EER Model

Outline

Limitations of Basic Concepts of the ER Model

Enhanced-ER (EER) Model Concepts

Subclasses and Superclasses

Specialization and Generalization

Specialization / Generalization Hierarchies, Lattices
and Shared Subclasses

Categories

Formal Definitions of EER Model

Database Design Modeling Tools

Reading:
• [1]: Chapter 4, [2]: Chapter 12
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 Limitations of Basic Concepts of the
ER model

Since the 1980s there has been an increase in
emergence of new database applications with more
demanding requirements

Basic concepts of ER modeling are not sufficient to
represent requirements of newer, more complex
applications

Response is development of additional ‘semantic’
modeling concepts

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 Enhanced-ER 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 if needed

It includes some object-oriented concepts, such as
inheritance

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 Subclasses and Superclasses

An entity type may have additional meaningful subgroups of its entities

Example: EMPLOYEE may be further grouped into SECRETARY,
ENGINEER, MANAGER, TECHNICIAN, SALARIED_EMPLOYEE,
HOURLY_EMPLOYEE,…
• Each of these groups 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

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EER diagram notation to represent subclasses & specialization

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 Subclasses and Superclasses

These are also called IS-A (IS-AN) relationships (SECRETARY IS-A
EMPLOYEE, TECHNICIAN IS-A EMPLOYEE, …).

Note: An entity that is a 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
• Superclass/subclass relationship is one-to-one (1:1)

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Inheritance in Superclass/Subclass Relationships

An entity that is a member of a subclass inherits all

attributes of the entity as a member of the
superclass

It also inherits all relationships

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 Specialization

Is the process of defining a set of subclasses of a superclass

The set of subclasses is based upon some distinguishing characteristics of the
entities in the superclass

Example: {SECRETARY, ENGINEER, TECHNICIAN} is a specialization of
EMPLOYEE based upon job type.
• May have several specializations of the same superclass

Example: Another specialization of EMPLOYEE based on the method of pay is
{SALARIED_EMPLOYEE, HOURLY_EMPLOYEE}.
• Superclass/subclass relationships and specialization can be diagrammatically
represented in EER diagrams
• Attributes of a subclass are called specific/local attributes. For example,
TypingSpeed of SECRETARY
• The subclass can participate in specific relationship types. For example,
BELONGS_TO of HOURLY_EMPLOYEE

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Example of a Specialization

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Instances of a specialization

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 Generalization

The reverse of the specialization process

Several classes with common features are generalized into a
superclass; original classes become its subclasses

Example: CAR, TRUCK generalized into VEHICLE; both
CAR, TRUCK become subclasses of the superclass
VEHICLE.
• We can view {CAR, TRUCK} as a specialization of VEHICLE
• Alternatively, we can view VEHICLE as a generalization of CAR and
TRUCK

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Generalization Example

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 Specialization and Generalization

Diagrammatic notation sometimes used to
distinguish between generalization and
specialization
• Arrow pointing to the generalized superclass represents a
generalization
• Arrows pointing to the specialized subclasses represent a
specialization
• We do not use this notation because it is often subjective as to which
process is more appropriate for a particular situation
• We advocate not drawing any arrows in these situations

Data Modeling with Specialization and
Generalization
• A superclass or subclass represents a set of entities
• Shown in rectangles in EER diagrams (as are entity types)
• Sometimes, all entity sets are simply called classes, whether they are
entity types, superclasses, or subclasses

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

If we can determine exactly those entities that will
become members of each subclass by a condition,
the subclasses are called predicate-defined (or
condition-defined) subclasses
• Condition is a constraint that determines subclass
members
• Display a predicate-defined subclass by writing the
predicate condition next to the line attaching the subclass
to its superclass

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

If all subclasses in a specialization have
membership condition on same attribute of the
superclass, specialization is called an attribute
defined-specialization
• Attribute is called the defining attribute of the
specialization
• Example: JobType is the defining attribute of the
specialization {SECRETARY, TECHNICIAN, ENGINEER}
of EMPLOYEE

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EER diagram notation for an attribute-defined
specialization on JobType

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

If no condition determines membership, the
subclass is called user-defined
• Membership in a subclass is determined by the database
users by applying an operation to add an entity to the
subclass
• Membership in the subclass is specified individually for
each entity in the superclass by the user

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

Two basic conditions apply to a
specialization/generalization: disjointness and
completeness constraints

Disjointness Constraint:
• Specifies that the subclasses of the specialization must
be disjointed (an entity can be a member of at most one
of the subclasses of the specialization)
• Specified by d in EER diagram
• If not disjointed, overlap; that is the same entity may be a
member of more than one subclass of the specialization
• Specified by o in EER diagram

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

Completeness Constraint:
• Total specifies that every entity in the superclass must be
a member of some subclass in the specialization/
generalization: Shown in EER diagrams by a double line
• Partial allows an entity not to belong to any of the
subclasses: Shown in EER diagrams by a single line

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Example of Disjoint Partial
Specialization

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Example of Overlapping Total
Specialization

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 Constraints on Specialization and
Generalization

Hence, we have four types of specialization /
generalization:
• Disjoint, total
• Disjoint, partial
• Overlapping, total
• Overlapping, partial

Note: Generalization is usually total because the
superclass is derived from the subclasses

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 Specialization / Generalization Hierarchies,
Lattices and Shared Subclasses

A subclass may itself have further subclasses
specified on it, forming a hierarchy or a lattice

Hierarchy has a constraint that every subclass has
only one superclass (called single inheritance)

In a lattice, a subclass can be subclass of more
than one superclass (called multiple inheritance)

In a lattice or hierarchy, a subclass inherits
attributes not only of its direct superclass, but also
of all its predecessor superclasses

A subclass with more than one superclass is called
a shared subclass

Can have specialization hierarchies or lattices, or
generalization hierarchies or lattices
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Specialization / Generalization Lattice Example (UNIVERSITY)

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 Categories

All of the superclass/subclass relationships we have seen thus far have a
single superclass

A shared subclass is subclass in more than one distinct
superclass/subclass relationships, where each relationships has a single
superclass (multiple inheritance)

In some cases, need to model a single superclass/subclass relationship
with more than one superclass

Superclasses represent different entity types

Such a subclass is called a category or UNION TYPE

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 Categories

Example: Database for vehicle registration, vehicle owner
can be a person, a bank (holding a lien on a vehicle) or a
company.
• Category (subclass) OWNER is a subset of the union of the three
superclasses COMPANY, BANK, and PERSON
• A category member must exist in at least one of its superclasses

Note: The difference from shared subclass, which is a subset
of the intersection of its superclasses (shared subclass
member must exist in all of its superclasses)

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 Two categories (union types):
OWNER and REGISTERED_VEHICLE

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 Formal Definitions of EER Model

Class C:
• A type of entity with a corresponding set of entities:
→could be entity type, subclass, superclass, or category

Note: The definition of relationship type in ER/EER should
have 'entity type' replaced with 'class‘ to allow relationships
among classes in general

Subclass S is a class whose:
→Type inherits all the attributes and relationship of a class C
→Set of entities must always be a subset of the set of entities of the other
class C: S ⊆ C
→C is called the superclass of S
→A superclass/subclass relationship exists between S and C

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 Formal Definitions of EER Model

Specialization Z: Z = {S1, S2,…, Sn} is a set of
subclasses with same superclass G; hence, G/Si is
a superclass/subclass relationship for i = 1,…, n
• G is called a generalization of the subclasses {S1, S2,…,
Sn}
• Z is total if we always have:
→S1 ∪ S2 ∪ … ∪ Sn = G;
→Otherwise, Z is partial
• Z is disjoint if we always have:
→Si ∩ Sj empty-set for i ≠ j;
→Otherwise, Z is overlapping

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 Formal Definitions of EER Model

Subclass S of C is predicate defined if predicate (condition)
p on attributes of C is used to specify membership in S; that
is, S = C[p], where C[p] is the set of entities in C that satisfy
condition p

A subclass not defined by a predicate is called user-defined

Attribute-defined specialization: if a predicate A = ci (where A
is an attribute of G and ci is a constant value from the
domain of A) is used to specify membership in each
subclass Si in Z
• Note: If ci ≠ cj for i ≠ j, and A is single-valued, then the attribute-
defined specialization will be disjoint.

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 Formal Definitions of EER Model

Category or UNION type T

• A class that is a subset of the union of n defining
superclasses
D1, D2,…Dn, n>1:
→T ⊆ (D1 ∪ D2 ∪ … ∪ Dn)
• Can have a predicate pi on the attributes of Di to specify
entities of Di that are members of T.
• If a predicate is specified on every Di: T = (D1[p1] ∪
D2[p2] ∪…∪ Dn[pn])

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 EER model

Limitations of Basic Concepts of the ER Model

Enhanced-ER (EER) Model Concepts

Subclasses and Superclasses

Specialization and Generalization

Specialization / Generalization Hierarchies, Lattices
and Shared Subclasses

Categories

Formal Definitions of EER Model

Database Design Modeling Tools

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 Database Design Modeling Tools
COMPANY TOOL FUNCTIONALITY
Embarcadero ER Studio Database Modeling in ER and IDEF1X
Technologies
DB Artisan Database administration and space and security
management
Oracle Developer 2000 and Database modeling, application development
Designer 2000
Popkin Software System Architect 2001 Data modeling, object modeling, process
modeling, structured analysis/design
Platinum Technology Platinum Enterprice Data, process, and business component modeling
(Computer Modeling Suite: Erwin,
BPWin, Paradigm Plus
Associates)
Persistence Inc. Pwertier Mapping from O-O to relational model
Rational (IBM) Rational Rose Modeling in UML and application generation in
C++ and JAVA
Rogue Ware RW Metro Mapping from O-O to relational model
Resolution Ltd. Xcase Conceptual modeling up to code maintenance
Sybase Enterprise Application Data modeling, business logic modeling
Suite
Visio (Microsoft) Visio Enterprise Data modeling, design and reengineering Visual
Basic and Visual C++

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 Summary

EER model
• Limitations of Basic Concepts of the ER Model
• Enhanced-ER (EER) Model Concepts
• Subclasses and Superclasses
• Specialization and Generalization
• Specialization / Generalization Hierarchies, Lattices and Shared Subclasses
• Categories
• Formal Definitions of EER Model
• Database Design Modeling Tools

Next week:
• Relational model & ER-/EER-to-relational mapping
• Reading: [1] Chapters 5,6,7,12; [2] Chapters 15,16

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Q&A

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