ERD diagrams

[Andrew]

I would like to use Draw for create ERD diagrams (I don't have any CASE programs) but Draw don't have all conectors witch I need.
Do You know, where I can find it or how I can create it?

[goa103]

Hi,

I am not sure that Draw is meant for Business Drawing. I am new to OOo but it seems that you can't create an ERD diagram from an existing DB (Reverse Engineering).

What tools do you know to design ERD/UML diagrams ? I use MS Visio and tried SmartDraw: http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Business_Drawing/?tc=1. I also used ArgoUML (http://directory.google.com/Top/Computers/Programming/Methodologies/Modeling_Languages/Unified_Modeling_Language/Tools/). I think you should try SmartDraw, it's cheap (80-130$) and should perfectly suits your need.

Anyway you can still copy & paste your diagrams from your favourite application to Draw/Writer. Actually I am looking for a way to import my Draw files/objects to Writer. So when I update my Draw file, it automatically update the Writer document.

JM
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An OOo mascot designer

[Andrew]

[goa103]

Hi Andrew,

Draw is a very very basic Business Drawing software. It's not even meant for Business Drawing. You have to get a software dedicated to Business Drawing. These are pro tools, so most of them are very expensive. With Visio you can design UML diagrams, ERD schemes,... Everything. And you can customize it the whole way.

To design ERD diagrams you can try:
- MS Visio, by far the best (Enterprise Edition allows you to forwar engineer you DB)
- DBDesigner 4: free new software to design ERD diagrams for MySQL, it has some issues but its developer should improve it soon (I posted some feature requests...)
- Data Architect (theKompany.com) (40$)
- hallogram - Development Tools Data Modeling Database Design
- Datanamic - Tools For Database Developers
- CASE Studio 2 - database modeling tool. ER diagram, reverse engineering, SQL script...

There are tons of UML modeling tools but none of them satisfied my needs:
- Visual Paradigm for UML v2.0 Community/Standard/Professional (Free/300$/700$)
- Poseidon for UML v1.6 Community/Standard Edition (Free/200$)
...

For ER diagrams, one tool: MS Visio.

Just a thought but maybe StarOffice includes some cool business drawing features... Maybe.

JM
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An OOo mascot designer

[Guest]

Yes I know that all... I don't want crate whole project in Draw.

I only want to know how create custom conectors.

If I will have large project I buy one of bussines tools dedicated to do this. I had only a few diagrams to create and I didn't want buy any tools.

I know that I could create conectors, but I don't know how (I've read conectors' file but I can't understand it and when I modified this file OOo didn't work)

[Guest]

Yes I know that all... I don't want crate whole project in Draw.

I only want to know how create custom conectors.

If I will have large project I buy one of bussines tools dedicated to do this. I had only a few diagrams to create and I didn't want buy any tools.

I know that I could create conectors, but I don't know how (I've read conectors' file but I can't understand it and when I modified this file OOo didn't work)

[goa103]

I forgot, you can try GNOME OFfice Dia too it's free! When you can do something with OOo, just search for an other OS project
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An OOo mascot designer

[Guest]

[anvilsoup]

Create the line end you want (e.g. a circle). Select it, then

Format > Line > Arrow Styles > Add

You might want to change the name before you hit Add.

Use and enjoy.

[mohammad]

[hicksy]

When I try and create my own and add them as Anvilsoup described, the "Add" button is frozen out. Any ideas please?