Hiérarchies de généralisation dans les bases de données relationnelles : une approche hybride de rétro-conception

This paper proposes to combine a heuristic technique and an algorithmic one to provide a method to reverse engineer the generalization/specialization links hidden in a relational database. The heuristic phase combines the exploration of three sources: DDL specifications, DML specifications and data to provide information, such as inclusion links and existence constraints. This information is then used by the algorithm to derive automatically the inheritance links. Heuristics are also provided to detect the semantics of null values and default values when used for null values. The whole process is inserted into the MeRCI reverse engineering framework based on the inversion of the life cycle design process.