Object-Oriented Database (OODB)
Computer Database has become the main source of power to all source of complicated work. In buildings, there's no exception. From design to demolish, single building could contain so much information that needs to be managed properly to maximize the performance. In the evolution of computer technology, Object-Oriented Database(OODB) has rapidly accepted among users to perform much faster and more accurately. Especially, when Architecture, Engineering, and Construction come together, BIM models has been developed with large quantity of information. To handle that much information, OODBs take a big role in the industry.
Traditionally, computer database applications has very simple data types which requires not much details in each data. In the early ages, relatively few data types were required due to lack of importance of micro specifications and interaction with different firms. Over time, number of data expended exponentially and more complex data types were developed based on the merging the purpose of databases. One of the good example is used in retail store. A single string in the bar code could contain so much information about the product name, price, manufacturer, quality of products and etc.
"Object-oriented" method is based on encapsulating all the information into a single code. Designer can easily code them respect to its purpose of database. This of method is applied in computer-aided design, computer-aided software engineering, and multimedia and image databases, and document/hypertext databases. They let users have a better interactions with object-oriented languages through Java and C++.
OODB is formed with many different objects. Similar objects are grouped into a class. In the same class, all objects have the same variable(with same type), message interface, and methods. Each object has associated with a set of variables that contain data. It also has associated with messages and methods where each message has zero, one, or more values, and each method is a body of code to implement a message. A method returns a value as the response to the message. Messages and methods are interactive. Methods can be read-only or update methods. Read-only method don't change value of the object.
Like Nameita mentioned, database can be used based on different purposes. In her blog, relational Data based is the most common database which OODBs are most adequate to being used. The relational data base is not only easy to create, but also easy to understand. They are basically formed with rows and columns which is similar to MS Excel of information which interacts with each other. These objects are being used in BIM like revit model. David's post mention about how complex objects are made up of simple objects. These objects are similar to Nameita's Database objects, but used in complex way with computer programming.
As the BIM advances in the future, OODB would also be used more friendly in many different aspects. Without any major war, economic crash, or natural disaster occurring, intelligent infrastructures and intelligent buildings could take off by 2025 as ryan mentioned in his blog. In this rapid growth in the BIM world, owners, architects, and construction managers all should adapt it as a new era and for better performance of the building.
References:
http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?ObjectOrientedDatabase
http://odbms.org/download/005.01%20Chandler%20Introduction%20to%20Object-Oriented%20Databases%20September%201998.pdf
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