Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Kevin Liu wrote: This looks great! Is there anything like this for Mac OS X? Kevin On 10/2/05 10:39 PM, Ligaya Turmelle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: +1 - it is wonderful. olinux wrote: You will love this. http://www.fabforce.net/dbdesigner4/ I know it's not 'running on OSX', but I do most of my development on OSX. I've set up a small linux server to do 'remote X-windows' for things just like this. I've got dbdesigner running in linux from the mac, as well as a few other 'linux only' apps. It saves me some time switching to different computers and it works fairly well for most things. You should be able to set it up fairly cheaply. Ed -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
This looks great! Is there anything like this for Mac OS X? Kevin On 10/2/05 10:39 PM, Ligaya Turmelle [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: +1 - it is wonderful. olinux wrote: You will love this. http://www.fabforce.net/dbdesigner4/ Josh --- Jeffrey Goldberg [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is probably a FAQ, but I haven't been able to find the answer. Briefly, I am looking for tools that will help me document a database. Visualization would be nice too, so that I could quickly see the relations between tables. __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Raz wrote: Dan, Forgot to say, re. MySQL Workbench - this may be a useful source of info: http://forums.mysql.com/list.php?113 Raz Sent off the link to the forum before I moved on to this message. D'OH! G. -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
You will love this. http://www.fabforce.net/dbdesigner4/ Josh --- Jeffrey Goldberg [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is probably a FAQ, but I haven't been able to find the answer. Briefly, I am looking for tools that will help me document a database. Visualization would be nice too, so that I could quickly see the relations between tables. __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
+1 - it is wonderful. olinux wrote: You will love this. http://www.fabforce.net/dbdesigner4/ Josh --- Jeffrey Goldberg [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: This is probably a FAQ, but I haven't been able to find the answer. Briefly, I am looking for tools that will help me document a database. Visualization would be nice too, so that I could quickly see the relations between tables. __ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com -- Respectfully, Ligaya Turmelle Life is a game so have fun -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
[quote] Linux The Linux release is not available right now but we are already working on the port. [/quote] raz -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Dan, The download pages are not set up yet, so try the below ftp link: ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/download/mysql-workbench-noinstall-1.0.2-alpha-win32.zip ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/download/mysql-workbench-noinstall-1.0.2-alpha-win32.zip.md5 HTH Raz -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Dan, Forgot to say, re. MySQL Workbench - this may be a useful source of info: http://forums.mysql.com/list.php?113 Raz -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Daniel, MySQL AB recently purchased such a tool, DB Designer, rechristened it MySQL Workbench, just released an alpha version for Windows. You're kidding? I thought I'd seen the last of DB Designer. Where can we get it? I checked out the dev section of the website and looked under graphical clients, but it's nowhere to be found. Look about halfway down the page at http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?113,44108,44108#msg-44108. The ftp addr is ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/download/mysql-workbench-noinstall-1.0.1a-alpha-win32.zip. PB - Daniel Kasak wrote: Peter Brawley wrote: MySQL AB recently purchased such a tool, DB Designer, rechristened it MySQL Workbench, just released an alpha version for Windows. You're kidding? I thought I'd seen the last of DB Designer. Where can we get it? I checked out the dev section of the website and looked under graphical clients, but it's nowhere to be found. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.6/111 - Release Date: 9/23/2005 -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Raz wrote: Dan, The download pages are not set up yet, so try the below ftp link: ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/download/mysql-workbench-noinstall-1.0.2-alpha-win32.zip ftp://ftp.mysql.com/pub/mysql/download/mysql-workbench-noinstall-1.0.2-alpha-win32.zip.md5 The ftp site doesn't allow directory listings. I don't suppose there's a Linux download yet? -- Daniel Kasak IT Developer NUS Consulting Group Level 5, 77 Pacific Highway North Sydney, NSW, Australia 2060 T: (+61) 2 9922-7676 / F: (+61) 2 9922 7989 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: http://www.nusconsulting.com.au -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Documenting and visualizing a database
This is probably a FAQ, but I haven't been able to find the answer. Briefly, I am looking for tools that will help me document a database. Visualization would be nice too, so that I could quickly see the relations between tables. Less briefly. I am new to MySQL, SQL in general and databases. I have inherited a project that uses, Apache, PHP, and MySQL. The MySQL Press book, MySQL Tutorial has been extremely helpful. My predecessor, who did know something about MySQL, left no documentation. As I am trying to figure out what is what and what the relationships are between tables, I've got paper and pencil pictures, and a text file full of notes. But, mostly it is just an understanding -- for the parts that I understand -- in my head. Now I can always redraw my paper and pencil stuff with something like xfig, but it struck me that there is probably a standard, well conventional, notation for this kind of thing and tools for the purpose. I'm a bit of a geezer and my memory isn't as reliable as it used to be. Plus, I don't want any successor on this project to curse me quiet as vehemently as I curse my predecessor. So advice or pointers to advice would be very welcome. As for tools, I'd be looking for things that can run on Unix systems (GNU/Linux and/ or OS X). If I've hit the wrong list, I sure someone will tell me where to go. Cheers, -j -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
I would start by writing down what you believe the database consists of: 1. The table structures -- write them down, commit them to paper. 2. The relationships you believe exist between the tables. Document them in writing and visually. Use whatever tool works for now -- don't make the mistake of allowing the tools to stand in the way of proper documentation. Use Visio (I know it isn't Linux or open source, but most people can master it fast.) Or just use pen, paper, ruler, and a nice old fashioned programmer's symbol template -- the kind that is made of plastic. (I actually used them for many years.) The point is, commit your knowledge to paper. Now look at the code components. 1. Print and organize all the code that exists. 2. Study the code; determine how each component relates to the others. Diagram this program flow as above for the tables. Don't let lack of software stop you. Pen and paper is better than exactly nothing. You may have to experiment with the code to determine the processing flow. Almost certainly you will, in fact. As to learning MySQL and PHP, there is really only one good technical writer for MySQL: Paul DuBois. His book MySQL 3rd edition is a must-read. But even Paul is not a magician; you can't learn MySQL from a book alone. You need Paul's book, and the willingness to practice working with MySQL. Make yourself a user account, give yourself privileges on a play database, open his book, and go for it. Of the various PHP writers, I really have great respect for Tim Converse and Joyce Parks. I suggest getting their excellent book on PHP 5. It's a shame they don't cover PHP 5.1, but get the book anyhow and play with it. As with MySQL, don't just read the book: start writing your own PHP code and playing with it. Bob Cochran Jeffrey Goldberg wrote: This is probably a FAQ, but I haven't been able to find the answer. Briefly, I am looking for tools that will help me document a database. Visualization would be nice too, so that I could quickly see the relations between tables. Less briefly. I am new to MySQL, SQL in general and databases. I have inherited a project that uses, Apache, PHP, and MySQL. The MySQL Press book, MySQL Tutorial has been extremely helpful. My predecessor, who did know something about MySQL, left no documentation. As I am trying to figure out what is what and what the relationships are between tables, I've got paper and pencil pictures, and a text file full of notes. But, mostly it is just an understanding -- for the parts that I understand -- in my head. Now I can always redraw my paper and pencil stuff with something like xfig, but it struck me that there is probably a standard, well conventional, notation for this kind of thing and tools for the purpose. I'm a bit of a geezer and my memory isn't as reliable as it used to be. Plus, I don't want any successor on this project to curse me quiet as vehemently as I curse my predecessor. So advice or pointers to advice would be very welcome. As for tools, I'd be looking for things that can run on Unix systems (GNU/Linux and/ or OS X). If I've hit the wrong list, I sure someone will tell me where to go. Cheers, -j -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
On Sep 25, 2005, at 5:44 PM, Robert L Cochran wrote: I would start by writing down what you believe the database consists of: 1. The table structures -- write them down, commit them to paper. Thanks, I've already printed out all of table structure information. 2. The relationships you believe exist between the tables. Document them in writing and visually. That is what I have started to do. Because the stuff that I was writing down seemed, well, fairly structured, I'd assumed that there were some useful conventions for recording these. Use whatever tool works for now -- don't make the mistake of allowing the tools to stand in the way of proper documentation. Of course. But I was hoping that existing tools might remind me to note down things that I might not have occurred to me to note down. Now look at the code components. 1. Print and organize all the code that exists. 2. Study the code; determine how each component relates to the others. Diagram this program flow as above for the tables. Don't let lack of software stop you. Pen and paper is better than exactly nothing. I wasn't looking for software for this part, though something like ctags for PHP would be nice. After printing everything out, the next thing I did was put things under revision control. As to learning MySQL and PHP, there is really only one good technical writer for MySQL: Paul DuBois. His book MySQL 3rd edition is a must-read. Thanks. But even Paul is not a magician; you can't learn MySQL from a book alone. You need Paul's book, and the willingness to practice working with MySQL. Of course. The Tutorial from MySQL AB requires that. And I've successfully added some new required things to the project. Of the various PHP writers, I really have great respect for Tim Converse and Joyce Parks. Again, thanks for the recommendation. But I'm still left puzzled. If people haven't developed tailored tools to document a database, then I find more than a bit of irony in the fact that people who specialize in organizing data in useful ways would not have developed a way to organize data that they need to make use of on a daily basis. Cheers, -j -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Jeffrey, But I'm still left puzzled. If people haven't developed tailored tools to document a database, then I find more than a bit of irony in the fact that people who specialize in organizing data in useful ways would not have developed a way to organize data that they need to make use of on a daily basis. There are quite a few db design tools that can write data models from MySQL databases, but for various reasons, more run on Windows than on *nix. One of our favourites is Dezign from Datanamic; inexpensive and good. If you have access to a Windows box, it might be worth your while to do the reverse engineering there, using one of those tools. One tool that can produce a UML model from a MySQL db under *nix is DB Visual Architect, but it's pricey. MySQL AB recently purchased such a tool, DB Designer, rechristened it MySQL Workbench, just released an alpha version for Windows. PB http://www.artfulsoftware.com - Jeffrey Goldberg wrote: On Sep 25, 2005, at 5:44 PM, Robert L Cochran wrote: I would start by writing down what you believe the database consists of: 1. The table structures -- write them down, commit them to paper. Thanks, I've already printed out all of table structure information. 2. The relationships you believe exist between the tables. Document them in writing and visually. That is what I have started to do. Because the stuff that I was writing down seemed, well, fairly structured, I'd assumed that there were some useful conventions for recording these. Use whatever tool works for now -- don't make the mistake of allowing the tools to stand in the way of proper documentation. Of course. But I was hoping that existing tools might remind me to note down things that I might not have occurred to me to note down. Now look at the code components. 1. Print and organize all the code that exists. 2. Study the code; determine how each component relates to the others. Diagram this program flow as above for the tables. Don't let lack of software stop you. Pen and paper is better than exactly nothing. I wasn't looking for software for this part, though something like ctags for PHP would be nice. After printing everything out, the next thing I did was put things under revision control. As to learning MySQL and PHP, there is really only one good technical writer for MySQL: Paul DuBois. His book MySQL 3rd edition is a must-read. Thanks. But even Paul is not a magician; you can't learn MySQL from a book alone. You need Paul's book, and the willingness to practice working with MySQL. Of course. The Tutorial from MySQL AB requires that. And I've successfully added some new required things to the project. Of the various PHP writers, I really have great respect for Tim Converse and Joyce Parks. Again, thanks for the recommendation. But I'm still left puzzled. If people haven't developed tailored tools to document a database, then I find more than a bit of irony in the fact that people who specialize in organizing data in useful ways would not have developed a way to organize data that they need to make use of on a daily basis. Cheers, -j -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.6/111 - Release Date: 9/23/2005 -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Documenting and visualizing a database
Peter Brawley wrote: MySQL AB recently purchased such a tool, DB Designer, rechristened it MySQL Workbench, just released an alpha version for Windows. You're kidding? I thought I'd seen the last of DB Designer. Where can we get it? I checked out the dev section of the website and looked under graphical clients, but it's nowhere to be found. -- Daniel Kasak IT Developer NUS Consulting Group Level 5, 77 Pacific Highway North Sydney, NSW, Australia 2060 T: (+61) 2 9922-7676 / F: (+61) 2 9922 7989 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] website: http://www.nusconsulting.com.au -- MySQL General Mailing List For list archives: http://lists.mysql.com/mysql To unsubscribe:http://lists.mysql.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]
