Using Constraint Satisfaction for View Update Translation

Abstract. View update is the problem of translating update requests against a view into update requests against the base data. In this paper, we present a novel approach to this problem in relational databases. Using conditional tables to represent relational views, we translate a view update problem into a disjunction of a number of constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs). Solutions to the CSPs correspond to possible translations of the view update. Semantic information to resolve ambiguity can be handled as additional constraints in the CSPs. This approach enables us to apply the rich results of the CSP research to analyze and solve an important problem in database management.