Tutorial on E-R Diagrams

1. Learn basic terminology and symbols

– See next four slides; refer to as needed in steps 2-4 below
2. Learn the basics of E-R diagramming using Rational software
– Start – Programs – Local Applications – IBM Software Development
Platform – IBM Rational Software Architect – IBM Rational Software
Architect
– Follow through the notes in the Word document
(Rational_Software_Architect_Data_Modeling.doc)
3. Learn the basics of E-R diagramming in Visio
– See http://www.sba.uwm.edu/Nazareth_D/Tools/Visio/homeTemplate.html
– Or sbacrse\MIS 380\Fall 2007\Hoffer - Additional Templates.htm
– Try drawing the diagram in 4 below.
4. Draw a diagram
– Draw the diagram on the last slide using both tools
 Terminology and Symbols:
Entities, Attributes, Relationship
Attributes Primary Key
Invoice_Num
(Columns) (attribute(s) that
Vendor_ID Invoice_Date form(s) a unique
identifier for an
instance of an
Paid? entity) is
INVOICE
underlined.

Includes
Relationship
Entities
Is_included_on (Tables)

Qty_Added INVOICE
ITEM
 Terminology and Symbols:
Cardinality (and Role in Rational)
Description of relationship
from parent perspective
(Parent Role – verb phrase)
Includes
Cardinality of relationship
Hint: Role descriptions can be
entered in “verb phrase” or
“inverse verb phrase” in the
Properties window in Rational.
Hint: Make the entity with the cardinality = 1
the parent, i.e., start drawing the relationship
from that entity. In this example Invoice is
the parent, Invoice Item is the child.
INVOICE
Cardinality = 1
Cardinality = 1..n
Is_included_on
INVOICE Description of relationship
ITEM from child perspective
(Child Role – verb phrase)
 Identifying Relationship
• An identifying or mandatory relationship defines an
association between tables (i.e., entities). The identifying
relationship establishes the mandatory link between a
child table and a parent table. An instance of the child
table cannot exist without an instance of the parent table.
• An example of a parent and child table mandatory
relationship is when your database maintains a table with
data containing information about customer orders in
one table called, Orders, and holds order line-item
information in another table called, Order_Details. An
instance of the child Order_Details cannot exist without
an instance of the parent Orders.
 Non-Identifying Relationship
• A non-identifying relationship specifies an association between two
tables (i.e., entities). An instance of each table has its own identity.
One type of non-identifying relationship is an optional relationship.
Another is mandatory.
• Use an optional non-identifying relationship when a parent instance
is not required. Employees may be assigned to work on projects,
and projects may have employees assigned to work on them, but
such assignments are optional. “Employee” and “Project” have a
non-identifying relationship.
• Use a mandatory non-identifying relationship when a parent
instance is required. If an employee must be assigned to a
department, and a department must have at least one employee
assigned to it, “Employee” and “Department” have a mandatory non-
identifying relationship.
 Draw This Diagram with Both Tools
Note: With the Hoffer
template and stencil
in Visio, use the
diamond symbol to Note: This diagram
show a relationship will have a different
between entities. appearance in
Put the name of the Rational. Entities
relationship in that will appear as
symbol. (The inverse “tables” with the
name may be attributes being
omitted.) “columns” within
the “table.”
Invoice
Examples of
cardinality are 1 for
Includes
mandatory and 0..*
for optional many.

Invoice
Item