Poll: How do you use PowerDesigner?

[Former Member]

The SQL Anywhere package includes a version of PowerDesigner for data modelling. We would like to know how people are using PowerDesigner. We are looking for information on things like:

1. Are you using PowerDesigner to design and manage your database schema?
2. How do you use Sybase Central and PowerDesigner together?
3. Do you have other licensed versions of PowerDesigner in your organization? If so, what other features of PowerDesigner do you use in relation to designing and building your SQLA applications?

If you have any input on the use of PowerDesigner with SQL Anywhere, please share it with us!

Thanks.

[Former Member]

I design and maintain schema with Notepad script files and ISQL. View/Manage via Foxhound (because it is a real-time, easy to read view). Use PowerDesigner to reverse engineer a diagram when needed for collaboration with outside contractors.

[former_SQLA_member1694892]

Yes, we use PowerDesigner to design and maintain our database schemas. We export the sql from PowerDesigner and run it through ISQL. We have no other licensed copies other than what we get through our SQL Anywhere licensing. We would be extremely disappointed to lose yet another component (already lost Infomaker, which we use) of the SQL Anywhere releases.

[justin_willey]

Only use PowerDesigner very occasionally, basically when someone insists in having a pretty ER diagram - with hundreds of tables it never does them any good - but they don't believe that 'till they have it! Easier to use Sybase Central to produce localised ER diagrams of a particular group of tables.

Development of data structures done in notepad / isql / Sybase Central (the copy & paste of data objects from Sybase Central is particularly useful).

Once in production - our applications have an internal model of the database structure appropriate for their version and when run in update mode will execute the necessary DDL (and possibly SQL) to bring the database structure up-to-date and carry out any data migration required.

[Breck_Carter]

> with hundreds of tables it never does them any good

How to drive a Data Modeler insane: Insist that all the tables and relationships be shown in a single diagram with no lines going behind any tables... and when they finally ... finish ... that ... task you demand "No line should cross another line!" 🙂

[Former Member]

I use Power Designer in two ways :

1. Before the dev phase to share with others programmers on the major evolution of the database schema.
2. After the dev phase with a reverse engenering on the database schema to create a visible (PDF) and printable document for documentation purpose. This document is a starting point for the reflexion on the next release.

Actually the production databases use SQLA 11.01 (UTF-8) and the next release use SQLA 16. I have a problem with Power Designer that don't support the column defined as CHAR(10 CHAR). Could you do something about that ?

[Breck_Carter]

PowerDesigner may be included in the box with SQL Anywhere but it is developed and maintained by an entirely different group within SAP. They have their own "space" on the SAP Community Network here... that may or may not be the place to ask about CHAR(10 CHAR) but it probably isn't here 🙂

[Former Member]

I agree with you. But I don't speak about that in this forum if somebody from SQLA don't speak about SQLA and PowerDesigner...

[Breck_Carter]

1. No
2. Don't
3. No
4. How do I create and change schema? classic Wordpad and dbisql 99.9%, then Sybase Central.
5. How do I browse actual database schema(1)? Foxhound 99%, then Sybase Central.
6. How do I compare actual database schema(1)? dbunload and CompareIt! 100%

PowerDesigner was once useful but is now bloated and overpriced beyond human comprehension 🙂

Note 1: "actual database schema" means "as stored in the system tables" as opposed to "as stored in source code scripts".

[VolkerBarth]

My choices are similar, except I seem to rely more on my preferred general IDE (VisualStudio) and source code control to edit and manage scripts...

[MCMartin]

me too.....

[reimer_pods]

1. Yes, we use PD to maintain the tables, views, triggers and store procedure for two of our older products. PD is then used to generated update scripts based on the different model versions.
2. Many of the changes to the model were previously edits in Sybase Central, pasted from the database log window and inserted in PD.
3. No, we're only using the physical model.

Our latest product was designed to be self-generating, so it keeps all model (meta-) data in it's database, no need for PD anymore.