OnLine
Applied Information Studies

for PowerDesigner

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• Tutorial: Build the Airline Model
  

• Introducing the Conceptual Data Model
  
  
• Logical modeling in the CDM
  
  
• The Physical Data Model
  
  
• Managing the Schema Production
  
  
• Go to other pages
  

Introducing the Conceptual Data Model

• Relational Theory and Data Modeling
• Conceptual, Logical, and Physical modeling
  
• Introduction to PowerDesigner
• PowerDesigner Highlights
• Sequence of Data Modeling Approaches in PowerDesigner
• The PowerDesigner Conceptual Data Model
  
• Tool palette icons
• Creating entities
• Drawing simple relationships
• Relationship definition dialog box
  
• Fleshing out the conceptual objects
• Manipulating graphic objects
• Accessing graphic objects
• Generating a Physical Model
• Logical modeling checks
  
• What is "Relational" in RDBMS?
• Domains - the foundation of everything
• PowerDesigner domains: Dictionary/List of Domains
• Populate entities with attribut
• Relation Identity
• Refining relationships
  
• Two routes through PowerDesigner
• The ER approach
• The domain approach
  
• More tool box modeling (with some menu options)
• Building a multi-level subtype hierarchy with the subtype icon
• Create a many-to-many relationship
  
• Main menu features
• File Merge, Print Graphics, Edit Report
• Don't count on much online help
• Windows Grid, Color Mode, Window Color
• View hot key and toolbox alternates
• Options Display, Preferences-Confirm Delete
• Format
• Arrange

Logical modeling in the CDM (Top)

• Metamorphosis into a complete logical model
• Assigning logical properties to domains
• Discovering sub-type hierarchies
• Externalizing complex attribut (normalization)
• Existence, uniqueness, and identity
• Nominating entity identifiers
• Setting identifier inheritance with Is Dependent
• Casting the PDM Generation options
  
• Partitioning the model into sub-models
• Creating sub-models
• Placing objects in sub-models
• The role of sub-models
  
• The architecture of PowerDesigner
• Viewing the DEF files
• Tracing from conceptual specifications into DDL and DML
  
• More advanced modeling
• Repairs to existing relationships
• Associative entities as roles
• Multiple dimension subtypes
• Recursive relationships
• Modeling many-to-many Identifier options (including surrogate keys)
  
• Capturing additional constraints
• Business rules as object oriented processes
• Using the check panel

The Physical Data Model (Top)

• Working with generated objects
• Tables
• Columns
• Checks
• Descriptions
• Indexes
• Alternate keys
• References
• Domains
• Rules
  
• Constructing views
• Reviewing repeated menu items
• They are (almost) all the same as in the CDM
  
• Managing the database configuration
• Database options
• Table spaces
• Storage spaces
• Table options
• Primary key options
  
• Controlling the output
• Generating DDL and DML
• Object oriented trigger architecture
• Extended attribut and the 4GL connections
• Reviewing the architecture of PowerDesigner
• A deeper view of DEF and CDF files
• Generating laterally into other target platforms

Managing the Schema Production (Top)

• Dressing up for presentation
• Graphic layout
• Color and line style
• Free form shapes and text
• Reverse engineering existing databases
• Capturing the PowerDesigner dictionary
• ODBC vs. DDL
• Considering the limits and flaws
• Dissimilarly named foreign keys
• DML views
  
• Managing team development
• The "check-out/check-in" concept
• Weak granularity of sub-model based control
• Setting and implementing standards
• Integrating multiple sources of update
• Synchronizing CDM and PDM
• Version control and archiving
  
• Mapping a database design life cycle
• Limiting each change type to one level
• Using PVCS type text control
• CDM & PDM
• DEF & CDF
• DDL & DML
• The repository as workspace vs. master
  
• Mastering the dictionary
• Documenting the meta-model
• Extending the meta-model
• Building your query library
• Manipulating non-key elements via SQL
• Building an active front-end on the back-end