tools to document a database?

Question

tools to document a database?

spencepa

Ten Centuries

Points: 1042
More actions
February 3, 2005 at 6:05 am

#162474

Hi, i have joined a company who have an asp website, SQL server and actuate reporting aplication that has been built over the last 4 years. There are 350 tables, 250 SP's, 150 views. We made some changes via spec's but missed quite a few changes to the SP's, which inturn gave wrong info on the webpages/reports.
Hence we want to document the database tables, views, SP's etc to let us write better spec's/impact analysis, support and develop the app better. So far i have found and messed around with http://www.ag-software.com/ags_scribe_index.aspx this tool. It looks at all the above and links the tables/views/SP's thru a database and displays them thru webpages - pretty useful i thought for $400
Has anyone run an automatic documentation tool against their DB's? How did you find the results, useful? Any other tools to look at?
many thanks Paul

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply

AJ Ahrens SSC-Insane Points: 20676 More actions · Answer 1

Erwin and Visio can reverse-engineer tables/views. SQL itself can provide the code for all objects and you can look at sysdepends/syscomments for additional information (may not always be 100% accurate though)

Good Hunting!

AJ Ahrens

webmaster@kritter.net

spencepa Ten Centuries Points: 1042 More actions · Answer 2

visio?? just installing visio professional 2003 as we have licenses - do you know if this or which version does it?? thanks

Greg Charles SSC-Forever Points: 45403 More actions · Answer 3

We're thinking about trying ApexSQL Doc. It's $199 for a single seat with volume discounts and free support and upgrades. Sounds like it works a lot like the AGS tool you're looking at.

Greg

AJ Ahrens SSC-Insane Points: 20676 More actions · Answer 4

Spence,

I believe that version does have Reverse Engineering in it. I would read the HELP file on how to do it. I don't remember it being difficult. The bad part is trying to link the tables that Visio cant figure out...

Good Hunting!

AJ Ahrens

webmaster@kritter.net

mark baekdal-145375 SSCrazy Points: 2200 More actions · Answer 5

The problems you talk about I would say have to do with accurate database change management. Developing via source control and deploying via source control gives you control over the source delivered. Simple stuff really. Check out DB Ghost (http://www.dbghost.com) an automatable database change management solution that works with your source control.

Robert Bedick Old Hand Points: 310 More actions · Answer 6

SchemaToDoc (http://www.schematodoc.com) exports table information, field information, check constraints, foreign key constraints, and triggers to a Word doc.

The standard version costs $125; a version that lets you annotate your tables and fields costs $165. Discounts are available for bulk purchases.

Michael Lee-169622 SSCommitted Points: 1721 More actions · Answer 7

StarPrint has some great docimentation tools. they are reasonabily priced (hey, I got my boss to by one for me!) and there are mutiple modules, so you only need to buy what you need.

http://www.starprint2000.com/

Shalom!,

Michael Lee

spencepa Ten Centuries Points: 1042 More actions · Answer 8

thanks for all those links! Gives me something to do this week

Will report back on how i get on.....