ERD Software Needed

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ERD Software Needed

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February 26, 2011 at 12:35 pm

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Any suggestions on a recommended open source software that is fast, simple, and thorough in helping me design a ERD for my database? Thank you

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PaulB-TheOneAndOnly SSC Guru Points: 66772 More actions · Answer 1

SQL_Student (2/26/2011)
Any suggestions on a recommended open source software that is fast, simple, and thorough in helping me design a ERD for my database? Thank you

Brain Assisted Pen and Notepad v1.0 is what pops-up in my mind - this will be enough for any homework project.

For professional use I'll go with ERWin - you have to pay for it but you get back every cents in functionality and reliability.

_____________________________________
Pablo (Paul) Berzukov

Author of Understanding Database Administration available at Amazon and other bookstores.

Disclaimer: Advice is provided to the best of my knowledge but no implicit or explicit warranties are provided. Since the advisor explicitly encourages testing any and all suggestions on a test non-production environment advisor should not held liable or responsible for any actions taken based on the given advice.

pietlinden SSC Guru Points: 63503 More actions · Answer 2

Where do I purchase this "Brain Assisted Pen"? Does it have to be assisted by my brain? (What good is that?!)

PaulB-TheOneAndOnly SSC Guru Points: 66772 More actions · Answer 3

pietlinden (2/27/2011)
Where do I purchase this "Brain Assisted Pen"? Does it have to be assisted by my brain? (What good is that?!)

Go to office depot, office max or any supermarket, get a notepad and a pen.

Yes, it has to be powered by your own brain - is going to be as good as your brain is 🙂

_____________________________________
Pablo (Paul) Berzukov

Author of Understanding Database Administration available at Amazon and other bookstores.

Disclaimer: Advice is provided to the best of my knowledge but no implicit or explicit warranties are provided. Since the advisor explicitly encourages testing any and all suggestions on a test non-production environment advisor should not held liable or responsible for any actions taken based on the given advice.

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004339 More actions · Answer 4

SQL_Student (2/26/2011)
Any suggestions on a recommended open source software that is fast, simple, and thorough in helping me design a ERD for my database? Thank you

SQL Server comes with such a tool although it's a bit of a hassle to print the ERD's. Lookup "diagrams [SQL Server], creating" in Books Online (the help system that comes with SQL Server). Just keep in mind that when you save a diagram, you are also saving changes to the database you're designing.

--Jeff Moden

RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

Helpful Links:
How to post code problems
How to Post Performance Problems
Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

pietlinden SSC Guru Points: 63503 More actions · Answer 5

LOL... I a went to Office Depot the other day, and I asked them where the "smart pens" were, and they just looked at me funny... and then when I asked them about the PEBKAC chairs, they couldn't help me there either...

pietlinden SSC Guru Points: 63503 More actions · Answer 6

Okay, all joking aside... the hard part about designing an ERD has nothing to do with SQL Server or any other RDB software. My absolute favorite tool for creating a good ERD is a big whiteboard with colored dry erase markers and an eraser. Then if I make a mistake, which I invariably do, I can just erase my mistake and fix it. Once I'm done, I can draw the design in Visio or whatever. (Except you said "cheap", so that's out.)

If you dig around on the Internet, there are several free tools out there. Not sure how good they are, though.

SQL_Enthusiast Hall of Fame Points: 3805 More actions · Answer 7

http://databaseanswers.org/modelling_tools.htm

I did some research online and found a good site. Here's a great place to try all kinds of data modeling products.

farax_x Hall of Fame Points: 3579 More actions · Answer 8

check this out : http://www.red-gate.com/products/sql-development/sql-doc/

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95460 More actions · Answer 9

SQL_Student (2/27/2011)
http://databaseanswers.org/modelling_tools.htm
I did some research online and found a good site. Here's a great place to try all kinds of data modeling products.

Now that is a very good link - thank you for sharing it with all of us!

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

RP_DBA SSCertifiable Points: 5116 More actions · Answer 10

I currently use Quest Toad Data Modeler. I've used ERWin, Visio and Power*Architect in the past. For me I found that Toad does everything I need: reverse engineering right through db compare and script generation. ERWin and Visio are too expensive and Power*Architect never quite got me there.

_____________________________________________________________________
- Nate

@nate_hughes