Piece of Junk log entries.

[Max Metral]

Ok, Visio For "Enterprise Architects" is just junk. I put this message here
so those who google after me will avoid it like the plague.

1) Database projects are an abomination. Want to see an application take
800 MB of swap and then crash? Use them.

2) The documentation on database features is all but nonexistent. One gets
the impression that there's one poor soul in a room in Redmond who is the
"database modeling" guy. Sorry you're stuck doing that. You should stop
now, do us all a favor, and cancel the product.

3) Objects can get simply LOST from your model. They're still in there
somewhere, but you sure can't get to them. Try getting to a predicate,
especially in situation #1. This wouldn't be so disastrous if, like every
other modern Microsoft product, you supported any sort of open file format
like oh say XML. Think of it as a way to have other people fix your
mistakes.

4) When copying and pasting a set of tables from one document to another,
there really isn't a whole lot of reason for adding 1 to every table name is
there? Silly, and illustrative of a shaky underlying framework or code
structure.

5) My database document will now "attempt" to generate DDL, not generate
any, and then the entire database menu just doesn't do anything. No
messages, no nothing. No logged conflicts, no model warnings, no nothing.
Because of #4 and a 60 table document, it's going to be an adventure to try
and fix it, and who knows if it even will.

6) Call me crazy, but if I EXPORT an Erwin file FROM Visio, wouldn't you
think Visio could import it too? Madness I know, but unless two different
trained monkeys were banging away at the export and import code, it's a
pretty big bug.

7) Your friends in the SQL Server group make great products. One of the
great features is called "computed columns." Ask them about it. Then
implement it.

I will post updates here as more things go wrong in my attempt to rescue the
last week of work I've wasted on building this Visio model.

 

[Max Metral]

8) Copying from one database model to another should not crash Visio 2002,
2003, and Visio Architect 2005 Beta. (but it does)

 

[Chang Oh]

Please post specific repro steps for various bugs that need to be addressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~
The information provided is AS-IS with no express warranty.

Chang Oh
Dev Lead
Enterprise Frameworks & Tools

 

[David]

Somehow, my database model has a missing relationship. It causes an error
when trying to error-check and generate from the model. The diagram says it
is there but there seems to be no way to get at it. When I click on the error
in the output windows, it says that it cannot be displayed because the
entities to which it is attached are not on the diagram. I have put alot of
time and effort into this model and would be very angry if I cannot remove
this offending item and move forward. PLEASE HELP.

Thanks,

David

 

[David]

Thanks for the posting/warning. Wish I had seen it prior to getting stuck
with a missing/orphaned item somewhere in my database model which now
prevents generation of DDL. Have you ever found a way to get at one of these?
Mine is a missing relationship.

Thanks,

David

 

[Chang Oh]

For missing relationships, you can remove them by running the following code
in VBA.

Chang Oh
Visual Studio Enterprise Frameworks and Tools

' This is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
' confers no rights.
'
' This module removes all relationships that are NOT fully connected
' to either parent table or child table. The relationship may or may
' not visible. If you get
' filename : error L2100: FK name : Relationship is not fully connected.
' error messages and not able to locate it on the diagram, then this module
' will remove the relationships from the model.
'
' Follow the following steps
'
' Select "Tools"/"Macros"/"Visual Basic Editor" from the Visio menus.
' Select "Tools"/"References" from the Visual Basic editor.
' Check "Microsoft Visio Database Modeling Engine Type Library" and
' click the OK button.
' Copy this following subroutine into the text area under "(General)"
' Select "Run"/"Run Sub-UserForm" (or hit the play button)
' Close the Visual Basic editor
' Now select "Database"/"Model"/"Error Check"
'
Sub DeleteAllDisconnectedRelationshipsFromAllModels()

Dim vme As New VisioModelingEngine
Dim models As IEnumIVMEModels
Dim model As IVMEModel
Dim elements As IEnumIVMEModelElements
Dim element As IVMEModelElement
Dim relationship As IVMERelationship

Set models = vme.models
Set model = models.Next

Do While Not model Is Nothing
Set elements = model.elements
Set element = elements.Next

Do While Not element Is Nothing
If (element.Type = eVMEKindERRelationship) Then
Set relationship = element

If (Not relationship.IsFullyConnected) Then
model.DeleteElement element.ElementID
Set elements = model.elements
End If
End If

Set element = elements.Next
Loop

Set model = models.Next
Loop

End Sub