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Enhanced ER Model

The document describes the enhanced entity-relationship (EER) model, which extends the basic ER model. The EER model allows for subclasses and superclasses, specialization and generalization, attribute inheritance, and constraints. Subclasses represent subsets of a superclass and inherit attributes and relationships. Specialization defines subclasses based on distinguishing characteristics, while generalization groups classes with common features into a superclass. Constraints specify whether subclasses are disjoint or overlapping and whether specializations are total or partial.

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Kalyanapuram Aravind Soundararajan
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176 views20 pages

Enhanced ER Model

The document describes the enhanced entity-relationship (EER) model, which extends the basic ER model. The EER model allows for subclasses and superclasses, specialization and generalization, attribute inheritance, and constraints. Subclasses represent subsets of a superclass and inherit attributes and relationships. Specialization defines subclasses based on distinguishing characteristics, while generalization groups classes with common features into a superclass. Constraints specify whether subclasses are disjoint or overlapping and whether specializations are total or partial.

Uploaded by

Kalyanapuram Aravind Soundararajan
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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-ER [EER] Model

 By: B.Senthil Kumar


 Database Management Systems – V Sem

1
Overview
 Introduction
 Specialization
 Generalization
 Constraints

Database Management Systems 2


Enhanced-ER Model
 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

Database Management Systems 3


Subclasses & Superclasses
 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

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Subclasses & Superclasses
 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

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Subclasses & Superclasses
 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

 An entity that is 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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Subclasses & Superclasses

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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

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Specialization
 Example: Another specialization of EMPLOYEE based in 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 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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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

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Constraints - 1
 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
 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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Constraints -1 : attribute-defined

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Constraints - 2
 Two other conditions apply to a specialization/generalization:

 Disjointness Constraint: [ disjoint | overlap ]

– 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 - 2

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Constraints - 2
 Completeness Constraint: [ Total | Partial ]

– 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

Database Management Systems 17


Constraints - 2

Database Management Systems 18


Constraints
 Hence, we have four types of specialization/generalization:

– Disjoint, total

– Disjoint, partial

– Overlapping, total

– Overlapping, partial

• Note: Generalization usually is total because the superclass is


derived from the subclasses.

Database Management Systems 19


Thank You

20

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