Entities and Objects

Each element in a project is treated as an object defined by its properties and characteristics, which will be useful in building the physical element in the database. These properties are saved in the project file along with the position on the charts, including the position within each view defined in the project. The next reading project file, restore the properties and positions previously saved, including their positions in the graph.

Every single object, both visually and with the exception of objects of type relation, text, and areas is shown on the chart as a small window, complete with title (name of the object), and any other details (eg fields a table). A special icon to the left of this title, visually identifies the type (or group) of the object.

In addition to the icon of the group, in order to distinguish one object from another, each element must necessarily have a name, which has unique within the same project. The name is being set creation, but can be changed later (obviously respecting the logic of mandatory and uniqueness). This logic is valid also for PostgreSQL, which allows for more objects with the same name, although of a different nature.

As for the objects of type tables and views, you can make visible on the chart also their fields. The tables are displayed: name of the field, type and size as well, if in an index, the index type (single, primary key, foreign key ...). The views display only names of the columns. On the right of each field, you see an icon that identifies whether this is a primary key, a foreign-key or a normal field.

It is possible to set the details of the content of items affecting the look and feel within the diagram, for example tables and views, you can see whether or not the fields.

As for the objects of type relation, for obvious reasons these objects follow a completely different logic; their graphic representation is dependent on the presence and position of related tables. The relation appears in the form of a line, which can be continuous or dashed, according to the type of connection (mandatory or otherwise) between the two tables. At the moment it is not possible to manually move a relation, whose design is done automatically by the program. They are still a few possibilities for customization, internal engine used by the application, which affect some aspects and the visual tracking of a relation: the type of connection and the type of coupling between the two tables. Through the first approach can be defined as the line is drawn from table to table daughter father, which may be only two ways: with a straight or a straight line segments composed of horizontal and vertical perpendicular, which points start and end are linked the two tables. The second approach determines as points of attack on two tables are calculated and shown on the chart: the top and bottom edges of the table or at camps in the relation, in the first case, the line is drawn from the bottom of the table and ending father on the top edge of the table daughter, these two points are represented in real time, at the movement of one of two tables, and their position is calculated automatically even considering the existence of other relations on the same table, in the second case rigging points starting from the right side of the table father at the first camp that makes the relation, and ending on the left side of the table daughter always at the first field in relation.

The point of the line of relation is represented by a small square, while the final point comes as a bit of arrow, this approach will help you understand immediately the direction of relation and how the two tables are linked with each other. As with other objects, you can select active and make a relation with the click of a mouse next to the line or points of attack and if the display is active labels, the click of a mouse on the name of the relation, which is displayed in central line, will allow the selection of relation. Double click on a relation will bring change for the management of the properties of the object.