheets with Workflows}
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Trifacta/Wrangler~\cite{Kandel:2011:WIV:1978942.1979444} is one of the more spiritually similar. As in \sysname, users generate curation workflows by directly editing data. However, unlike \sysname, there is no support for singleton operations in the workflow language; User edits must be generalized immediately through a helpful suggestion interface.
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Query-by-Excel~\cite{Witkowski:2003:SRO:872757.872767,Witkowski:2005:QE:1083592.1083733} (QBX) provides support for cube-style queries operations in a spreadsheet-like environment. Although the goal is different, the mechanism is quite similar: QBX allows singleton outputs in the cube query, encoding them as \texttt{UPDATE} operations on the query output. However, QBX treats only query outputs as mutable, while source data is fixed; \langname is free of this limitation.
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\tinysection{Relational Spreadsheets}
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SheetMusiq~\cite{Liu:2009:SAD:1546683.1547431} uses a semantics for relational queries over spreadsheets. Though superficially similar to \langname, it assumes static data, and does not attempt to preserve formula semantics through queries.
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Related Worksheets~\cite{Bakke:2011:SUI:1978942.1979313, bakke2011schema} provides a spreadsheet UI for structured relational data, focusing in particular on enabling strongly typed data and foreign key references. However, although editing cells is permitted, the work does not address cell formulas.
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DataSpread~\cite{Bendre:2015:DUD:2824032.2824121} extends spreadsheets with relational database functionality: structured query support and a scalable relational engine for a backend. By comparison, \langname starts with a structured relational data model and extends it with the illusion of freeform editing.
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\tinysection{Inspiration}
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The idea of generalizing singleton operations is based on Query by Example~\cite{Zloof:1975:QE:1499949.1500034}, as well as Query by Explanation~\cite{Deutch:2016aa}. As individual operations are grouped together, the system can, in effect, learn to describe what the user is attempting to accomplish. We plan to draw heavily on work in this area to develop \sysname's generalization engine.
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Two other areas we have drawn on heavily for the design of \sysname are scientific workflows~\cite{SV08,CF12a,AD11c,DC07}, which form the basis for the notebook-style interface; as well as
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reenactment~\cite{AG14a,AG16}, which forms the basis for \langname scripts.
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