Results - Diagrams

01 Jun 1996 updated

See also Diagrams section of the meeting presentation

  1. Perform diagram auto layout with user preferences for style and weighting of the algorithm's factors. See, for example, Tom Sawyer Software.
  2. Add a feature to select an entity's neighbors to n degree of relationship.
  3. Offer every meta object as a graphic object (e.g., manipulate attributes directly for edit and move). Thus attributes would be graphic objects able to be moved, copied, deleted, edited, etc. directly on the diagram.
  4. Show referential integrity options on the CDM logical level. See also Results - Model Transformation
  5. Provide icons to view and manipulate referential integrity options graphically.
  6. Provide graphic symbols for entity classification (over new meta properties) to allow users to classify entities with more differentiation than color, line style, and shadow.
  7. Add meta data structures to enable user association of logical properties to graphic properties. For example, associate red line color with dependent relationships; associate a shadow with entites which will not generate into the physical model. See also Results - Meta-Data.
  8. Provide object snap to user determined grid or size (i.e., "Normal")
  9. Add a wizard to assist placement of relationship ends at intelligent points around the perimiter of an entity.
  10. Select relationship representation from a list of standard methodologies (e.g.; IE, OMT, IDEF, ...) - do not offer user customizable cardinality symbols.
  11. Automatically draw visual clues to relationship stacking and other obscured model content.
  12. Decouple the symbols for dependent relationships and cardinality (see Results - Model Content).
  13. Generate process oriented data model diagrams where the entity content is auto-selected based on a process selected in Process Analyst and entities involved in that process.
  14. Submodels versus subject areas is a deep and important area. We did not have time to explore these issues adequately so we agreed to table them marked "to be explored".

Where to go from here:

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