Chapter 9

Relational
Database
Design by ER-
and EER-to-
Relational
Mapping
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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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Chapter Outline
 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.

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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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More Explanation

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

 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 & include all simple attributes (or
simple components of composite attributes) of W as attributes of
R.

Also, 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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More Explanation

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)
 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.
 Choose one of the relations-say S-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.

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More Explanation

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)
 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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More Explanation

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More Explanation

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ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)
 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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More Explanation

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 ER-to-Relational Mapping Algorithm (contd.)

 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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More Explanation

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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 (contd.)

 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 on the
next slide.
 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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Discussion and Summary of Mapping
for ER Model Constructs

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Discussion and Summary of Mapping
for ER Model Constructs (cont’d.)

 In a relational schema relationship, types are not

represented explicitly
 Represented by having two attributes A and B:
one a primary key and the other a foreign key

Copyright © 2011 Ramez Elmasri and Shamkant B. Navathe