Visualization of FunctionalDependencies in a Web Environment

Abstract: As the core of a previous thesis, a Web-based tool, called LDBN(Learn DataBase Normalization), was developed. The purpose of this tool is to provide an interactive learning environment for the normalization of relational database schemata whose constraints are defined by functional dependencies (FDs). During the fall terms of 2008 and 2009, LDBN was used in conjunction with the course Principles of Database Systems at the Umeå University Department of Computing Science, and some important observations were made.As a part of this thesis, some crucial extensions to LDBN, based upon these observations, are developed. The most signifcant extension is a tool for the visualization of FDs, based upon templates found in popular textbooks. Often, such visual representations are much easier for humans to grasp than purely text-based representations. However, this extension does not compromise the existing capabilities of LDBN. In addition, we present some other shortcomings of the previous version of LDBN and our approach to deal with those, in particular issues surrounding user privileges.