ER Modeler - (Integrated & Fully Functional) (Revision #130)

The Entity-Relationship (ER) Modeler is a powerful database diagramming tool. It will allow you to create, explore, detail, and modify database schemas in order to create fully editable diagrams of database relationships and objects. Changes made to an ER diagram can be automatically scripted to make the associated changes in database schemas. Once scripted, manipulating the resulting diagrams will alter the relationships and objects of any corresponding database. This greatly reduces development time and can vastly improve your understanding of database schemas and relationships.

ER Modeler	Generate ER Diagram	Alter Table Properties	Right Click Menus	Dockable Framework

Taking Advantage of the ER Modeler

The ER Modeler is easy enough for a novice to use but functional enough for an experienced Data Architect. There are 3 primary uses of the ER Modeler, depending on your needs and how far along your database has developed.

1) Model a Database From Scratch    include a zoomed screenshot to show new model
The classic use of an Entity-Relationship Modeler is to design or model your database visually before you enter a single line of code. The Entities and Relationship palettes allow you to see and map out relationships between each of the entities involved in your database. Once your visual model is complete, Aqua Data Studio can instantly insert the SQL necessary to create your database.

2) Clean Up A Database Mess include a zoomed screenshot of multiple databases
Imagine you walk into a company with several complex databases and are asked to reverse engineer them to produce practical models. The ER Modeler in Aqua Data Studio is capable of producing an Entity-Relationship diagram from existing databases, complete with foreign key relationships. You can further save, annotate and distribute the models you create.

3) Visually Understand a Database include a zoomed screenshot of a fancy diagram
In order to write effective SQL queries, you must understand the entity relationships in the database you are referencing. The ER Modeler will allow you to create, annotate and distribute visual models of your databases that can be shared with other employees or collaborators on your project. Taking advantage of a visual model can cut down training time and costs, and allows users to write more effective SQL statements to extract relevant data.

The ER Modeler works with every database you already access in Aqua Data Studio, regardless of vendor or version. Sharing a diagram with a team and collaborating on schema changes is easy using integrated support for Subversion (SVN) and CVS source control clients.

Feature Overview

• Supports all major databases and versions including: Oracle, DB2 for LUW, DB2 for iSeries, MS SQL Server, Sybase ASE, Sybase IQ, Sybase Anywhere, Informix, PostgreSQL and MySQL.
• Allows for Forward and Reverse Engineering of database schema — create a database from an ER diagram, or extract a diagram from an existing database.
• Save, modify, annotate and share diagrams with groups while tracking modifications.
• Print full-color, multi-page diagrams for use as a poster for quick reference. Diagrams can also be saved as a JPG or PNG image for inclusion in word processing documents or presentation slides.
• Supports Tables, Views and Notes, including Indexes, Primary Keys, Foreign Keys and Constraints for Tables.
  Supports Information Engineering (IE) notation.
• Quick DDL generation and preview of entities while designing.
• Nine layout algorithms to quickly and easily lay out entities for better viewing.
• Supports Sheets for creating multiple views of the diagram model.
• Supports Regions for grouping multiple entities in a view.
• Straightforward and elegant design with easy access to all functions: double click to edit entities, hot keys for zooming and scaling, copy and paste, and much more.

Operations Overview

• Creating a New Diagram: New diagrams can be created manually by drawing entities on a sheet and altering their attributes.
• Extracting a Diagram From a Database: A diagram can be extracted from an existing database, its schema objects quickly drawn for modification by the ER Diagram Generator.
• Saving, Modifying and Sharing Diagrams: Diagrams can be saved, opened, documented, modified and shared with groups. When a diagram is added to the script mount for a database server, the mount can be included in a source control repository. All of the developers in an organization can then access the same model, modify it and track the modifications.
• Printing Diagrams: Diagrams can be printed, enlarged and laminated for use as a poster for quick reference. The dimensions of the print out can easily be altered and enlarged.
• Saving a Diagram As an Image: The diagram can also be saved as a JPG or PNG image for inclusion in word processing documents or presentation slides.

Workspace and Dockable Framework Overview

• Model Node Browser: Presents all of the objects within a diagram in a tree containing all relationships, tables, views and notes. The tree can be expanded or collapsed to display more detailed information such as Indexes and Constraints.
• Sheet: Shows the diagram contents in independent views for manual or automatic layout. This is the drawing area of the ER Diagram. Objects can display on more than one sheet at a time.
• Object Properties Pane: Displays, in non-editable form, the properties of the selected object or objects.
• Overview: A bird’s eye view of the current sheet, allowing fast navigation with a draggable and resizeable zoom rectangle. The rectangle indicates what portion of the diagram is currently being viewed.

 Documentation: ER Modeler