Glossary Item Box

Database Designer for MySQL

Features

Database Designer for MySQL offers a lot of features that allow you to be creative and productive in your work on database design and maintenance.

MySQL Native Support

Database Designer for MySQL provides native support of MySQL objects and data types. You can work with them in a very intuitive graphical interface. The central part of the application is a diagram that gives you the visual representation of the MySQL database.

The product supports all MySQL data types including TIMESTAMP, YEAR, TEXT, SET and other. Multiple table types and their features are also supported. You are able to manage table columns, indexes, references and other MySQL objects in the easiest way.

After you have completed designing the database diagram you can generate physical database directly in MySQL server and even modify already existing local or remote database. Note that you can start working with the diagram by reverse engineering an existing MySQL database.

See also:

Support of Modern MySQL Versions

Database Designer for MySQL supports not only classical 3.xx MySQL server, but also new 4.x+ features, such as support of InnoDB foreign keys and others.

Support of Stored Procedures, Functions and Views

Database Designer for MySQL is the first CASE tool, which supports MySQL 5.0 innovative features such as stored procedures, functions and views.

See also:

Direct Connection to MySQL

Database Designer for MySQL has a unique ability to connect to MySQL databases directly without any slow and unreliable intermediates, such as ODBC or ADODB. It greatly improves the performance of such frequent operations as database synchronization and generation. Also this feature noticeably simplifies the process of setting up database connection: you don't have to tune any additional drivers such as MyODBC.

Direct connection to MySQL databases became possible due to the DAC for MySQL Delphi component from MicroOLAP Technologies LTD.

Domains Support

The product has integrated Domains support for faster defining the required column properties. The domains are user-defined types, which contain all column information (data type, key options, dimensions, and flags). This allows you to add and modify existing domain-based columns in multiple tables at once. Currently domains are not supported by MySQL, so it is a unique Database Designer for MySQL extension to the server.

See also:

Using Domains tutorial
Domain Manager overview

Easy Object Location and Modification

You can easily navigate through diagram objects by using Object Tree View window. It contains combined information about all objects of your diagram and displays it in a hierarchical tree structure. Object Tree View window shows you: Domains, Tables, Columns, Indexes, References. You can locate any diagram table quickly right-clicking on it in the Object Tree View window and selecting 'Go to object' from the context menu.

Also Database Designer for MySQL provides you with very handy tools for fast modifying of significant parameters of multiple objects. They are Table Manager (accessible by Diagram | Table Manager menu item), Column Manager (Diagram | Column Manager menu item), Domain Manager (by Diagram | Domain Manager menu item) and Index Manager (Diagram | Index Manager menu item).

See also:

Object Tree View window survey
Table Manager, Column Manager, Domain Manager, Index Manager.

Check diagram Function

Database Designer for MySQL can verify your diagram for consistency and find typical errors, which occur during the database design and maintaining processes. It is possible to compare by convenience this feature to Microsoft Word's spell checker. It significantly saves your time and enables you to concentrate on main development tasks.

See also:

Check Diagram function

Import From Multiple Data Sources

You can generate your diagram from an existing database structure. It's possible by reverse engineering a MySQL database or importing structure from other data sources.

Database Designer for MySQL allows import from the following data sources:

Reverse engineering MySQL database
Reverse engineering Microsoft Access database
Reverse engineering ADO (OLEDB)-compatible databases

See also:

Reverse Engineering and Import Overview

Report Generator

Database Designer for MySQL can generate comprehensive printable reports for you. This gives you the possibility of getting a hard copy of the report by printing it. After that you may approve your diagram with colleagues and managers.

Generated reports contain information about all tables, their indexes, columns and references.

You can get reports in HTML format.

See also:

Reports overview

SQL Editor and Executor

With Database Designer for MySQL you don't need any external tools for executing simple SQL statements and queries. The SQL Executor tool allows you to modify the existing structure of a local or remote database and even view data by running SELECT/INSERT/UPDATE/ DELETE SQL statements.

See also:

SQL Executor

Full Customization of Diagram and Objects Appearance

The whole diagram appearance can be adjusted according to your requirements and wishes. You can set colors of table background, table lines and references. You can configure table information representation: enable showing of column and indexes icons, displaying indexes, keys, foreign keys and other.

See also:

Multi-document Interface

Database Designer for MySQL has Multi-Document Interface. This means that you can edit multiple documents simultaneously. You may place more than one diagram onto the working space, switch between them quickly, compare them, and drag objects from one to another.

See also:

Diagram Window

Export of diagram to Graphical File

The product can export your diagram into multiple graphical formats: bitmap (PNG, GIF, JPEG) by using File | Export | Image menu item and vector (EMF) by using File | Export | Vector Graphics menu item. This allows you to use graphical representation of a diagram in your documents (i.e. use it in Microsoft Word, LaTeX), publish diagram to Web sites, create big posters with it.

See also:

Export to Graphics

Database Generation

When you've finished creating of database diagram, you are able to generate SQL script for it (Database | Generate Database) and build database directly on a local or remote MySQL server.

See also:

Database Generation

Database Synchronization

By using the Synchronize Database (Database | Database Synchronization) tool you can not only generate a new database but, what is more important, synchronize an existing MySQL database with the diagram you are developing. Database Designer for MySQL will automatically generate all required SQL statements. This means that you don't ever need to create complex and inconvenient ALTER TABLE statements manually; moreover it significantly reduces the complexity and improves the reliability of all database modification tasks. Whatever complex diagram you have, you can synchronize database with it literally in two clicks.

See also:

Database Synchronization overview

Database Connection Manager

It is possible for you to store the connection profiles for your database within the Database Connection Manager and access any of them quickly. You don't need to remember multiple parameters of connections -- just click on the connection profile and get access to the database.

See also:

Database Connection Manager overview