Simplification of database integrity constraints revisited: A transformational approach

Henning Christiansen and Davide Martinenghi
Department of Computer Science
Roskilde University, P.O.Box 260, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark


A set of transformation operators that apply to database integrity constraints is proposed with each operator representing a concise, semantics-preserving operation. These operators are put together to form a simplification procedure for integrity constraints that apply to parametric transaction patterns, which then can be instantiated and checked for consistency at run-time but before any transaction is executed. The operators provide a flexibility for other database enhancements and the work may also be seen as more systematic and general when compared with other approaches. The framework is formulated with first-order clause logic but with the perspective of being applied with present-day database technology.


Presented at LOPSTR, Uppsala, Sweeden, 25--27 august 2003.

Proceedings of LOPSTR 2003, International Symposium on Logic-based Program Synthesis and Transformation, Uppsala, Sweden, August 25-27, 2003. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2004.
See pdf.