How to get the 'link' between two tables

Question

hi pple
i need to find out HOW two tables are related.
sample tables:
SHIPS ( HULL_ID [PK] , VESSEL_NAME, GROSS_TONNAGE )
EQUIPMENT ( E_ID [PK] , HULL_ID [FK frm SHIPS], DESC )
PARTS ( PART_ID [PK] , E_ID [PK, FK frm EQUIPMENT], MANUFACTURER_ID)
--> SHIPS and PARTS are some how related thro' EQUIPMENT.
i need to get this relationship:
Ships --> Equipment (E_ID) --> PARTS
currently, i can get the direct parent and child tables of a given table using:
SELECT lpad ( ' ', 2 * ( LEVEL - 1 ) ) || table_name as Child_Tables
FROM ALL_CONSTRAINTS
START WITH R_CONSTRAINT_NAME in
select constraint_name
from all_constraints
where table_name = '%table_name%'
and constraint_type = 'P'
CONNECT BY PRIOR CONSTRAINT_NAME = R_CONSTRAINT_NAME ;
To get ALL parents:
SELECT lpad ( ' ', 2 * ( LEVEL - 1 ) ) || table_name as Parent_Tables
FROM ALL_CONSTRAINTS
where owner = 'CHARTUSER'
START WITH CONSTRAINT_NAME in
select constraint_name
from all_constraints
where table_name = '%table_name%'
and constraint_type = 'R'
CONNECT BY PRIOR R_CONSTRAINT_NAME = CONSTRAINT_NAME ;
what i need to do is:
1) get children & parents of SHIPS
2) for each element of (1), get children, parents till i get PARTS
3) so, i will get EQUIPMENT and then, PARTS.
this wud be very expensive. my appln is in Java and i will need to call these functions - that makes it more complex. is there any simpler way out?
and my main problem is to find out WHAT attributes line two tables. this wudnt be a big deal if it were just simple parent-child tables. but, how do i find out the attributes that link PARTS and SHIPS table?
any ideas? -please help.
thanks in advance
--$uDhA

Answer 1

Dear Srikanth,
This tables can be used once we come to know whether its a customer or vendor line item but in our case we using the GL account as reference have to knock off the entries.How we come to know that aginst the GL whether its a customer or vendor line item.. Then it should route to this table.
Suggest me if any options are there.
Regards,
Balaji.c