Quick Insight into Some Enhancements in Toad Data Modeler v. 3.2.2.22 BETA
I’m happy to inform you that a new Beta version 3.2.2.22 has been released.
Feel free to read about all changes in Beta 3.2.2.22 at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=1913&categoryID=29
Beta download:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/ann.jspa?annID=150
With the new TDM Beta release, I’d like to introduce you some of the new features/enhancements.
As the Help file and Manual are not being updated for Beta releases, I’d like to take advantage of our weblog to provide you with some helpful and important information, give tips and post references on the new improvements. So, let’s go…
Select a topic that interests you:
1. Support for MS Access 2000/2002/2003
2. Import from SQL Script - for Oracle models only
3. SQL Code Generation by SCHEMA/USER + Auto Check
4. Adding Attributes to Primary Key via Double-Click
5. Alignment of Relationship Break Points
6. Move Caption of Relationship
7. Navigation in Workspace
8. Autolayout
9. Wordwrap
10. New Workspace Properties Dialog
11. Model Properties versus Stamp
1. Support for MS Access 2000/2002/2003
Toad Data Modeler doesn’t generate an SQL script for the MS Access database, but does generate a fully functional source code in the VBA language. The source code can be executed directly in the MS Access as Module. Appropriate libraries in MS Access are necessary - “Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects 2.x Library” and “Microsoft ADO Ext. 2.x for DDL and Security” for ADO, or “Microsoft DAO 3.6 Object Library” for DAO.
To select a suitable library, click the Tools menu | References (in MS Access main menu).
In the beginning of every script generated for MS Access, you will see the following order:
‘=======================================================
‘=== MS Access 2000/2002/2003 database creation method
‘===
‘=== 1. Create a new database in the MS Access
‘=== 2. Create a new module
‘=== 3. Copy the TDM3 output SQL script into the new MS Access module
‘=== 4. Select from main menu “Tools” item “References…” and check
‘=== the “Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects 2.x Library”
‘=== and “Microsoft ADO Ext. 2.x for DDL and Security”
‘=== and “Microsoft DAO 3.6 Object Library”
‘=== 5. Place your mouse cursor somewhere in the main procedure Main()
‘=== 6. Run the module code (Click the “Run Sub/UserForm” button or press F5)
‘=======================================================
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2. Import from SQL Script - for Oracle models only
TDM enables you to load your Oracle models from SQL script. See the:
a) Reverse Engineering Wizard
Open the Reverse Engineering Wizard and in step Select Data Source, select DDL Script RE and particular Oracle database version. Take other steps as during standard RE.
If a typo or unknown command is found, the problematic area will be highlighted and you will see what’s wrong with the script visually (also in the Log area under the script preview).
b) LIVE RE - see the Connections dialog
Select File | Connections | from the Data Source box, select DDL Script RE Oracle db v. or just select a connection (if it already exists).
Via this LIVE RE, you can load besides Entities, Views and Synonyms also Types, Functions, Procedures, Materialized views etc. (This enhanced LIVE RE functionality works only for import from SQL script.)
This feature is shown in this movie:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=1923&categoryID=273
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3. SQL Code Generation by SCHEMA/USER
Press F9 to open the DDL Script Generation dialog and see the new User/Schema box.
If you select the item –None–, all tables of your model will be generated. If you select a particular schema, only tables of the selected schema will be generated.
On tab Entity List, you can also select Workspace for the script generation. If you select a schema and then a Workspace, only tables of the selected schema that exist on the selected WS will be generated in the final SQL script.
To see the feature in action, watch the flash movie at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=1912&categoryID=273
In the movie, also another enhancement is shown, which is the Auto Check button (see the button in the screenshot above). This button is available in all forms where you can select Object Types and Properties. By default, it is enabled, which means that when you select the main item, e.g. Entities, its sub-items will be selected automatically. If you select a sub-item, the main item will selected automatically too.
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4. Adding Attributes to PK via Double-Click
Similarly to TDM version 2, you can add attributes to a primary key easily. All you have to do is to double-click the area in the Key column next to the attribute name.
Note: You can assign more attributes to the primary key. The attributes will be added to the key in the order you click the Key column for the attributes.
To change the order of attributes in the primary key, edit the PK | Attributes tab | select an attribute in the Selected table and click the green arrows on the right to change the order.
Watch the movie on this issue at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=1911&categoryID=273
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5. Alignment of Relationship Break Points
The Beta brings new Align options for break points (in Straight mode):
1. Select break points (use ALT key to select a break point or line segment, use SHIFT key to select more break points/line segments).
2. Click the Edit menu | Align Breakpoints.
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6. Move Caption of Relationship
Imagine the situation when your model is large and some of your relationships long. Caption of particular relationship is e.g. on page 1. Now you need to know the name of the relationship in another place in your ER diagram, on another page… Or… You have re-arranged your ER diagram and some captions seemed to get lost in the diagram… - TDM offers an elegant and fast solution:
Right-click the selected relationship on a particular place and select Move Caption Here. Caption of the relationship will move to this place.
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7. Navigation in WS
These two new functions have been added to other enhancements made in previous Beta:
CTRL +, CTRL + Page Up to zoom in,
CTRL -, CTRL + Page Down to zoom out.
Summary - Navigation in Workspace:
- CTRL + scroll mouse to zoom in/zoom out.
- CTRL +, CTRL + Page Up to zoom in,
- CTRL -, CTRL + Page Down to zoom out.
- scroll mouse to move up/down in Workspace.
- SHIFT + scroll mouse to move to the right/left in Workspace.
- holding down the middle button to move in entire page/Workspace.
- Possibility to move shapes in Workspaces using the keyboard arrows.
- Possibility to resize shapes of objects in Workspace: SHIFT + keyboard arrows.
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8. Autolayout
Now you can set up a coefficient of distance between tables in a Workspace. See the Settings menu | Options | Graphics | the Autolayout area.
The lower the coefficient is, the smaller the distance between tables will be.
Tip! - If your model is very large, display only Entities in the Display Level box.
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9. Wordwrap
Word wrap is available on tab SQL Preview. Edit the Entity Properties form | SQL Preview tab and select the WordWrap checkbox.
To enable this option by default, select Settings | Options | Physical Model | General tab | the SQL Preview WordWrap checkbox.
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10. New Workspace Properties Dialog
Right –click the selected workspace in the Application View or Model Explorer and select Edit. A new Workspace Properties dialog will open. Here, you can enter description for the WS and see statistic information for particular WS.
When you create a new workspace in your model (CTRL + W or click the particular icon in the toolbar), the dialog will open by default. - If you like to turn off this function, select Settings | Options | General and clear the Open Workspace Properties Dialog after Add Workspace checkbox.
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11. Model Properties versus Stamp
The Model Properties dialog and the Stamp dialog have merged.
In the Model menu, you can see now only the Model Properties item. It opens the Model Properties dialog where, besides the main data on the model, also tabs Description, After Script and Before Script are available.
Stamp is available only as an icon in the toolbar - to add it to a Workspace. Double-click the Stamp in the Workspace opens the Model Properties dialog now.
Notes:
A double-click on the model name in Model Explorer opens the Model Properties dialog. This dialog is also available from the right-click menu on model name in the Application View and Model Explorer.
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=========
Note: All the changes will be documented in the Help file and Manual for next official release of Toad Data Modeler.
Any feedback on the Beta is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Vladka