The ER Diagram tool offers a visual representation of database relationships. This is very useful when studying a set of tables for use and building queries. To use the ER Diagammer, drag tables from the object palette onto the viewing area. The diagram will add the dependent tables and their relationships.
To change the depth of the dependencies, use the dropdown. A depth of one shows the first level foreign keys. From the right click menu, there are several options-- show or hide column details or dependencies, automatically resize the table, find lookup table, add notes, or hide a column. Toggling the column details or dependencies gives you more information about the columns.
Notes can be added for the entire diagram or associated to a particular table. Columns not often used can be hidden. Manage the hidden columns from the Hidden Column Editor.
You can also find the lookup table for column from the right click menu. In cases where a column has a foreign key associated with it, no search needs to be done. Otherwise, you can search all tables for a column with that name. The results of the search will be listed in the tables area.
Below that are the column details for the table. Here you can select the column with the codes and also the column with their description. Next, you can look at the values side by side. Now you no longer have to remember what each code means. The lookup values can now be used in the Query Builder where condition.
Your ER diagrams can be used as a template for starting queries. Adding the diagram to the project manager offers an easy way of ever the template or sharing as a collaborative resource.
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