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Extracting an entity relationship schema from a relational database through reverse engineering

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Entity-Relationship Approach — ER '94 Business Modelling and Re-Engineering (ER 1994)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 881))

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Abstract

This paper presents a method for extracting a conceptual schema from a relational database. The method is based on an analysis of data manipulation statements in the code of an application using a relational DBMS. Attributes representing references between tables in the relational schema, and possible keys are determined by an analysis of join conditions in queries and view definitions. Knowledge about which attributes link tables is used to investigate the database extension in a selective manner. When the keys cannot be unambiguously determined, possible solutions are generated by the system under guidance of the user. The approach makes it possible to efficiently construct a conceptual schema from only rudimentary information.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Database Laboratory, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Martin Andersson

Authors
  1. Martin Andersson
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Pericles Loucopoulos

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© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Andersson, M. (1994). Extracting an entity relationship schema from a relational database through reverse engineering. In: Loucopoulos, P. (eds) Entity-Relationship Approach — ER '94 Business Modelling and Re-Engineering. ER 1994. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 881. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58786-1_93

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58786-1_93

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-58786-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49100-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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