The Relational Model Codd (1970): based on set theory Relational model: represents the database as a collection of relations (a table of values --> file) –Domains –Tuples –Attributes –Relations Relational model constraints…

Domain: –a range of values an attribute can take on Key: –a relation must have a primary key –unique & time-invariant –primary key --> name underlined in the relation schema Entity Integrity –no primary key value can be null Referential Integrity –to maintain consistency among the tuples of two relations… 4 Relational Model Constraints

Referential Integrity - 1 Foreign Key: –a set of attributes FK in relation schema R1 is a foreign key of R1 if it satisfies the following two rules: the attributes in FK have the same domain as the primary key attributes PK of another relation schema R2; the attributes FK are said to reference or refer to the relation R2. a value of FK in a tuple t1 of R1 either occurs as a value of PK for some tuple t2 in R2 or is null. –foreign key can refer to its own relation

Referential Integrity - 2 Referential integrity rule: –If R2 includes a foreign key matching the primary key PK of R1, then every value of FK in R2 must either be equal to the value of PK in some tuple of R1 or be wholly null. R1 and R2 are not necessarily distinct.

Relational Data Retrieval Results of operations: a new relation SELECT: show tuples (rows) PROJECT: show attributes (columns) JOIN: get data from more than one table Set: UNION, INTERSECTION, DIFFERENCE, CARTSIAN PRODUCT

Relational DB Languages Standards: SQL1 (1986),SQL2 (1992), SQL3 (1999) QBE (Query by Example): vary by implementations ACCESS has both QBE and SQL Variations: - Oracle: SQL*,PL/SQL - Sybase: ISQL, T-SQL

A Caution About Basics Note that the database you are creating in the Lab sessions has been designed for you. –This is not a trivial job; it requires an understanding of database principles and theories You will learn simple QBE. Basic SQL is easy; but SQL can be a powerful programming tool which takes time to learn. Everyone can use Access but not everyone can use it correctly.