ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005
(Main)Information technology — CDIF semantic metamodel — Part 4: Data models
Information technology — CDIF semantic metamodel — Part 4: Data models
ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005 explains the Data models subject area. The CDIF semantic metamodel is used to ensure that the information held by tools communicating using CDIF is transferred with an agreed meaning. It covers the information required to express Entity-Relationship-Attribute Modelling and Logical Database Design concepts. ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005 is intended to be used by anyone wishing to understand and/or use CDIF. It provides a definition of a single subject area of the CDIF semantic metamodel. It is suitable for: Those evaluating CDIF, Those who wish to understand the principles and concepts of a CDIF transfer, and Those developing importers and exporters.
Technologies de l'information — Métamodèle sémantique CDIF — Partie 4: Modèles de données
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15476-4
First edition
2005-12-15
Information technology — CDIF semantic
metamodel —
Part 4:
Data models
Technologies de l'information — Métamodèle sémantique CDIF —
Partie 4: Modèles de données
Reference number
ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2005
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
Contents
1 Scope.1
2 Conformance.2
2.1 General.2
2.2 Input conformance.2
2.3 Output conformance.2
2.4 Round-trip conformance.3
3 Normative references.3
4 Terms and definitions.3
4.1 From other International Standards .3
4.1.1 ISO/IEC 15474-1.3
4.1.2 ISO/IEC 13238-1.4
4.1.3 For this International Standard .4
5 Symbols (and abbreviated terms).4
5.1 Naming, diagramming and definition conventions .4
5.2 Abbreviations.4
5.3 Notation for this subject area.4
6 Data models subject area overview.5
6.1 Introduction.5
6.2 Diagrams.6
6.3 Entities.11
6.4 Relationships.11
6.4.1 Binary relationship.12
6.4.2 N-ary relationship.12
6.4.3 Simple relationship.12
6.4.4 Complex relationship.12
6.5 Roles.14
6.6 Cardinalities.15
6.6.1 Outer cardinalities.16
6.6.2 Inner cardinalities.17
6.7 Multi-player roles.18
6.8 Role constraints.20
6.9 Attributes.22
6.10 Keys and access paths.23
6.11 Referential integrity.27
6.12 Supertypes and subtypes.29
6.12.1 Coverage.30
6.12.2 Exclusivity.31
6.12.3 Orthogonality.32
6.12.4 Inheritance.33
6.13 Refinement of inherited characteristics.34
6.13.1 Refinement of attribute characteristics.34
6.13.2 Refinement of relationship characteristics.35
6.14 Subsets.36
6.15 Clusters.37
6.16 Projections.38
6.17 Computable languages.41
7 Data models subject area summary .43
7.1 AttributableMetaObject hierarchy.43
7.2 MetaEntity summary.45
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
7.3 MetaRelationship summary.50
8 Data models subject area specification .54
8.1 Introduction.54
8.2 Subject area definition.54
8.3 Meta-entity definitions.55
8.3.1 AccessPath.55
8.3.2 Attribute.56
8.3.3 CandidateKey.58
8.3.4 Cluster.59
8.3.5 ComponentObject.59
8.3.6 DataModel.59
8.3.7 DataModelObject.60
8.3.8 DataModelSubset.61
8.3.9 DefinitionObject.61
8.3.10 Entity.62
8.3.11 ForeignKey.68
8.3.12 InheritableDataModelObject.68
8.3.13 Key.69
8.3.14 ProjectedAttribute.70
8.3.15 ProjectionComponent.71
8.3.16 Relationship.73
8.3.17 Role.74
8.3.18 RoleConstraint.75
8.3.19 RolePlayer.77
8.3.20 SemanticInformationObject.90
8.3.21 SubtypeSet.91
8.3.22 SubtypeSetMembershipCriterion.92
8.4 Meta-relationship definitions.94
8.4.1 AccessPath.Incorporates.Attribute.94
8.4.2 AccessPath.Instantiates.Key.95
8.4.3 Attribute.IsDiscriminatorFor.SubtypeSetMembershipCriterion .96
8.4.4 Attribute.IsInheritedFrom.Attribute .96
8.4.5 CandidateKey.Incorporates.ForeignKey.97
8.4.6 Cluster.Collects.DataModelObject.97
8.4.7 ComponentObject.References.DefinitionObject .97
8.4.8 DataModel.Collects.DataModelObject.98
8.4.9 DataModelObject.ActsAs.RolePlayer.98
8.4.10 DataModelObject.IsMemberOf.DataModelSubset.99
8.4.11 DataModelSubset.Excludes.Attribute.99
8.4.12 DataModelSubset.IsSubsetOf.DataModel .100
8.4.13 DefinitionObject.Contains.ComponentObject .100
8.4.14 DefinitionObject.IsConstructedWith.ProjectionComponent.100
8.4.15 Entity.IsAccessedUsing.AccessPath.101
8.4.16 Entity.IsIdentifiedBy.CandidateKey.101
8.4.17 ForeignKey.Incorporates.RolePlayer.102
8.4.18 ForeignKey.References.CandidateKey.102
8.4.19 InheritableDataModelObject.IsSubtypeIn.SubtypeSet .103
8.4.20 InheritableDataModelObject.IsSupertypeFor.SubtypeSet .104
8.4.21 Key.Incorporates.Attribute.105
8.4.22 Key.Incorporates.SemanticInformationObject .106
8.4.23 ProjectedAttribute.IsProjectionOf.Attribute.107
8.4.24 ProjectionComponent.IsFullProjectionOf.DefinitionObject.107
8.4.25 ProjectionComponent.IsProjectionOf.Attribute.108
8.4.26 Role.BelongsTo.Relationship.109
8.4.27 RoleConstraint.Incorporates.RoleConstraint.109
8.4.28 RoleConstraint.Incorporates.RolePlayer.110
8.4.29 RoleConstraint.Incorporates.SemanticInformationObject.110
8.4.30 RolePlayer.IsSupportedBy.Key.111
8.4.31 RolePlayer.Plays.Role.111
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
8.4.32 RolePlayer.Refines.RolePlayer.112
8.4.33 RolePlayer.RefinesForSubtype.DataModelObject.112
8.4.34 SubtypeSet.Specifies.SubtypeSetMembershipCriterion.113
8.4.35 SubtypeSetMembershipCriterion.Selects.InheritableDataModelObject.113
Table of Illustrations
Figure 1 − CDIF family of International Standards . 1
Figure 2 − Diagrammatic Conventions - Keys. 5
Figure 3 − Data Models subject area overview . 6
Figure 4 − Partitioning/View mechanisms . 7
Figure 5 − Keys and AccessPath. 8
Figure 6 − Roles, RolePlayers and RoleConstraints . 9
Figure 7 − Connection between Data Models and Common subject areas. 10
Figure 8 − Connection between Data Models and Data Definition subject areas . 11
Figure 9 − Binary Relationship. 12
Figure 10 − Ternary Relationship. 12
Figure 11 − Complex Binary Relationship . 13
Figure 12 − Instance Diagram showing a Complex Relationship . 14
Figure 13 − Roles . 14
Figure 14 − Reflexive or Recursive Relationship. 15
Figure 15 − Examples of Types of Binary Relationships . 16
Figure 16 − Outer Cardinalities . 16
Figure 17 − Inner Cardinalities. 17
Figure 18 − Inner Cardinalities and Attributed Binary Relationships.18
Figure 19 − Multi-player Roles and Heterogeneous Collections. 19
Figure 20 − Multi-player Roles and Common Outer Cardinality . 20
Figure 21 − Role Constraint Network . 21
Figure 22 − Constraints on Role Participation. 21
Figure 23 − Instance Diagram showing Role Constraints. 22
Figure 24 − Attributed Relationships, Roles and RolePlayers . 23
Figure 25 − Foreign Keys. 24
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
Figure 26 − RolePlayer as a component of a ForeignKey. 25
Figure 27 − Key support of RolePlayer . 26
Figure 28 − Key support for RolePlayer in a Reflexive Relationship . 27
Figure 29 − Subtype Set Discriminator. 30
Figure 30 − Abstract Supertype . 31
Figure 31 − Concrete Supertype . 31
Figure 32 − Non-exclusive Subtype Set. 32
Figure 33 − Orthogonal Subtype Sets. 32
Figure 34 − Instance Diagram showing Orthogonal Subtype Sets . 33
Figure 35 − Overlapping Subtype Sets . 33
Figure 36 − Inheritance . 34
Figure 37 − Refinement of Cardinalities . 35
Figure 38 − Instance Diagram showing refinement of Cardinalities. 36
Figure 39 − Subsets. 37
Figure 40 − Clusters. 38
Figure 41 − Instance Diagram showing Simple Projection . 39
Figure 42 − Instance Diagram showing Complex Projection . 40
Figure 43 − Instance Diagram showing Attribute Renaming . 41
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 15476-4 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 7, Software and system engineering.
ISO/IEC 15476 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — CDIF
semantic metamodel:
— Part 1: Foundation
— Part 2: Common
— Part 3: Data definitions
— Part 4: Data models
— Part 5: Data flow models
— Part 6: State/event models
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ISO/IEC 15476-4:2005(E)
Introduction
This International Standard will assist the vendors and users of modelling tools and meta-data repositories in
developing mechanisms for interchanging information. This International Standard specifies an element of a family
of related International Standards. When used together, these International Standards specify a mechanism for
transferring information between tools.
ISO/IEC 15474-1:2002, Information technology - CDIF framework - Part 1: Overview and ISO/IEC 15474-2:2002,
Information technology - CDIF framework - Part 2: Modelling and extensibility should be read first when initially
exploring CDIF. The first explains the overall CDIF architecture and how the family of standards fits together. The
second explains the scope, and modelling approach in CDIF. The CDIF meta-metamodel and extensibility
mechanism are also defined in that document.
This International Standard explains the Data models subject area. The CDIF semantic metamodel is used to
ensure that the information held by tools communicating using CDIF is transferred with an agreed meaning. It
covers the information required to express Entity-Relationship-Attribute Modelling and Logical Database Design
concepts.
This International Standard has been developed with the wide support and participation of vendors, users,
academia and government involved in or familiar with the CASE industry, its products and the general requirements
associated with interchanging information between these products.
This document is organized into the following Clauses.
⎯ Clause 1 to 5 are prescribed ISO/IEC Clauses;
⎯ Clause 6: Subject area overview:
This Clause gives an overview of the coverage of this subject area.
⎯ Clause 7: Subject area summary:
This Clause gives an overview of the content o
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