СУБД Oracle / Литература / PowerDesigner 9 / GeneralFeatures

Browser

The %URZVHU is a tool for managing information.

In PowerDesigner, the Browser allows you to manage the information items

you use to perform a modeling task.

The Browser displays information in the WUHH YLHZ which is a powerful tool

for navigating among all models existing in the work session.

Output window

The 2XWSXW ZLQGRZ shows the progress of any process that you run from

PowerDesigner in the General page. The other pages display messages during

check model, database generation, and reverse engineering operations.

Repository

The PowerDesigner UHSRVLWRU\ is a tool for storing versioned documents. In

the repository, a document can be a model, a multi-model report, a MS Word

file, a graphic file, etc.

Result List

The 5HVXOW /LVW displays, on separate tabs, the final results of an object

search or a check model operation.

When you check a model, the result list displays the errors and warnings

detected during the verification of the model.

When you perform an object search, the result list displays all objects

matching the search criteria.

General Features Guide

The ZRUN DUHD is an open work environment that enables you to switch from

one window to another, without having to close the current model diagram

window, or the editor.

Property sheets

3URSHUW\ VKHHWV display the properties of a selected object.

Property sheets are modeless and resizable windows; they can remain open

while you open other windows, such as other property sheets or lists.

Object lists

2EMHFW OLVWV display all objects of a selected type existing in a package or a

model.

Lists display object properties organized in columns. In a list you can drag

and drop items, sort columns, and define and apply a filter.

Lists are modeless and resizable windows. They can remain open while you

open other windows, such as property sheets or lists.

PowerDesigner

The typical hierarchy of objects in PowerDesigner is as follows:

The ZRUNVSDFH is the root of the Browser tree view. When you expand the

workspace, the first optional organization level is the IROGHU Folders are

used to organize the contents of the workspace. Each folder can contain one

or more models.

The PRGHO is the basic design unit in PowerDesigner.

A model can be divided into sub-sets called SDFNDJHV. Each model, or

package, has one or more graphical views called GLDJUDPV, which contain

the symbols of the design REMHFWV.

To document the models you build in PowerDesigner, you can create and

print UHSRUWV in different languages that can be attached to a model or remain

independent.

Workspace

A workspace defines the entire set of information you need to perform a

modeling task with PowerDesigner. A workspace is local, it corresponds to

the needs of one user on a given machine.

The workspace allows you to save in a file, a local environment with a

hierarchy of folders and models. It is reusable so the folder structure and data

location information remains on your disk every time you start a session.

You can create several workspace files on your machine, but you can only

work in one workspace at a time in a PowerDesigner session.

Folders

A folder is a optional container designed to help you organize the hierarchy

within a workspace. You use folders to structure the contents of the

workspace in your local work environment.

A folder is local to a workspace you cannot share the folder structure you

have created with other users.

Models

A model is a container of objects. It is the main design unit.

A model is defined by a name, a type, a file name and a location in the

workspace.

General Features Guide

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Conceptual Data

Represents the overall logical structure of a system. The

Model

CDM contains data objects not yet implemented in the

physical database. It provides a formal representation of the

data needed to run an enterprise or a business activity

Physical Data

Specifies the physical implementation of a database. With the

Model

PDM you consider the details of actual physical

implementation. It addresses both data access and data

storage constraints

Object-Oriented

Allows you to design object-oriented models using the UML

Model

notation. With the OOM you can use design classes that

interact to perform certain actions that together make up a

system of information

Business Process

Represents a simplified UML activity diagram with Business

Model

Process extensions. The BPM does not include any

implementation details and can be readily used as an input

document to do object-oriented analysis. At a conceptual

level, it is particularly suitable for analyzing, designing or

documenting Business-to-Business exchanges (B2B)

Free Model

Allows you to create different graphics for your

specifications, to explain the architecture of your system and

applications, the use-case scenarii of the applications, the

flowcharts, or to define your own method

PowerDesigner

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Packages

A package is a subdivision of a model. When you are working with large

models, it is useful to split them into smaller subdivisions in order to avoid

manipulating large sets of items. Packages are used to assign different tasks

or subject areas, to different development teams.

A model can contain any number of packages. You can build a hierarchy of

packages, in which there is no limit to the level of decomposition.

Report

A report is the association of one or several models, a structure, and a

selection of objects. It represents the structure of one or more models. You

can generate multi-model reports to give a clear overview of all your models

in the same report. You can also generate individual model reports to focus

on a particular model and analyze its contents. Besides, you can choose the

language in which the report is generated.

Diagram

A diagram is a graphical view of a model or package, which displays object

symbols. Diagrams allow to split the display of large models and packages in

order to focus on certain objects or subject areas. They can also be used to

view the symbols of the same objects, displayed with different kinds of

information.

You can create several diagrams in a model or in a package. The diagram

window usually appears with a specialized toolbar called 3DOHWWH. In the

palette, you can select tools to create objects in your models and packages.

Model Objects

Model objects is a general term used for all items belonging to a model. Each

model includes a series of different object types corresponding to the type of

the model.

Some model objects can have graphical symbols for example a class in the

Object-Oriented Model or a view in the Physical Data Model. Other model

objects, such as business rules, do not appear with symbols in the diagram

window, although they exist in the model.

General Features Guide

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Profiles

A profile is an extension mechanism used for customizing a metamodel with

additional semantics. Profiles are used for creating sub-categories of objects

(stereotypes and criteria), customizing the graphics of objects, adding

additional metadata to objects (extended attributes), and defining new or

modified generation capabilities (templates). You create a profile when you

need to design a user-defined methodology, a model with predefined meaning

or for a specific generation target.

Profiles appear in all DBMS, object languages and extended model

definitions delivered with PowerDesigner. By default, each new resource file

has a profile upon creation.

For more information on profiles, see section Managing Profiles in the

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Report Languages

A UHSRUW ODQJXDJH resource is a file in XML format saved with the .XRL

extension. It contains all the printable texts of a report and their default

values. You use it when you create your report and later generate it whatever

the output. A report language resource file is stored in a central area and can

be shared by any report to guarantee data consistency and save time to the

user.

Conversion Tables

&RQYHUVLRQ WDEOHV provide a way to define a correspondence between the

name and the code of an object or the code and the name of an object.

Conversion tables are stored into separate CSV (Comma-Separated Values)

files and are shared by all models.

General Features Guide

About this chapter

This chapter describes the PowerDesigner general interface and explains how

to use the different components.

Contents

7RSLF

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Managing windows

14

Managing toolbars

17

Using property sheets

28

Using lists

43

Defining global options

62

General Features Guide