Re: Generalizations
From: shane <shane_at_weasel.is-a-geek.net>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:24:41 +1300
Message-ID: <fs6e8g$bbg$1_at_lust.ihug.co.nz>
> began
> following
> A
> are
>
> The following might be a little too vague for what you want.
>
> The "generalization/specialization" pattern, like many tools and techniques
> in information science, is not strictly necessary. It is possible to model
> Doctors and patients without ever making explicit the fact that they are
> both "people". Just about everything you need to do with the data can still
> be done.
>
> In such a model, if a curcumstance were to arise where a given person were
> both a doctor and a patient in the same database, the fact that a givven
> SSN might identify a doctor in one context, and a patient in another
> context, would be "obvious" to the people working with the data with an
> understanding of the subject matter. It would be pretty opaque to the
> people working with the data, but with no understanding of the subject
> matter. That might or might not be ok.
>
> As to whether generalizations are useful or not, that's another story.
> There are many situations where realizing, for instance, that autos and
> trucks (lorries?) are both "vehicles" can help the database designer, the
> programmer, the interactive user, and the user of reports or other
> extracts. It makes things easier, in a lot of situations. Having said
> that, I'm quick to add that it's not the silver bullet of data modeling.
>
> The way I learned modeling (which might not be the most usual way) gen-spec
> is used for modeling at the ERD level. That is, it forms part of the
> conceptual data model. The question might arise about what happens when one
> designs a relational schema to conform to the conceptual model, when the
> conceptual model contans a gen-spec pattern.
>
> As you stated, the most mechanical transformation of ERD into relational
> schema will result in an extra relation for the generalization. The
> question might be asked, "is this good design or bad design?" I think this
> is what you are really asking. My answer is, "it depends".
>
> And I would suggest that the purely mechanical transformation from ERD to
> relational schema masks the fact that some real design work is going on when
> this transformation is done. The fact that you can do it without thinking
> doesn't mean that you should do it without thinking. It seems to me that in
> some situations, the "extra" relation is worth its cost. In others, it
> isn't. You will undoubtedly get other insights from other people regarding
> this.
>
> Not that, if someone is exposed only to the relational schema, it might
> take a little deduction on that person's part to discover that the relations
> were intended to mimic a gen-spec pattern.
> Deducing design intent from implementation is another whole discipline in
> the general field of information systems.
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:24:41 +1300
Message-ID: <fs6e8g$bbg$1_at_lust.ihug.co.nz>
David Cressey did scribble:
>
> "shane" <shane_at_weasel.is-a-geek.net> wrote in message
> news:fs4hrj$7tc$1_at_lust.ihug.co.nz...
>> I hope it is ok to ask this here. >> Im having trouble with ERD's. >> I have been given a definition on which to draw an ERD. I did so, and
> began
>> transforming the entities and relationships to relations using the
> following
>> steps >> Step 1) Transform entities >> Step 2) Transform weak entities >> Step 3) Transform Relationships >> Step 4) Transform Generalizations >> Step 5) Simplify. >> >> When I came upon step 4 I realised I had two opportunities to generalize.
> A
>> Doctor and a Patient (Both with SSN as their primary keys) could both be >> specializations of a 'People' entity. >> Likewise Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical company are both specializations of >> a 'company' entity. >> I dont understand why we have the generalizations. It seems to me that we
> are
>> just creating a relation for the sake of it. >> >> Could someone put me onto the right track? >> TIA >> --
>
> The following might be a little too vague for what you want.
>
> The "generalization/specialization" pattern, like many tools and techniques
> in information science, is not strictly necessary. It is possible to model
> Doctors and patients without ever making explicit the fact that they are
> both "people". Just about everything you need to do with the data can still
> be done.
>
> In such a model, if a curcumstance were to arise where a given person were
> both a doctor and a patient in the same database, the fact that a givven
> SSN might identify a doctor in one context, and a patient in another
> context, would be "obvious" to the people working with the data with an
> understanding of the subject matter. It would be pretty opaque to the
> people working with the data, but with no understanding of the subject
> matter. That might or might not be ok.
>
> As to whether generalizations are useful or not, that's another story.
> There are many situations where realizing, for instance, that autos and
> trucks (lorries?) are both "vehicles" can help the database designer, the
> programmer, the interactive user, and the user of reports or other
> extracts. It makes things easier, in a lot of situations. Having said
> that, I'm quick to add that it's not the silver bullet of data modeling.
>
> The way I learned modeling (which might not be the most usual way) gen-spec
> is used for modeling at the ERD level. That is, it forms part of the
> conceptual data model. The question might arise about what happens when one
> designs a relational schema to conform to the conceptual model, when the
> conceptual model contans a gen-spec pattern.
>
> As you stated, the most mechanical transformation of ERD into relational
> schema will result in an extra relation for the generalization. The
> question might be asked, "is this good design or bad design?" I think this
> is what you are really asking. My answer is, "it depends".
>
> And I would suggest that the purely mechanical transformation from ERD to
> relational schema masks the fact that some real design work is going on when
> this transformation is done. The fact that you can do it without thinking
> doesn't mean that you should do it without thinking. It seems to me that in
> some situations, the "extra" relation is worth its cost. In others, it
> isn't. You will undoubtedly get other insights from other people regarding
> this.
>
> Not that, if someone is exposed only to the relational schema, it might
> take a little deduction on that person's part to discover that the relations
> were intended to mimic a gen-spec pattern.
> Deducing design intent from implementation is another whole discipline in
> the general field of information systems.
Thanks, that does clear things up somewhat. Based on your reply I think I am
overthinking my task. I think that I should include the generalizations,
follow the mechanics of the transformation until I am properly introduced to
the nuances you mention.
:)
-- Hardware n: Parts of the computer you can kickReceived on Sun Mar 23 2008 - 21:24:41 CET