Less and Less Visual

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Less and Less Visual

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stephen-912835 Newbie Points: 2 More actions · Answer 1

The most cost-effective database diagramming tool I've been able to find on the market is DeZign. It is moderately priced, reliably reverse engineers databases for a number of engines, generates DDL, and offers a good level of control over diagramming options. I use this at work for ERDs: both for generating figures for design documents and for printing ANSI-D size posters. I find it much easier to use than Visio.

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Tobar SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4876 More actions · Answer 2

In my opinion many ERD tools today cater to the intensive (concerned about physical and logical modeling) crowd, and therefore unless you have a large organization who has the specialists, you do not see the diagrams. I have pushed ERDs at all the places I have consulted. However, I am not the intensive type, so stick to physical). A relatively inexpensive tool I have found and like is "ModelRight".

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Livin' down on the cube farm. Left, left, then a right.

cmgreenjr SSC Rookie Points: 34 More actions · Answer 3

A tool I have used successfully is Enterprise Architect from Sparz Systems. it has end to end functionality in several domains, is reasonably priced, and integrates with both VS and Eclipse.

http://www.sparxsystems.com/products/ea/

BrianAltmann Default port Points: 1407 More actions · Answer 4

I am using ErWin to design, forward engineer the database code and produce DB documents using the Crystal Reports edition embedded in ErWin.

Hardly ever do I need to customize the ERwin-generated code once I have set up the proper options for each model (such as macros for generating constraint and index names).

Huge time-saver when making changes and keeping documentation consistent and up to date.

Diagrams are a great training aid and very helpful for evaluating enhancements.

However I typically get blank stares when I discuss the value of an ERD tool for DB projects, even with experienced developers.

I wish I knew why, my best guess is the learning curve. I admit it took me quite a while to reach the current level of productivity.

Brian

Tobar SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4876 More actions · Answer 5

BrianAltmann (6/26/2014)
I am using ErWin to design
...
However I typically get blank stares when I discuss the value of an ERD tool for DB projects, even with experienced developers.
I wish I knew why, my best guess is the learning curve. I admit it took me quite a while to reach the current level of productivity.

I like Erwin too.

Part of me wonders if the blank stares are because many "developers" are not trained as developers, but come too it from other domains and basically learn as they go. That has been my experience in my last several jobs. These "developers" have a very narrow knowledge band without the "classical" training.

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Livin' down on the cube farm. Left, left, then a right.

fundpc SSC Enthusiast Points: 163 More actions · Answer 6

It's the Cell Phone, stupid! Texting , twitter; whatever happened to crayons.

cjgray SSC Rookie Points: 39 More actions · Answer 7

Hey, thanks for pointing that one out. I had not seen this product before, but if it does what they say, it may be just what I'm looking for at a price I can live with.

Jim P. SSCrazy Eights Points: 8725 More actions · Answer 8

A lot of stuff I do is ETL from other databases or plain old CSV files into our correctly designed actual DB the was designed correctly. Sometimes it is a one time thing other times it's recurring process.

I have more than once had to do a left join like

[font="Courier New"]FROM KeyTable k

Left Join SubTblA SubA

ON k.KeyFld = SubA.KeyFld

Left Join SubTblA SubB

ON k.KeyFld = SubB.KeyFld

WHERE SubA.KeyFld is not null

AND SubB.KeyFld is not null[/font]

I have as yet to find diagramming SW that can handle something like that or an OR statement or a function in the join.

Almost all the tools are looking for for "simple" queries, where we all have done complicated joins and formatting that just boggles the SW but not the human mind.

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Jim P.

A little bit of this and a little byte of that can cause bloatware.

Andrew..Peterson SSCertifiable Points: 6838 More actions · Answer 9

Glad I am not the only one looking for a reasonably priced ER tool. They are great,

if the budget can handle it. If possible, I use ERwin. There are others, but all are expensive.

Visio was always difficult, as are the java shareware.

The more you are prepared, the less you need it.