Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler 3.0 (3.0.0.665)

New Features

January 2011

This document is a list of the main new features added to SQL Developer Data Modeler 3.0. Most significant additions to the product are:

  • Integrated support for collaborative development and version control through Subversion
  • User defined design rules and transformations
  • Integrated reports

Below is the list of general new features. For a list of all current product features see Data Modeler Feature List

Browser Navigator

The browser navigator supports the ability to have multiple open designs.
Existing physical models automatically appear in the browser.
Custom Design Rules

Create user-defined Design Rules.
Group collections of rules in Design Rule sets.
Create user defined transformations.
Build user libraries using script languages (JavaScript, JRuby etc) - For supported engines see https://scripting.dev.java.net/
Create user defined transformations and design rules using user created script libraries.
Manage custom design rules and transformation scripts through version control.
Diagrams

Settings are available at the diagram level
- Show labels (for relationships)
- Add diagram legend
- Straighten all lines
- Show grid
- Resize objects to visible size. (This is useful if you change the View Details settings)
- The "Diagram color" option has been moved from the general preferences dialog to each diagram. To access this, select the right click menu
Background and foreground color can be set at the object view thus allowing an object to be represented with different colors on same diagram (using synonyms) or on other diagrams (display, subview)
Drawing the line for foreign keys has changed when the Unique/PK constraint is defined over FK columns only. The "crows foot" at the child table end is replaced with single crossing line
Partial support for Information Engineering notation.
PK/UK constraint and index columns can be shown on diagram.
Foreign key lines– additional symbols to represent delete rule and transferability.
Change in drawing a Process - the name is positioned at top of the shape, foot note (changed to “Short definition” ) is displayed at the middle of shape
Domains Added “Default value” property at domain level. The default value can be changed at column/attribute level. List of values defined at domain, column or attribute level is used to pick-up default value.
Domains can be used in definitions in Data types model.
Forward Engineering There is a change in the way the engineering to the relational model works. The default status for new candidate key is "selected" now
Unique index is created for One-to-one relationships defined in the Logical model if there is no PK/UK constraint or unique index defined over foreign key columns.
Glossary Create a glossary based on an existing design. Select Logical model > Create Glossary from Logical Model.
Support for plurals added to the glossary. These are used in the name transformation and validation for entities and tables
Import

Importing CA Erwin Data Modeler files has been extended to include the import of Erwin 7.x files.
Import from Erwin supports the import of Functions, Packages and Stored Procedures to the Physical Model.
Data Dictionary Import supports the import of Functions and Packages.
Importing for Oracle Designer: You can select the checked in branch.
Incremental import of used domains in Designer
Sorting available when importing from data Dictionary, (or when generating DDL). Click on column header to sort objects.
Import from dictionary wizard – “Import to” settings are moved to step 2 of the wizard. Objects that exist in the selected relational model are selected for import automatically in list of tables and views.
Use "Data Type Kind", Use "Schema" and Case Sensitive Names preferences are duplicated in the Compare/Merge dialog under Compare Options. There is an additional option Use "Generate in DDL "flag to allow objects that are not marked for DDL generation to be excluded from the compare tree. The compare tree can be rebuilt after change of options.
Physical Model

Support for the import and DDL generation of packages and functions.
Changed "snapshot" support to "materialized view" support.
Full support for Oracle 11g partitioning (table and materialized view).
Preferences

The settings.xml file used to store preferences is no longer used. Preferences still can be imported from the existing settings.xml file
Relational Model Added support for auto increment and identity columns in the Relational model. This is supported with sequences and triggers in the Oracle physical model.
Support for dynamic properties – can be created and modified using UI and/or transformation scripts.
Reporting. Reporting provided through either:
- Reporting Repository. Users export designs to a reporting repository and use SQL Developer to run reports.
- Local Reports: Run reports from the tool itself. Reports are word xml documents and can be opened in MS Word 2003 (or later). These reports include entities tables, domains and glossary.
Reporting Repository Support extended to include data types and process models.
Note: If you export to the reporting schema in Data Modeler 3.0, either create a new schema or apply the upgrade script to the schema repository created by Data Modeler 2.0. (See Reporting Repository section in the release notes.)
Subversion Integration

Integrated version control using Subversion for complete design.
Allows you to compare and merge objects.
Designs added to versioned folders are placed under version control.
Users can see pending incoming and outgoing changes.
Data Modeler recognizes versioned designs.
Changes made to a versioned design and saved, are revealed in the pending changes dialog.
Collaborative access and support is provided through tight integration with Subversion.
Custom rules and transformation scripts are stored in a single file. This file can be managed under version control.
Wizards

Table to View wizard creates views based on tables in a selected relational model.
View to Table wizard creates tables based on view definitions a selected relational model.
Foreign Key discovery helps find possible foreign keys in a relational model, based on selected criteria.