title: Easing the transition between attribute-value databases and conventional databases for scientific data.
abstract: We have previously developed and described a modeling and development framework called EAV/CR, which is appropriate for designing databases containing highly heterogeneous and evolving data, as in the case of scientific databases for rapidly advancing domains. The use of EAV/CR has been hampered by the lack of generic tools for non-procedurally transferring data into or out of legacy systems or analytical packages: the transfer task is complicated by the different representation of EAV vs. conventional data, which is not addressed by commercial data-transfer programs. We have therefore created such a tool, which works with a wide variety of data sources that are accessible via Microsoft OLE DB technology. The data transfer tool requires minimal programmer intervention to set up, and no programming to use on a regular basis. Current limitations of the tool are also noted.
authors.affiliation: Yale Center for Medical Informatics, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nadkarni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marenco
mesh_terms: D003628:Database Management Systems; D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018511:Systems Integration; D014584:User-Computer Interface