Assertions and triggers

Assertions and triggers

Constraints
Attribute-based CHECK constraints
create table ( postcode number(4) check (postcode > 0) );

Checked at update to the table.

Tuple-based CHECK constraints

create table ( check (gender = 'M' or name = 'Mary') );

Checked at update to the table.

Schema-level ASSERTIONS
Checked at any update to the tables in the assertion. Not available in Oracle.
Assertions and triggers 2

Assertions
Syntax
create assertion name check (condition)

Has the ability to refer to all attributes in the database. Examples from Garcia-Molina
Fig. 7.6 + fig. 7.7, page 338 Example 7.14, page 339

Assertions and triggers

CHECK doesn't give guarantees, 339

CHECK conditions are checked when the attribute / row is updates. Condition is not checked if other data are changed
CHECK conditions with sub-queries are not guaranteed to hold Examples
Fig. 7.7, page 338 Example, page 339
Assertions and triggers 4

Assertions vs. triggers

Assertions must be checked at any change to the mentioned (in the assertion declaration) relations.
That takes a lot of time! Oracle doesn't implement assertions!!

Triggers are executed at certain events specified by the database user

Not on every update. That takes less time!! Oracle implements triggers!!
Assertions and triggers 5

Triggers, syntax, 328

create trigger triggerName
Shah page 328

Event based execution

BEFORE the event (insert / update) AFTER the event INSTEAD OF the event (works on views only)

Assertions and triggers

BEFORE triggers, 330

Executed BEFORE the insert / update is executed by the DBMS
Example:
changeNullTrigger.sql
Better solution: Default value on the column

Shah page 330

Hides the use of sequences (Oracle feature) from the application Inserts the current date

You can refer to the pseudo variable :NEW

Assertions and triggers 7

AFTER trigger, 331

Executed AFTER the insert / update is executed by the DBMS
You can refer to the pseudo variables :NEW and :OLD Examples:
Shah fig. 14-16 + 14-17, page 332 Employee_adu_triggerAfter.sql

Used to
Check the certain conditions are still true after the insert / update
Assertions and triggers 8

Instead-of triggers, 333

Not part of the SQL3 standard, but common i commercial DBMS's Ordinary triggers
Before / after the update for updating base tables.

Instead-of triggers
executed instead of the update for updating views
which would otherwise be non-updatable Example Shah fig. 14-18, page 333 + 14-19, page 334 Full_employee_insteadOfTrigger.sql
Assertions and triggers 9