Online Documentation for SQL Manager for DB2

Visual Database Designer


Visual settings

 

Model notation

When you work in Visual Database Designer, you can choose one of the following modeling notations:

  • Integration DEFinition for Information Modeling (IDEF1X);
  • Information Engineering (IE).

 

The IDEF1X and IE notations use different symbols to represent relationships between entities (and tables).

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD

 

 

CheckBox Draw PRIMARY KEY fields separately

Separates Primary key fields from other fields with a horizontal line.

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD - Draw PRIMARY KEY fields separately

 

CheckBox Draw entities icons

Displays icons at the left of each entity header according to its type.

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD - Draw entities icons

 

CheckBox Draw attributes icons

Displays icons at the left of each attribute according to its type (Primary key, Foreign key, ordinary field).

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD - Draw attributes icons

 

CheckBox Draw only names of entities

Displays only entity headers, fields are hidden.

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD - Draw only names of entities

 

CheckBox Draw FOREIGN KEY name

Displays foreign key names for the corresponding relations.

 

Environment Options - Tools - VDBD - Draw FOREIGN KEY name

 

Grid options

 

CheckBox Show grid

Displays dots in the diagram area to make the grid visible.

 

CheckBox Snap to grid

Automatically aligns entities on the form with the nearest grid line. You cannot place an entity in between grid lines.

 

Grid size

Sets grid spacing in pixels along the x- and y-axes. Specify a higher number to increase grid spacing.

 

 

Style & Color

This group allows you to set style and color for various Visual Database Designer diagram elements: workspace, relation, table, view, function, procedure, selected item, field, primary key, foreign key, etc.

 

Select an item in the list and set its properties:

 

Font name | Font size

Use the drop-down lists to select the font and size of the element (if applied).

 

Font color | Brush color | Pen color

Set fill colors by clicking an item to call the Color dialog where you can specify the required color from the palette.

 

Font style

Set font attributes (bold, italic, underlined) using the corresponding check-boxes.

 

If necessary, you can apply the properties to all elements using the corresponding button.