Relational Database Design by

ER- and EER-to-Relational

Mapping

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.

◼ Mapping EER Model Constructs to

Relations
◼ Step 8: Options for Mapping Specialization or Generalization.
◼ Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).
Step 1: Mapping of Regular
Entity Types
◼ 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.

ER DIAGRAM
FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a
relational schema.

Step 1: Mapping of Regular

Entity Types
◼ 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.
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.

Step 2: Mapping of Weak

Entity Types
◼ 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
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.

Step 3: Mapping of Binary 1:1

Relation Types
◼ Foreign Key approach: 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.
 ER DIAGRAM

FIGURE 7.2
Result of mapping the COMPANY ER schema into a
relational schema.
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.

Step 4: Mapping of Binary 1:N

Relationship Types
◼ 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.
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.

Step 5: Mapping of Binary M:N

Relationship Types
◼ 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}.
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.

Step 6: Mapping of
Multivalued attributes
◼ 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}.
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.

Step 7: Mapping of N-ary

Relationship Types
◼ 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}
 Step 7: Mapping of N-ary
Relationship Types

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
Mapping EER Model
Constructs to Relations
◼ Step 8: Options for Mapping Specialization or
Generalization.
◼ Step 9: Mapping of Union Types (Categories).

Step8: Options for Mapping

Specialization or Generalization

◼ Option 8A: Multiple relations-Superclass and

subclasses
◼ Option 8B: Multiple relations-Subclass relations
only
◼ Option 8C: Single relation with one type
attribute
◼ Option 8D: Single relation with multiple type
attributes
Option 8A: Multiple relations-
Superclass and subclasses

Step8: Options for Mapping

Specialization or Generalization
◼ Option 8A: Multiple relations-Superclass
and subclasses

◼ Create a relation L for C with attributes Attrs(L) =

{k,a1,…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 of over-lapping).
Option 8B: Multiple relations-
Subclass relations only

Step8: Options for Mapping

Specialization or Generalization
◼ 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.
Option 8C: Single relation
with one type attribute

Step8: Options for Mapping

Specialization or Generalization
◼ 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

Step8: Options for Mapping

Specialization or Generalization
◼ 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.
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

Step 9: Mapping of Union

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

Step 9: Mapping of Union

Types (Categories)
 Mapping EER Model Constructs to
Relations (contd.)
◼ 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.

A specialization lattice with multiple inheritance for a

UNIVERSITY database.
Mapping the EER specialization lattice in Figure 4.6
using multiple options.