The New Relational Database Dictionary

2. (Multiattribute PACK): Let relation r have interval attributes A1, A2, ..., An (n > 1). Then (and only then) the expression PACK r ON (A1, A2, ..., An) denotes the packing of r on A1, A2, ..., An, in that order, and it’s equivalent to the following—

PACK ( ... ( PACK ( PACK r′ ON ( A1 ) ) ON ( A2 ) ) ... ) ON ( An )

—where r′ is the fully unpacked form of r (in other words, r′ is the relation denoted by the expression UNPACK r ON (A1, A2, ..., An)). 3. (Nullary PACK) Let r be a relation. Then (and only then) the expression PACK r ON ( ) denotes the packing of r on no attributes, and it returns relation r itself.

Examples: 1. Let relation r be as follows:

┌─────┬───────────┐│ SNO │ DURING    │├═════┼═══════════┤│ S2  │ [d02:d04] ││ S2  │ [d03:d05] ││ S4  │ [d02:d05] ││ S4  │ [d04:d06] ││ S4  │ [d09:d10] │└─────┴───────────┘

Then packing r on DURING yields:

┌─────┬───────────┐│ SNO │ DURING    │├═════┼═══════════┤│ S2  │ [d02:d05] ││ S4  │ [d02:d06] ││ S4  │ [d09:d10] │└─────┴───────────┘

2. Let relation r be as follows:

┌─────────┬───────────┐│ A1      │ A2        │├═════════┼═══════════┤│ [P2:P4] │ [d01:d04] ││ [P3:P5] │ [d01:d04] ││ [P2:P4] │ [d05:d06] ││ [P2:P4] │ [d06:d09] │└─────────┴───────────┘

Then packing r on (A1,A2) yields:

┌─────────┬───────────┐│ A1      │ A2        │├═════════┼═══════════┤│ [P2:P5] │ [d01:d04] ││ [P2:P4] │ [d05:d09] │└─────────┴───────────┘

By contrast, packing r on (A2,A1) yields:

┌─────────┬───────────┐│ A1      │ A2        │├═════════┼═════