Abstract
In this paper we present a graphical technique that combines in one formalism both the structural and semantic integrity constraints of a relational database (RDB) to produce a conceptual model, and then shows in the same formalism the connection between the conceptual model and the underlying logical model of the database, as represented within the database system (DBS). The broad aim is to offer to the increasing numbers of inexperienced users of these relational database systems a tool which they can use to quickly examine the knowledge content of the database and understand how these database semantics are actually modelled within the system, thus facilitating the user's task of framing queries to the system using the database query language. We borrow ideas from both the extended entity relationship (EER) and the ENIAM models in creating a graphical conceptual model for a RDB that combines both its structural and semantic integrity constraints and then introduce new concepts in the diagram that show how various relationships in the model are realised internally within the database logical model.
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© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Fonkam, M.M. (1995). On a composite formalism and approach to presenting the knowledge content of a relational database. In: Wainer, J., Carvalho, A. (eds) Advances in Artificial Intelligence. SBIA 1995. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 991. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0034820
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0034820
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