The multi-valued format as you're calling it, is not an abnormal form. It is a non-first normal form. That is, it is normal, but it is not first normal.
The query language is extended with an implied unnest operation. We don't actually use this type of language in MV, since we just assume that it can do it, without our explicit order. MV is not the only structure that allows nested relationships. I don't really know if this type of designation "non-first normal" is going to catch hold in the MV world. Probably we're going to end up calling it Nested Relational. The MV world is certainly a giant step beyond the true non-relational databases such as *shudder* Excel which have multiple abnormalities in the way they can and are updated. I.E. dependency relationships are often left dangling or in ambiguous states, a thing which can not happen (at least not in the same fashion) in MV. _______________________________________________ U2-Users mailing list U2-Users@listserver.u2ug.org http://listserver.u2ug.org/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
