ER/Studio - Embarcadero Technologies Product Documentation

USING ER/STUDIO > BEST PRACTICES
Using Descriptive Object Names
Every object in a data mode, such as entities, attributes, attachments, naming standards templates, and domains has
a name, which identifies it in the Data Model Explorer, Data Model Window (data model workspace), logs, and reports.
To make it easier to understand data flows, make these names as descriptive as possible. For example, instead of
accepting a default name such as “Entity,” you might use “Customer.”
NOTE: Multiple entities in a model can have the same name, however the combination of entity name
and entity owner must be unique. You can edit the Owner property of an entity or table in the Entity
or Table Editor.
When naming objects, you can use upper, lower or mixed case. Perhaps the easiest format for people to read and
understand is mixed case, capitalizing the first letter of every word (for example, CustomerAddress).
TIP: You can enforce naming rules by creating Naming Standards and binding them to tables and
entities, or you can create Domains. For more information, see Enforcing Naming Standards
Using Naming Standards Templates.
Adding Comments to All Objects
Every object in a data model has a description or definition that is included in reports. To help document your data
models, enter a description or definition for every object detailing its purpose and any other information that might be
needed for a future modeler to understand the role of the object in the task.
Entity definitions are included as table comments when generating a physical database and in exported SQL code if
the target RDBMS supports table comments.
If a data model is imported from Describe, descriptions in the Describe diagrams are included as tooltips.
You can also enhance your data model by documenting relationships. Relationships can also have verb phrases that
describe the relationship. For example, parent relationship Manager, child relationship Child.
Color-Coding Objects
Use colors to make your diagrams more attractive and organized. For more information, see Setting Default Diagram
Colors and Fonts and Overriding Color and Font Settings for a Specific Object.
Using Macros for Repetitive Tasks
ER/Studio includes many sample macros written in Sax Basic, that can be used as is or that can be customized as
required. The tutorials in this guide provide some examples of how macros can save you time. The headers of the
sample macros contain some usage documentation but a quick read through of the macro code should give you some
ideas of its usefulness. We do not guarantee that the sample macros will all work in all your environments but if you
have special requirements you can collaborate with other users through the online user forum or by contacting
Embarcadero Support for assistance.
The Macro Editor uses a Sax Basic Engine that is compatible with Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications. This guide
does not extensively describe the syntax or usage of Sax Basic, but there are lots of Visual Basic books available to
guide a novice user. The tutorials provide some examples of how macros can save you time.
EMBARCADERO TECHNOLOGIES > ER/STUDIO® 8.0.3 USER GUIDE 64