Abstract
This paper deals with modelling constraints in object-oriented databases, with emphasis given on exceptions. Constraints are restrictions on properties and relations of database objects that ensure the integrity of data. Therefore, they should be obeyed by every object, but as in real-life, there are some exceptions to this rule. Object-oriented databases provide rich semantic constructs, adequate to model real-world relations. Inheritance of constraints in object-oriented databases has been treated in a completely mandatory way, providing no room for exceptions. In this paper, an object-oriented constraint representation scheme is presented, along with a methodology for modelling constraint exceptions. Finally, an algorithm is described that ensures correct runtime resolution of constraint applicability. Since business is not in abstract, but in real-world, business database modelling would be greatly benefited from a tool that allows both a clear definition and an efficient enforcement of constraints with exceptions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
N. Bassiliades, Constraint description in ADAM, M.Sc. Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 1992.
N. Bassiliades and P.M.D. Gray, CoLan: A functional constraint language and its implementation, forthcoming in Data & Knowledge Engineering.
N. Bassiliades and I. Vlahavas, PRACTIC: A concurrent object data model for a parallel object-oriented database system, submitted for publication, 1993.
N. Bassiliades and I. Vlahavas, Constraint checking in a parallel object-oriented database system, to appear in Parallel Algorithms and Applications, 5(3+4).
A. Borgida, Modelling class hierarchies with contradictions, Proc. ACM SIGMOD '88, 434–443.
R.J. Brachman, I lied about the trees or, defaults and definitions in knowledge representation, AI Magazine, 6(3), 60–93.
F. Bry and R. Manthey, Checking consistency of database constraints: A logical basis, Proc. 12th VLDB, Kyoto, Japan, 1986.
O.G. Diaz, N.W. Paton and P.M.D. Gray, Rule management in object-oriented databases: A uniform approach, Proc. 17th VLDB, Barcelona, Spain, 1991, 317–326.
O.G. Diaz and S.M. Embury, Generating active rules from high-level specifications, Advanced Database Systems — Proc. 10th BNCOD, Aberdeen, Scotland, Springer-Verlag, 1992, 227–243.
S.M. Embury, P.M.D. Gray and N. Bassiliades, Constraint maintenance using generated methods in the P/FDM object-oriented database, Proc. 1st Int. Workshop on Rules in Database Systems, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1993, 364–381.
C. Esculier, Inheritances with exceptions: An approach based on semantic tolerance, AI in Databases and Information Systems (DS-3), North-Holland, 1990, 99–111.
P.M.D. Gray, D.S. Moffat and N.W. Paton, A prolog interface to a functional data model database, in: J.W. Schmidt, S. Ceri and M. Missikoff, eds., Advances in Database Technology — Proc. 1st Conf. on Extending Data Base Technology, Venice, Italy, Springer-Verlag, 1988, 34–48.
P.M.D. Gray, K.G. Kulkarni and N.W. Paton, Object-Oriented Databases, A Semantic Data Model Approach, Prentice Hall, 1992.
P.W.P.J. Grefen and P.M.G. Apers, Integrity control in relational database systems — An overview, Data & Knowledge Engineering, 10(2), 1993, 187–223.
H.V. Jagadish and X. Qian, Integrity maintenance in an object-oriented database, Proc. 18th VLDB, Vancouver, Canada, 1992, 469–480.
R.A. Kowalski and F. Sadri, Logic programs with exceptions, Proc. 7th ICLP, MIT Press, 1990, 599–613.
H. Noble and T. Abbod, Meta-rules and semantic integrity constraints in databases, Proc. 5th BNCOD, Canterbury, UK, 1986.
S.D. Urban, A.P. Karadimce and R.B. Nannapaneni, The implementation and evaluation of integrity maintenance rules in an object-oriented database, Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Data Engineering, 1992.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Bassiliades, N., Vlahavas, I. (1994). Modelling constraints with exceptions in object-oriented databases. 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_80
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-58786-1_80
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-58786-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-49100-2
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive