tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18697241.post114852083850824856..comments2012-02-05T17:39:27.508-08:00Darrell Hawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13626445665115916691noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18697241.post-1158947789401308132006-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:002006-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:00A point I would like to make about using Visual Studio 2005 for "data modeling". This isn't really modeling. It's a graphic representation of a Dataset, which in turn is a reflection of a portion of a database, which, of course, I modeled using a UML tool (Enterprise Architect). This designer is meant to reduce the amount of code you are writing, not model. To model, you would want to use a modeling tool (VS2005 comes with a UML tool in one of the editions, I forget which one).<BR/><BR/>I also realized that I did not cover all of Dave's question(s). If you are not up on your UML, The diagram that you are looking at in this post would be considered a "class diagram". Class diagrams contain classes (not database tables, though class diagrams are incredibly useful for putting together your database). A class is designated as a "partitioned" rectangle. The top partition contains the name, the middle partition contains the attributes or properties and the bottom partition contains the operations. Honestly this is one of my favorite types of diagrams in all of UML. It was the first one that I learned and, I feel, the easiest to implement. Describe a project you are working on and then write-down every noun you say. these are your classes. Then try to describe how they are related to one another. This will reveal your primary and foreign keys. Now start arranging them and describing the things that they do or properties they have. Naturally, if you talk to some UML folks that may have some different ideas. <A HREF="http://www.martinlshoemaker.com/" REL="nofollow">Martin Schumaker</A> will extol the virtues of the 5-step UML process which I have sloppily, yet successfully implemented in the past. Both <A HREF="http://www.agilemodeling.com/" REL="nofollow">Scott Ambler</A> and <A HREF="http://www.martinfowler.com/" REL="nofollow">Martin Fowler</A> are considered leaders in the field.Darrell Hawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13626445665115916691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18697241.post-1158945100627131642006-09-22T10:11:00.000-07:002006-09-22T10:11:00.000-07:00The graphic in the post depicts a Dataset in Visual Studio 2005. Since this closely resembles a class diagram, any number of UML tools could do the same job. I personally use Enterprise Architect whenever I do any modeling. I stumbled across the <A HREF="http://plg.uwaterloo.ca/~migod/uml.html" REL="nofollow">My Little UML (Tools) Page</A> which has quite a list of UML tools that you may want to investigate. Hope this helps.Darrell Hawleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13626445665115916691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18697241.post-1158943594731238202006-09-22T09:46:00.000-07:002006-09-22T09:46:00.000-07:00Darrell,<BR/><BR/>What too are you using for the data modeling, and how is it that the function calls are integrated with the db? Is this all .net stuff. The graphic reminds me of access.Dave Halliwillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01098061905584316332noreply@blogger.com