Lecture Eleven

Entity-Relationship Modelling

Based on Chapter Eleven of this book:

Database Systems: A Practical Approach

to Design, Implementation and
Management

International Computer Science S.

Carolyn Begg, Thomas Connolly

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Lecture11Objectives
HowtouseEntityRelationship(ER)modelingindatabase
design.

BasicconceptsassociatedwithERmodel.

DiagrammatictechniquefordisplayingERmodelusing
UnifiedModelingLanguage(UML).

HowtoidentifyandresolveproblemswithERmodelscalled
connectiontraps.

HowtobuildanERmodelfromarequirementsspecification.

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ERdiagramofBranchviewofDreamHome

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ConceptsoftheERModel
Entitytypes

Relationshiptypes

Attributes

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EntityType
Entitytype
Groupofobjectswithsameproperties,
identifiedbyenterpriseashavingan
independentexistence.

Entityoccurrence
Uniquelyidentifiableobjectofanentitytype.

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ExamplesofEntityTypes

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ERdiagramofStaffandBranchentitytypes

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RelationshipTypes
Relationshiptype
Setofmeaningfulassociationsamongentity
types.

Relationshipoccurrence
Uniquelyidentifiableassociation,which
includesoneoccurrencefromeach
participatingentitytype.

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SemanticnetofHasrelationshiptype

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ERdiagramofBranchHasStaffrelationship

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RelationshipTypes
DegreeofaRelationship
Numberofparticipatingentitiesinrelationship.

Relationshipofdegree:
twoisbinary
threeisternary
fourisquaternary.

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BinaryrelationshipcalledPOwns

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TernaryrelationshipcalledRegisters

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QuaternaryrelationshipcalledArranges

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RelationshipTypes
RecursiveRelationship
Relationshiptypewheresameentitytype
participatesmorethanonceindifferentroles.

Relationshipsmaybegivenrolenamesto
indicatepurposethateachparticipatingentity
typeplaysinarelationship.

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RecursiverelationshipcalledSupervises
withrolenames

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Entitiesassociatedthroughtwodistinct
relationshipswithrolenames

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Attributes
Attribute
Propertyofanentityorarelationshiptype.

AttributeDomain
Setofallowablevaluesforoneormore
attributes.

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Attributes
SimpleAttribute
Attributecomposedofasinglecomponent
withanindependentexistence.

CompositeAttribute
Attributecomposedofmultiplecomponents,
eachwithanindependentexistence.

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Attributes
SinglevaluedAttribute
Attributethatholdsasinglevalueforeach
occurrenceofanentitytype.

MultivaluedAttribute
Attributethatholdsmultiplevaluesforeach
occurrenceofanentitytype.

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Attributes
DerivedAttribute
Attributethatrepresentsavaluethatis
derivablefromvalueofarelatedattribute,
orsetofattributes,notnecessarilyinthe
sameentitytype.

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Keys
CandidateKey
Minimalsetofattributesthatuniquelyidentifieseach
occurrenceofanentitytype.

PrimaryKey
Candidatekeyselectedtouniquelyidentifyeach
occurrenceofanentitytype.

CompositeKey
Acandidatekeythatconsistsoftwoormoreattributes.

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ERdiagramofStaffandBranchentities
andtheirattributes

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EntityType
StrongEntityType
Entitytypethatisnotexistencedependent
onsomeotherentitytype.

WeakEntityType
Entitytypethatisexistencedependenton
someotherentitytype.

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StrongentitytypecalledClientandweak
entitytypecalledPreference

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RelationshipcalledAdvertiseswithattributes

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StructuralConstraints
Maintypeofconstraintonrelationshipsiscalled
multiplicity.

Multiplicitynumber(orrange)ofpossible
occurrencesofanentitytypethatmayrelatetoa
singleoccurrenceofanassociatedentitytype
throughaparticularrelationship.

Representspolicies(calledbusinessrules)established
byuserorcompany.

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StructuralConstraints
Themostcommondegreeforrelationshipsis
binary.

Binaryrelationshipsaregenerallyreferredto
asbeing:
onetoone(1:1)
onetomany(1:*)
manytomany(*:*)

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SemanticnetofStaffManagesBranch
relationshiptype

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MultiplicityofStaffManagesBranch(1:1)
relationship

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SemanticnetofStaffOversees
PropertyForRentrelationshiptype

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MultiplicityofStaffOverseesPropertyForRent
(1:*)relationshiptype

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SemanticnetofNewspaperAdvertises
PropertyForRentrelationshiptype

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MultiplicityofNewspaperAdvertises
PropertyForRent(*:*)relationship

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StructuralConstraints
MultiplicityforComplexRelationships
Number(orrange)ofpossibleoccurrences
ofanentitytypeinannaryrelationship
whenother(n1)valuesarefixed.

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SemanticnetofternaryRegistersrelationship
withvaluesforStaffandBranchentitiesfixed

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MultiplicityofternaryRegistersrelationship

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Summaryofmultiplicityconstraints

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StructuralConstraints
Multiplicityismadeupoftwotypesofrestrictionson
relationships:cardinalityandparticipation.

Cardinality
Describesmaximumnumberofpossiblerelationship
occurrencesforanentityparticipatinginagiven
relationshiptype.

Participation
Determineswhetheralloronlysomeentityoccurrences
participateinarelationship.

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Multiplicityascardinalityandparticipation
constraints

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Lecture11FurtherObjectives

HowtoidentifyandresolveproblemswithER
modelscalledconnectiontraps.

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ProblemswithERModels
Problemsmayarisewhendesigninga
conceptualdatamodelcalledconnectiontraps.

Oftenduetoamisinterpretationofthe
meaningofcertainrelationships.

Twomaintypesofconnectiontrapsarecalled
fantrapsandchasmtraps.

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ProblemswithERModels
FanTrap
Whereamodelrepresentsarelationshipbetween
entitytypes,butpathwaybetweencertainentity
occurrencesisambiguous.

ChasmTrap
Whereamodelsuggeststheexistenceofa
relationshipbetweenentitytypes,butpathway
doesnotexistbetweencertainentityoccurrences.

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AnExampleofaFanTrap

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SemanticNetofERModelwithFanTrap

AtwhichbranchofficedoesstaffnumberSG37
work?

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RestructuringERmodeltoremoveFanTrap

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SemanticNetofRestructuredERModel
withFanTrapRemoved

SG37worksatbranchB003.

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AnExampleofaChasmTrap

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SemanticNetofERModelwithChasmTrap

AtwhichbranchofficeispropertyPA14
available?

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ERModelrestructuredtoremoveChasmTrap

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SemanticNetofRestructuredERModel
withChasmTrapRemoved

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