Looking for a light weight ER Diagram tool. We are only looking to visualize our tables and their relationships, however none of them have primary key constraints defined. We use certain index/NOT NULL fields as primary keys (eg: claim_num). We simply need a tool that let's you draw the diagram itself, nothing more nor less. Also, for something so lightweight, open source / freeware would be ideal.
A:
MySQL Workbench may fit the bill: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/workbench/5.1.html
Peter Richards
2009-03-23 19:42:41
A:
I've been pretty pleased with the SQL Maestro products for windows. They have variations for mysql, postgres, sql server, etc. The list price is $179, but they have a non-commercial version for $99.
After checking their site for the price, it looks like they have an AnySQL Maestro product that will let you do what you need, for free, to any database that you can get an ODBC connection for. Probably worth a download.
Tim Howland
2009-03-23 19:42:51
A:
We typically use Visio for Enterprice Architects since it allows you to create/update the database as well as reverse engineering. I'd sooner a tool that can do it all than a lightweight one personally.
schooner
2009-03-23 19:43:40
A:
Doesn't this depend on what database you are using?
For SQL Server these tools draw a diagram of a database based on the database:
- SQL Server Management Studio has a database diagram option
- Visual Studio 2008 can draw a diagram based on your database using a linq to sql or linq to entities file.
- Visio Pro can draw a diagram based on a database
If you are using SQL server you most likely have options 1 and 2.
metanaito
2009-03-23 19:59:42
No, this is RDBMS independent.
Zombies
2009-03-24 13:24:36
Ah, I see. I thought you needed something that would build the diagram based on a database.
metanaito
2009-03-24 19:11:15
+3
A:
I am using Dia to draw ER diagrams. It's free & open-source.
See also "Application to reverse engineer MySQL & PostgreSQL DB" for more suggestions.
Bill Karwin
2009-03-24 00:13:44
Bingo. For some reason the proxy at work seems to be blocking the upvote/mark as select answer buttons! Thanks though.
Zombies
2009-03-24 13:25:38
A:
SchemaCrawler is a free, open source tool that can generate E-R diagrams, with the help of GraphViz. You can use regular expressions to select the tables and columns you want to display. Relationships are inferred from commonly used naming conventions.
Sualeh Fatehi
2009-08-27 17:09:31
+1
A:
Why don't you try SchemaBank? In additional to free in price, you have nothing to install. Because they are a SaaS provider; therefore totally web-based.
Leigh Pyle
2009-10-07 09:57:44