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Understanding Enhanced Entity Relationship Models

The document discusses the Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER) model, which is an extension of the ER model that can more complex relationships between entities in a database. The EER model represents entities as objects with attributes and shows relationships between entities using shapes like lines and diamonds. It also introduces concepts like subclasses, superclasses, specialization, generalization, and categories to model class-subclass relationships between entities and handle attribute inheritance. Constraints like disjoint, overlap, total, and partial specialization can also be specified.

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Debashish Deka
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233 views11 pages

Understanding Enhanced Entity Relationship Models

The document discusses the Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER) model, which is an extension of the ER model that can more complex relationships between entities in a database. The EER model represents entities as objects with attributes and shows relationships between entities using shapes like lines and diamonds. It also introduces concepts like subclasses, superclasses, specialization, generalization, and categories to model class-subclass relationships between entities and handle attribute inheritance. Constraints like disjoint, overlap, total, and partial specialization can also be specified.

Uploaded by

Debashish Deka
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Enhanced Entity

Relationship (EER) Model


The Entity (Review)
● Entity Relationship (ER) Model – represents an
object
● Physical – person, car
● Conceptual – school, company
● ER model is based on the perception of the real
world as a collection of objects with attributes
● Attributes – describe the entity
● Single, Multi-value
● Composite, Simple
● Derived, Stored
What is an EER Model?
● Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER) –
Data Modeling
● EER shows complex relationships
between objects in a database
(multimedia, geographical).
● Concepts of subclasses and superclasses,
specializations and generalizations.
● Put concepts in diagram to form EER
model
Specialization
Subgrouping into subclasses (top-down approach)
● Example: EMPLOYEE -> SECRETARY
MANAGER, etc.
● Inheritance – Inherit attributes and relationships
from superclass (Name, Birthdate, etc.)
● Subclasses may have uniqe attributes
● SECRETARY has TypingSpeed attribute, MANAGER
has BusinessUnitManaged, etc.
Specialization (cont.)
SSN Name

EMPLOYEE

JobType PayMethod WORKS_IN

DEPARTMENT
U

U
SECRETARY ENGINEER
U U U
SALARY_EMP. HOURLY_EMP.
SOFTWARE_ENGINEER
Model Shapes
● When you have more than one subclass
based on the same defining attribute
(JobType), use
● To show class/subclass relationships, use
U

● Used for relationships between entity types


● To show relationship between two different
entity types, use
Generalization
Reverse processes of defining subclasses
(bottom-up approach)
● Bring together common attributes in
entities
● Example: CAR (with attributes color, price,
max speed) and TRUCK (with attributes
color, price, tonnage) can be generalized
into VEHICLE (with attributes color and
price).
Hierarchies and Lattices
● Hierarchy – subclass participates in one class/subclass
relationship
EMPLOYE SOFTWARE ENGINEER
E has all the attributes of
an ENGINEER and
U

EMPLOYEE
SECRETAR U
ENGINEER
Y

SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Hierarchies and Lattices
● Lattice – subclass participates in more than one
class/subclass relationship
ENGINEERING
EMPLOYE MANAGER (shared
E subclass) is a
MANGER and an

U
ENGINEER
U

SECRETAR U ENGINEER MANAGER


Y
U

U
ENGINEERING MANAGER
Categories
● Models a class/subclass with more than one
superclass of distinct entity types. Attribute
inheritance is selective.
PERSON BANK COMPANY

The category, OWNER,


U is a subclass of the union
of PERSON, BANK, and
U COMPANY. OWNER is
either a PERSON or a
OWNER BANK or a COMPANY
Constraints
● Disjoint – an entity can be a member of at most
one subclass of a specialization d
● Overlap – an entity may belong to more than one
subclass of a specialization o
● Total specialization – each entity of a superclass
belongs to some subclass of a specialization
● Partial specialization – each entity of a
superclass does not have to belong to some
subclass of a specialization

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