Defining Model Options for the Selected Model
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Model Options for the selected model define naming rules, model notation, default datatype, datatype mappings, rolename prefixes, and the attributes order. Use Model Options also to synchronize entity and table names, and attribute and column names.
The preferences set here are maintained in the diagram .dm1 file.
To set Model Options
- Right-click the target model and then click Model Options. Or go to Model > Model Options.
- Depending on the target model selected, the Logical Model Options or Physical Model Options dialog displays.
- Complete the changes on the General Options and Name Handling tabs and then click OK.
Note: The options that appear depend on whether the selected model is a logical or a physical model type.
The following describe options that require additional explanation.
General Options tab
- Max Table Name Length: Read-only, platform dependent value.
- FK Column Definition/Note Synchronization:
- None: The Note and Definition text from the parent PK columns is propagated when the relationship is created or a new column is added to the primary key. If there are any changes to the parent PK columns then the changes will not be synchronized with the child columns.
- Partial: The Note and Definition text from the parent PK column is propagated when the relationship is created or a new column is added to the primary key and the text is kept synchronized with the parent PK columns as long as the text in the parent equals the text in the child. If the text in the foreign key attributes is changed in the child, the tie between the parent and child will be broken.
- PK Indexes: Select Manual Sequence to manually change the sequencing of primary key index columns using the Index Editor. Otherwise, the sequence of the index cannot be manually changed.
- Attribute Order: Select Logical Order to position all primary key columns before non-key columns. Select Physical Order to position the keys to mimic the order in the physical model, meaning that primary keys can appear before or after non-key columns. Select Logical Order to prevent primary keys from being reordered in the Entity Editor. If Logical Order is selected after selecting Physical Order, the primary keys in each entity are re-sequenced so they appear first in the attributes list.
Note: Set the default column sequence for new models on the Options Editor > Application tab.
WARNING: If the Display Level in the Diagram and Object Display Options editor does not match the Attribute Order designation in the Model Options, drag and drop errors and on-screen editing errors can occur. If the true attribute sequence, as designated in the Model Options and the displayed sequence, as designated in the Diagram and Object Display Options, are not synchronized, then ER/Studio Data Architect cannot make the appropriate changes to the entity.
- View Parser: Determines which parser is used to validate the SQL produced when creating a View. This allows you to maintain and parse platform-specific syntax in the logical model. If you use the same parser for both the logical model and the targeted platform, then after generating a physical model you won't need to rewrite the View SQL for it.
- Auto Rolename Prefix: Specify a string to add to the beginning of all rolenames.
- Datatype Mapping: If you have customized a datatype mapping for the selected database platform, from the Datatype Mapping list you can choose an alternate mapping or the system mapping, which is the default.
Note: Custom datatype mappings are created using the Datatype Mapping Editor Tools > Datatype Mapping Editor.
Name Handling Options tab
Sets the synchronization level between entity and table names.
- Complete Synchronization: Matches table and column names with their associated entity and column names. Both names are always synchronized.
- Partial Synchronization: Automatically synchronizes table and column names with their associated entity and attribute names unless you edit the table name, which breaks the synchronization so that the names can be different. If names are the same, editing the entity name will update the table name.
- No Synchronization: Prompts you to manually specify both sets of names. Entity and table names are separate. Also, the rolenames link is broken so that in a foreign key relationship child and parent attributes can have different names.
- Enable Logical Name Editing: Enables corresponding objects to be directly edited from the table or entity editor. For example, attribute names can be edited from the Table Editor and column names can be edited from the Entity Editor.