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EER Model: Superclasses & Subclasses

The document discusses the Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER) model and how it addresses some limitations of the basic ER model. It introduces the concepts of subclasses, superclasses, and attribute inheritance in the EER model. A superclass can have multiple subclasses that represent meaningful subgroupings of the superclass entities. Subclass entities inherit all attributes and relationships from the superclass. The EER model allows for more complex and accurate data modeling than the basic ER model.

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94 views9 pages

EER Model: Superclasses & Subclasses

The document discusses the Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER) model and how it addresses some limitations of the basic ER model. It introduces the concepts of subclasses, superclasses, and attribute inheritance in the EER model. A superclass can have multiple subclasses that represent meaningful subgroupings of the superclass entities. Subclass entities inherit all attributes and relationships from the superclass. The EER model allows for more complex and accurate data modeling than the basic ER model.

Uploaded by

Game Lover
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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1

Database Systems
Lecture 12

EER model, super and subclasses


Database Management Systems
2

Database Management
Systems

Today’s Agenda
• Enhanced Entity Relationship (EER)
• Superclass, subclass and inheritance
3

Database Management
Systems

Why we need EER modeling?


• ER modeling concepts discussed in Chapter 3 are
sufficient for representing many database schemas
for "traditional" database applications,
• Design more accurate database schemas that reflect
the data properties and constraints more precisely.
▫ Databases for engineering design and manufacturing
▫ Telecommunications
▫ Complex software systems
▫ Geographic Information Systems (GIs)
• More complex requirements
• Led to the development of additional semantic data
modeling concepts
4

Database Management
Systems

Enhanced-ER (EER) Model Concepts


• Includes all modeling concepts of basic ER
• Additional concepts: subclasses/superclasses,
specialization/generalization, categories,
attribute inheritance
• The resulting model is called the Enhanced-ER
or Extended ER (E2R or EER) model
• It is used to model applications more completely
and accurately with additional semantics
• It includes some object-oriented concepts, such
as inheritance
5

Database Management
Systems

Subclasses and Superclasses (1)


• An entity type may have additional meaningful
subgroupings of its entities
• Example: EMPLOYEE may be further grouped into
SECRETARY, ENGINEER, MANAGER, TECHNICIAN,
SALARIED_EMPLOYEE, HOURLY_EMPLOYEE,…
▫ Each of these groupings is a subset of EMPLOYEE entities
▫ Each is called a subclass of EMPLOYEE
▫ EMPLOYEE is the superclass for each of these subclasses
• These are called superclass/subclass relationships.
• Example: EMPLOYEE/SECRETARY,
EMPLOYEE/TECHNICIAN
6

Database Management
Systems

Subclasses and Superclasses (2)


• These are also called IS-A relationships (SECRETARY IS-A
EMPLOYEE, TECHNICIAN IS-A EMPLOYEE, …).
• Note: An entity that is member of a subclass represents the same
real-world entity as some member of the superclass
▫ The Subclass member is the same entity in a distinct specific role
▫ An entity cannot exist in the database merely by being a member
of a subclass; it must also be a member of the superclass
▫ A member of the superclass can be optionally included as a
member of any number of its subclasses
• Example: A salaried employee who is also an engineer belongs to the
two subclasses ENGINEER and SALARIED_EMPLOYEE
▫ It is not necessary that every entity in a superclass be a member
of some subclass
7

Database Management
Systems

Example
8

Database Management
Systems

Attribute Inheritance in Superclass /


Subclass Relationships

• An entity that is member of a


subclass inherits all attributes of the
superclass
• It also inherits all relationships of
the superclass
9

Database Management
Systems

EER diagram notation to represent


subclasses and specialization

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