I've been using Visio and the SQL Server Express Management Studio to make pictures for my current client: being able to make her own sub-diagrams has helped her see the relationships better, instead of having extra lines all over the screen. I think I'll need to look at investing in xCase, though...
On 3/19/07, Ted Roche <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On 3/19/07, Dave Crozier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > As I'm converting (slowly) the existing native VFP table onto MySQL this > > requirement to model the "extended FK" will eventually become redundant > and > > as you say I'll order the cursors using the additional "order by" in the > SQL > > statement. It's just that I wanted a simple way to model the existing > tables > > but not to worry as I can always include the foreigh FK expression in > the > > relationship description label. > > I've done a lot of porting of legacy (that's "Stuff someone wrote a > couple of years ago, before we knew what we know now," sometimes even > my own stuff) into new databases, some modern DBCs and others into SQL > Server and MySQL. A key idea to grasp is that RDBMS features are not > an option when you move to other platforms - you HAVE to do it the > right way, or suffer mightily. Relational integrity is defined and > maintained in the engine and it's either right or wrong. > > So, in this case, I'd suggest creating a "real" FK, just another index > on the table, and look at migrating your current logic to use the join > of "FROM Customer Join Transaction on Customer.PK = > Transaction.Cust_FK" and "ORDER BY Date, Type" > > Btw, "Type" and "Date" are not good names for fields; I don't know if > you were just using them as examples, or if that's really what's in > the database. That'll cause trouble, too. Avoid keywords. > > > I must admit I'm very impressed with XCase so far even though I haven't > yet > > looked into the scripting features and as you say, the diagrams do look > very > > pretty especially as I need to introduce a junior person to the existing > > system schema in as painless a way as possible. > > Pictures are worth a thousand words. ERDs can convey a lot of > information, intuitively and viscerally. > > Once you get the hang of it, maintaining the model, a couple of > development databases, a staging database and the production > database(s) in synch using the generated scripts is pretty handy. > > > As I said, I have taken a > > look at Enterprise Architect which seems to be a "monster" with loads > more > > facilities than I need at present so I think I'll at least start with > XCase. > > I'm still surprised at all the features hidden in xCase: porting to a > different target DBMS, browsing live data,... it's a pretty cool > application. > > -- > Ted Roche > Ted Roche & Associates, LLC > http://www.tedroche.com > > [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: ProFox@leafe.com Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
