I’m pleased to inform you that Toad Data Modeler 3.5.5.5 BETA has been released.

The new BETA brings great new features, enhancements and more than forty resolved issues!

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New Features and Enhancements
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General:
- Support for DB 2 LUW 9.7
- Templates for SQL Objects
- Application Variables
- Naming Conventions - Valid characters
- Enhanced Default Values dialog

Macros and Scripting Functionality:
- New commands for refresh of Model Explorer and Workspace
- Possibility to add a relationship and key via script
- Possibility to add columns to keys
- Possibility to set user rights

Toad for Oracle Integration:
- Generated DDL script will open in the currently running instance of Toad for Oracle.

Reverse Engineering:
- Improved Filter functionality for table selection on the Tables page in the Reverse Engineering Wizard
- Possibility to reverse engineer tables to Workspaces by Schemas/User

Sync & Convert Wizard:
- Wildcard Dialog on page Select Items
- Comparing of Procedures Enhanced

RTF/PDF Reports:
- Links in RTF/PDF Reports

For more details, please read the Beta release announcement at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/thread.jspa?messageID=94761&tstart=0#94761

We look forward to your feedback!

Regards,

Vladka + TDM Team

I’m pleased to inform you that Toad Data Modeler 3.5.4.1 BETA has been released.
Beta 3.5.4.1 does not bring any new features and enhancements. It is Beta 3.5.3.1 with extended expiration date (1 May 2010).

Please accept our apology for any inconveniences you might have had because of the break between Betas. (Switching back to developmentally lower version is not recommended, e.g. from Beta 3.5.3 to commercial 3.4.16.)
In the future, we will be always trying to release Betas continuously, without any breaks to prevent you from any incompatibility issues.
Thank you.

You can download the Beta 3.5.4.1 from:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/ann.jspa?annID=150
The Beta expires on 1 May 2010.

Note: The next Beta will bring lots of great new features and enhancements. We are still working on it. Thanks for your patience.

Regards,

Vladka & TDM Team

Let me inform you that another freeware version of Toad Data Modeler has been released.
Toad Data Modeler 3.4.16 Freeware expires on 20 May 2010.

Freeware version has some limitations. You can read about them in the following documents:
* TDM Freeware Matrix - Feature List - A list of features and differences between TDM Commercial and Freeware:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=3303&categoryID=29

* TDM Freeware - Functionality Restrictions - A quick review of freeware restrictions
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=3304&categoryID=29

Tip! - Feel free to use Freeware version as a viewer of your models!

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Download
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You can download the Freeware from:
http://usdownloads.quest.com.edgesuite.net/Repository/www.toadsoft.com/tdm/ToadDataModeler_freeware_3.4.16.8.zip

If you have any questions, please write us back. Thanks.

Regards,

Vladka + TDM Team

Of course, there are differences between logical and physical models. Logical model is a general model where you can design just a basic structure without regard to database specific items. On the contrary, physical models contain specific items and detailed settings for the selected target database.

Key differences also include the following:
• Inheritance can be modeled only in logical model
• FK attributes don’t migrate to child entities in logical model

Before you start your database development, it is critical to make the right decision and consider if you do want to start with logical model or physical model.

Recommendations:
1. If you do not plan to use inheritance, start with physical model.
2. If you need to define database specific items, like Autoincrement property etc., start with physical model.
3. If you need to create a model for multiple target database platforms, for example one for Oracle and one for MS SQL – you can consider both of the options 1 and 2. You can convert a logical model to two models, one for Oracle and second for MS SQL Server (and others, of course. LER to PER conversion). However, if you start with physical model for Oracle, you can also easily convert the model to MS SQL Server model (PER to PER conversion).

Note: If you are used to defining descriptive names for some objects - physical and logical names for tables, views and other objects, you can also choose physical model. Example: physical name of table is CST. More descriptive name for the same table CST is Customer. Both names can be defined in a physical model in Toad Data Modeler (while in some other database modeling tools it is possible to specify only certain logical information in logical model).

Inheritance in Logical Model
In logical models you can model inheritances. Toad Data Modeler allows you to define three methods of the inheritance conversion. Each of the three options significantly affects the converted physical model. See the examples below

Logical Model:

Inheritance Settings:

Possible Outputs:
A] Single Table

B] N-1 Tables

C] N Tables

As you can see in the example, converted physical models can have one table, two tables or three tables and one ID attribute, two ID attributes or three ID attributes. Inheritance settings affect the final physical model and that’s why FK attributes don’t migrate to child entities in logical model. It doesn’t seem to have a sense to display three ID attributes in logical model when there finally will be only one or two attributes as shown in output B] and C].

Conversion from logical to physical model is not only about conversion of data types and adding logical names to tables and columns. It is a more complicated task. Some other products show FK attributes in child tables in logical models, but such products probably don’t support three methods of conversion from logical to physical models.

New TDM Versions – Logical or Physical?
In the latest BETA version and in future versions of Toad Data Modeler, the following dialog will be shown every time you create a new logical model. We believe it will help you to decide which model to select to start your modeling work.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us via the Modeling community forum.

Thank you.

Vaclav + Vladka

I’m sure you have already noticed. Christmas is just around the corner…

And here is a winter card from our team to you :).

Let us wish you and your families a happy and peaceful holiday season, good health, love and lots of wonderful moments in the new year 2010.

Thank you very much for all your support this year and for being such wonderful BETA testers and TDM3 users! We hope you will stay fans of our product and will keep helping us to make Toad Data Modeler even a better product. We appreciate your co-operation very much!

Your Toad Data Modeler Team

Community during Holidays
Let me inform you that our development team will not be available during the Christmas holiday season. We will be celebrating Christmas and New Year at home with our families and friends. Therefore, we would like to ask you for patience.
The community will be restricted in the period of 21 December to 4 January.

Thank you very much for understanding it.

We are looking forward to hearing from you in January!

Vladka + TDM Team

Let me inform you that Toad Data Modeler version 3.4.16 has been released.
The new version is bringing the following new features and enhancements:
* Support for Oracle 11g Release 2 including Reverse Engineering, LIVE RE, DDL/SQL Script generation, Model Verification, Reports, Alter Script generation
* Search Box on the toolbar (View | Toolbars | Quick Search Bar)

Resolved Issues:
Oracle 11g, 10g, 9i
- Import DDL - DDL scripts in ANSI and UNICODE code were not imported properly. Fixed.
- Reverse Engineering - Problem during loading net service names from tnsnames.ora configuration file. Fixed.

You can download Toad Data Modeler 3.4.16 from:
http://www.quest.com/common/registration.aspx?RequestDefID=10037
or via the Quest support website:
https://support.quest.com/
(section Downloads & Updates for Toad Data Modeler)

More details on the new features can be found in the New In This Release document available at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=3501&categoryID=29

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write us. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Vladka + TDM Team

FORM
To create a form, use the object System that is registered in every script.
The method you need is called CreateForm and has four optional parameters:
Example:
var form = System.CreateForm(‘FormName’, ‘Form Caption’, 200, 150);

1. First Parameter – Name of form (it mustn’t contain spaces and other invalid/not permitted characters).
2. Second Parameter – Caption that will be displayed in the heading of the form.
3. Third Parameter – Width of the form.
4. Fourth Parameter – Height of the form.

Functions of Form

AddControl(ControlName: widestring, ControlType: Integer): IDispatch;
- ControlName – Name under which the control is accessible.
- ControlType – Number of control type that should be created.

See the following:
- 1 - Edit Box
- 2 - Check Box
- 3 - Memo
- 4 - Panel
- 5 - Label
- 6 - Group Box
- 7 - Radio Button
- 8 - Combo Box
- 9 - List Box
- 10 - Button

This function adds control on the form.

ShowModal()
This function displays the form.

Procedures of Form

AddUserVariable(AName: widestring, DefaultValue)
- AName – Name under which a variable is accessible in events of forms.
- DefaultValue – Default value. It can be of types integer, widestring or boolean.

This procedure adds a variable on the form. The variable is then accessible in events via calling the Instance.VariableName. The variable is accessible across events. If you change a content of the variable in one event, the changed status will be accessible in another event.

RegisterObject(AName: widestring, AObject: IDispatch)
- AName – Name of object via which it will be accessible in events.
- Aobject – Object that is registered.

Use this procedure to register objects in events.

Properties of Form

Caption – Heading of the form.
CloseAfterExecute – True – When you click Execute, the code will be executed and the form closed. False – The form will not close after execution. False is set up by default.
ExecuteMethodName – Name of method that should be executed when you press the Execute button.
ExecuteScriptName – Name of script for calling out the method when you click the Execute button.

Note: If you don’t want to use the button Execute, do not set up the properties ExecuteMethodName and ExecuteScriptName. The button will not be visible on the form then.

EVENTS
To assign events, assign the component of particular event to properties of names NameEventScriptName, NameEventMethodName with reference to particular service method.

Example:
Button.OnClickScriptName = ‘MyScript’;
Button.OnClickMethodName = ‘DoOnClick’;

CONTROL
Control is an ancestor from which all controls, including the form, inherit.

Properties of Control
Align – Alignment of control. Possible values to use:
0 No alignment
1 Alignment - Top
2 Alignment - Bottom
3 Alignment - Left
4 Alignment - Right
5 Alignment – Justify

AnchorTop, AnchorBottom, AnchorLeft, AnchorRight – Determines the position of control. Default place – top left-hand corner.
Parent – Control on which a control is placed. Default position of all controls is on the form and this property is not set up.

Note: Description of value Align 0..5:
alNone - The control remains where it was placed. This is the default value.
alTop - The control moves to the top of its parent and resizes to fill the width of its parent. The height of the control is not affected.
alBottom - The control moves to the bottom of its parent and resizes to fill the width of its parent. The height of the control is not affected.
alLeft - The control moves to the left side of its parent and resizes to fill the height of its parent. The width of the control is not affected.
alRight - The control moves to the right side of its parent and resizes to fill the height of its parent. The width of the control is not affected.
alClient - The control resizes to fill the client area of its parent. If another control already occupies part of the client area, the control resizes to fit within the remaining client area.

BUTTON
Event
OnClick – Occurs when you click the button.

CHECKBOX
Event
OnClick – Occurs when the check in checkbox is changed.

COMBO-BOX
Event
OnSelect - Occurs when combo box is selected.

EDIT
Event
OnChangeText – Occurs when text in edit box is changed.

MEMO
Event
OnChangeText – Occurs when text in memo is changed.

RADIO BUTTON
Event
OnClick – Occurs when the button is selected.

More details will be available in Reference Guide. This document will be updated for next commercial release of Toad Data Modeler. For now, please do not hesitate to write us your questions via Modeling community forum. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Have a nice day.

Regards,

Vladka + TDM Team

Use Case:
You want to create a macro that will add a particular prefix to all attributes in your model.
Solution: You will create a macro ‘Add Prefix’. The macro will be available via right-click menu on the Workspace. You want to create a user form where you will define the prefix and decide if you want to apply the change in Caption of attributes too.

1. Open Script Explorer.
2. Right-click the Macros item and select Add New Macro.
3. Right-click the new item and select Properties.
4. On tab General, define properties of the macro.

Important! – Name of macro mustn’t contain spaces and other forbidden characters. The name must start with a character (not number). Then you can use characters, numbers or possibly ‘_’.
The rules don’t refer to caption. Caption can be any title you want.

5. On tab Visibility, select where you want to apply the macro – Physical Model.
6. On tab Menu, define whether you want to display the macro in:
- Macro menu,
- pop-up menu,
- both places.
Parameter Path specifies position in main menu or pop-up menu. Feel free to define e.g. “Test\My Items”.

In this example, you decide to display it only in pop-up menu.
Path box is empty as ‘Macros‘ item is set as default.

7. On tab Object Types, select in which object pop-up menu you want to display it. Select Workspace.

8. Confirm OK.
9. Double-click the macro to open Script Editor. Modify the default code.

10. Click Commit and Save.

Result: Right-click the Workspace | Macros | Add Prefix to open the user form.

Next time I will provide you with some details on user forms - functions, procedures, events etc.

Regards,
Vladka + TDM Team

As you already know, new BETA version 3.5.3.1 has been released today. This BETA brings a lot of new features and enhancements, including enhancements relating to macros - visual components for macros (user forms).
Let me give you a brief insight into this great enhancement. In the following text, I will compare the possibility of using macros in older TDM BETA version with what you can achieve now using the visual components.

Toad Data Modeler supports macros. You can create a macro in Package Explorer or Script Explorer and modify its properties to display the macro either in main menu or pop-up menu (of particular object or on the Workspace etc.).
Previous TDM versions allowed you to define such macros via a script written in Script Editor. To execute the script directly, you simply selected the macro in the particular menu.

This method is shown in the following movie:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=3283&categoryID=273

Current BETA version is bringing visual components for macros (User Forms). So, now when you select a macro in particular menu, a user form can display.

Examples of User Forms:
Right-click the Workspace displays the Macros item. Two user macros are available there:

Mark Procedures as Generate macro opens the following user form:

Select the procedures for which you want to clear the Generate box. Click Close to execute the macro.

Add Prefix macro opens the following user form:

Define a prefix for attributes. Click Execute to execute the macro.

So, as you can see, you can execute the macro directly when you click it OR you can display user forms where you can further modify the settings for execution. You can create such user forms on your own.

User Forms - Introductory Information:
- You can create and use user forms to interact with Toad Data Modeler during script and macro execution. You can enter input parameters or see some output information.
- Function Main only creates and displays the user form. Other functionalities must be implemented/added via form events or its controls. So, a form is not a dialog.

Next time I will give you an example on how to create a macro and user form.

Have a nice day.

Take care,

Vladka

I’m pleased to inform you that Toad Data Modeler 3.5.3.1 BETA has been released.

The new BETA brings the following new features and enhancements:

* Support for Oracle 11g Release 2 including Reverse Engineering, LIVE RE, DDL/SQL Script generation,
Model Verification, Reports, Alter Script generation
* Macros – Visual components for creation of macros available (User Forms)
* Search Box on the toolbar (View | Toolbars | Quick Search Bar)
and much more.

For more details, please read the Release Notes PDF document available at:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/entry.jspa?externalID=3481&categoryID=29

You can download the new Beta from:
http://modeling.inside.quest.com/ann.jspa?annID=150

We look forward to your feedback.

Regards,

Vladka