Entity RelationshipER Modeling实体关系模型.pptVIP

Entity Relationship (ER) Modeling In this chapter, you will learn: The main characteristics of entity relationship components How relationships between entities are defined and refined and how those relationships are incorporated into the database design process How ERD components affect database design and implementation That real-world database design often requires the reconciliation of conflicting goals The Entity Relationship (ER) Model ER model forms the basis of an ER diagram ERD represents conceptual database as viewed by end user ERDs depict database’s main components: Entities Attributes Relationships Entities Refers to entity set and not to single entity occurrence Corresponds to table and not to row in relational environment In both Chen and Crow’s Foot models, entity is represented by rectangle containing entity’s name Entity name, a noun, is usually written in capital letters Attributes Characteristics of entities In Chen model, attributes are represented by ovals and are connected to entity rectangle with a line Each oval contains the name of attribute it represents In Crow’s Foot model, attributes are written in attribute box below entity rectangle Attributes (continued) Domains Attributes have domain Domain is attribute’s set of possible values Attributes may share a domain Identifiers (Primary Keys) Underlined in the ERD Key attributes are also underlined in frequently used table structure shorthand Composite Primary Keys Primary keys ideally composed of only single attribute Possible to use a composite key Primary key composed of more than one attribute Composite and Simple Attributes Composite attribute can be subdivided Simple attribute cannot be subdivided Single-value attribute can have only a single value Multivalued attributes can have many values Multivalued Attributes (continued) Resolving Multivalued Attribute Problems Although conceptual model can handle M:N relationships and multivalued attributes, you should not implement them in re