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Database Systems
Lecture 18

ER and EER to Relational Mapping

Database Management
Systems

(Conceptual schema to Relational

database schema)
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Today’s Agenda

• ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm

Step 1: Mapping of Regular Entity Types
Step 2: Mapping of Weak Entity Types
Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1 Relation Types
Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N Relationship Types.
Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N Relationship Types.
Step 6: Mapping of Multivalued attributes.
Step 7: Mapping of N-ary Relationship Types.

• Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations

Step 8: Options for Mapping Specialization or Generalization.
Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm

• Step 1: Mapping of Regular Entity Types.

▫ For each regular (strong) entity type E in the ER schema, create a

relation R that includes all the simple attributes of E.
▫ Choose one of the key attributes of E as the primary key for R. If
the chosen key of E is composite, the set of simple attributes that
form it will together form the primary key of R.

Example: We create the relations EMPLOYEE, DEPARTMENT,

and PROJECT in the relational schema corresponding to the
regular entities in the ER diagram. SSN, DNUMBER, and
PNUMBER are the primary keys for the relations EMPLOYEE,
DEPARTMENT, and PROJECT as shown.
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FIGURE 7.1
The ER
conceptual
schema
diagram for
the COMPANY
database.
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FIGURE 7.2
Result of
mapping the
COMPANY ER
schema into a
relational
schema.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 2: Mapping of Weak Entity Types

▫ For each weak entity type W in the ER schema with owner entity type
E, create a relation R and include all simple attributes (or simple
components of composite attributes) of W as attributes of R.
▫ In addition, include as foreign key attributes of R the primary key
attribute(s) of the relation(s) that correspond to the owner entity
type(s).
▫ The primary key of R is the combination of the primary key(s) of the
owner(s) and the partial key of the weak entity type W, if any.

Example: Create the relation DEPENDENT in this step to

correspond to the weak entity type DEPENDENT. Include the primary
key SSN of the EMPLOYEE relation as a foreign key attribute of
DEPENDENT (renamed to ESSN).
The primary key of the DEPENDENT relation is the combination
{ESSN, DEPENDENT_NAME} because DEPENDENT_NAME is the
partial key of DEPENDENT.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1 Relation Types

For each binary 1:1 relationship type R in the ER schema, identify the
relations S and T that correspond to the entity types participating in R.
There are three possible approaches:
(1) Foreign Key approach: Choose one of the relations-S, say-and include a foreign key in S
the primary key of T. It is better to choose an entity type with total participation in R in
the role of S.
Example: 1:1 relation MANAGES is mapped by choosing the participating entity type
DEPARTMENT to serve in the role of S, because its participation in the MANAGES
relationship type is total.

(2) Merged relation option: An alternate mapping of a 1:1 relationship type is possible by
merging the two entity types and the relationship into a single relation. This may be
appropriate when both participations are total.

(3) Cross-reference or relationship relation option: The third alternative is to set up a third
relation R for the purpose of cross-referencing the primary keys of the two relations S and
T representing the entity types.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N Relationship Types.

▫ For each regular binary 1:N relationship type R, identify the

relation S that represent the participating entity type at the N-
side of the relationship type.
▫ Include as foreign key in S the primary key of the relation T that
represents the other entity type participating in R.
▫ Include any simple attributes of the 1:N relation type as attributes
of S.

Example: 1:N relationship types WORKS_FOR, CONTROLS,

and SUPERVISION in the figure. For WORKS_FOR we include
the primary key DNUMBER of the DEPARTMENT relation as
foreign key in the EMPLOYEE relation and call it DNO.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N Relationship Types.

▫ For each regular binary M:N relationship type R, create a new

relation S to represent R.
▫ Include as foreign key attributes in S the primary keys of the
relations that represent the participating entity types; their
combination will form the primary key of S.
▫ Also include any simple attributes of the M:N relationship type (or
simple components of composite attributes) as attributes of S.

Example: The M:N relationship type WORKS_ON from the ER

diagram is mapped by creating a relation WORKS_ON in the
relational database schema. The primary keys of the PROJECT and
EMPLOYEE relations are included as foreign keys in WORKS_ON
and renamed PNO and ESSN, respectively.
Attribute HOURS in WORKS_ON represents the HOURS attribute
of the relation type. The primary key of the WORKS_ON relation is
the combination of the foreign key attributes {ESSN, PNO}.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 6: Mapping of Multivalued attributes.

▫ For each multivalued attribute A, create a new relation R. This relation

R will include an attribute corresponding to A, plus the primary key
attribute K-as a foreign key in R-of the relation that represents the
entity type of relationship type that has A as an attribute.
▫ The primary key of R is the combination of A and K. If the multivalued
attribute is composite, we include its simple components.

Example: The relation DEPT_LOCATIONS is created. The attribute

DLOCATION represents the multivalued attribute LOCATIONS of
DEPARTMENT, while DNUMBER-as foreign key-represents the
primary key of the DEPARTMENT relation. The primary key of R is
the combination of {DNUMBER, DLOCATION}.
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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (cont)

• Step 7: Mapping of N-ary Relationship Types.

▫ For each n-ary relationship type R, where n>2, create a
new relationship S to represent R.
▫ Include as foreign key attributes in S the primary keys
of the relations that represent the participating entity
types.
▫ Also include any simple attributes of the n-ary
relationship type (or simple components of composite
attributes) as attributes of S.
Example: The relationship type SUPPY in the ER below. This can
be mapped to the relation SUPPLY shown in the relational
schema, whose primary key is the combination of the three foreign
keys {SNAME, PARTNO, PROJNAME}
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FIGURE 4.11
Ternary relationship types. (a) The SUPPLY relationship.
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FIGURE 7.3
Mapping the n-ary relationship type SUPPLY from
Figure 4.11a.
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Summary of Mapping constructs and constraints

Table 7.1 Correspondence between ER and Relational Models

ER Model Relational Model

Entity type “Entity” relation
1:1 or 1:N relationship type Foreign key (or “relationship” relation)
M:N relationship type “Relationship” relation and two foreign keys
n-ary relationship type “Relationship” relation and n foreign keys
Simple attribute Attribute
Composite attribute Set of simple component attributes
Multivalued attribute Relation and foreign key
Value set Domain
Key attribute Primary (or secondary) key
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Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations

• Step8: Options for Mapping Specialization or Generalization.
Convert each specialization with m subclasses {S1, S2,….,Sm} and
generalized superclass C, where the attributes of C are {k,a1,…an} and k
is the (primary) key, into relational schemas using one of the four
following options:

Option 8A: Multiple relations-Superclass and subclasses.

Create a relation L for C with attributes Attrs(L) = {k,a 1,…an} and PK(L) = k.
Create a relation Li for each subclass Si, 1 < i < m, with the attributesAttrs(Li) =
{k} U {attributes of Si} and PK(Li)=k. This option works for any
specialization (total or partial, disjoint or over-lapping).

Option 8B: Multiple relations-Subclass relations only

Create a relation Li for each subclass Si, 1 < i < m, with the attributes Attr(Li) =
{attributes of Si} U {k,a1…,an} and PK(Li) = k. This option only works for a
specialization whose subclasses are total (every entity in the superclass must
belong to (at least) one of the subclasses).
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FIGURE 4.4
EER diagram
notation for
an attribute-
defined
specialization
on JobType.
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FIGURE 7.4
Options for mapping specialization or generalization.
(a) Mapping the EER schema in Figure 4.4 using option 8A.
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FIGURE 4.3
Generalization. (b) Generalizing CAR and TRUCK into the
superclass VEHICLE.
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FIGURE 7.4
Options for mapping specialization or generalization.
(b) Mapping the EER schema in Figure 4.3b using option 8B.
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Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations (cont)

Option 8C: Single relation with one type attribute.

Create a single relation L with attributes Attrs(L) = {k,a1,…an} U
{attributes of S1} U…U {attributes of Sm} U {t} and PK(L) = k. The
attribute t is called a type (or discriminating) attribute that
indicates the subclass to which each tuple belongs

Option 8D: Single relation with multiple type attributes.

Create a single relation schema L with attributes Attrs(L) = {k,a1,…
an} U {attributes of S1} U…U {attributes of Sm} U {t1, t2,…,tm} and
PK(L) = k. Each ti, 1 < I < m, is a Boolean type attribute indicating
whether a tuple belongs to the subclass Si.
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FIGURE 4.4
EER diagram
notation for
an attribute-
defined
specialization
on JobType.
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FIGURE 7.4
Options for mapping specialization or generalization.
(c) Mapping the EER schema in Figure 4.4 using option 8C.
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FIGURE 4.5
EER diagram notation for an overlapping (nondisjoint)
specialization.
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FIGURE 7.4
Options for mapping specialization or generalization.
(d) Mapping Figure 4.5 using option 8D with Boolean type fields Mflag and
Pflag.
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Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations (cont)

• Mapping of Shared Subclasses (Multiple Inheritance)

A shared subclass, such as STUDENT_ASSISTANT, is a subclass of several
classes, indicating multiple inheritance. These classes must all have the same
key attribute; otherwise, the shared subclass would be modeled as a category.

We can apply any of the options discussed in Step 8 to a shared subclass,

subject to the restriction discussed in Step 8 of the mapping algorithm. Below
both 8C and 8D are used for the shared class STUDENT_ASSISTANT.
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FIGURE 4.7
A specialization
lattice with
multiple
inheritance for a
UNIVERSITY
database.
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FIGURE 7.5
Mapping the EER specialization lattice in Figure 4.6
using multiple options.
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Mapping EER Model Constructs to Relations (cont)

• Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).

▫ For mapping a category whose defining superclass have different

keys, it is customary to specify a new key attribute, called a
surrogate key, when creating a relation to correspond to the
category.
▫ In the example below we can create a relation OWNER to
correspond to the OWNER category and include any attributes of
the category in this relation. The primary key of the OWNER
relation is the surrogate key, which we called OwnerId.
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FIGURE 4.8
Two categories (union
types): OWNER and
REGISTERED_VEHICLE.
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FIGURE 7.6
Mapping the EER
categories (union
types) in Figure 4.7
to relations.