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@ -1419,11 +1419,15 @@ |
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<glossterm>Relation</glossterm> |
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<glossdef> |
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<para> |
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The generic term for all objects in a |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-database">database</glossterm> |
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that have a name and a list of |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-attribute">attributes</glossterm> |
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defined in a specific order. |
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Mathematically, a <firstterm>relation</firstterm> is a set of |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-tuple">tuples</glossterm>; |
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this is the sense meant in the term "relational database". |
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</para> |
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<para> |
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In <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, "relation" is commonly used to |
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mean an <glossterm linkend="glossary-sql-object">SQL object</glossterm> |
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that has a name and a list of attributes defined in a specific order. |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-table">Tables</glossterm>, |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-sequence">sequences</glossterm>, |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-view">views</glossterm>, |
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@ -1431,15 +1435,14 @@ |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-materialized-view">materialized views</glossterm>, |
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composite types, and |
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<glossterm linkend="glossary-index">indexes</glossterm> are all relations. |
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A relation in this sense is a container or a descriptor for a set of tuples. |
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</para> |
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<para> |
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More generically, a relation is a set of tuples; for example, |
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the result of a query is also a relation. |
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</para> |
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<para> |
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In <productname>PostgreSQL</productname>, |
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<firstterm>Class</firstterm> is an archaic synonym for |
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<firstterm>relation</firstterm>. |
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<firstterm>Class</firstterm> is an alternative but archaic term. |
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The system catalog |
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<link linkend="catalog-pg-class"><structname>pg_class</structname></link> |
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holds an entry for each <productname>PostgreSQL</productname> relation. |
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</para> |
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</glossdef> |
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</glossentry> |
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