VS2010 - Database Project - Database Schema Diagram View

Question

Is it possible to generate a Database Diagram off of a schema in a VS2010 Database project and save that diagram as part of the project / solution?  I'm working on developing a new database for a project and would like to have some visual aids without having to deploy my work-in-progress to a Database Server in order to see a diagram for my Devs to reference.

Answer 1

No, sorry, we have not enabled disconnected database diagrams for working against your projects model yet. The only way to do this with SQL Server is to deployment to a sandbox database and use the connected database designer.  One thing to note though, the database designer in Server Explorer stores the diagram as data in the database.  If you delete the database you will also delete the diagrams.

Thanks,   

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Barclay Hill Program Manager Visual Studio Data Tools (DataDude, DBPro, Database Edition, Database Projects, VS Data Tools) Please mark the responses as the answer if it resolves your question/issue. http://blogs.msdn.com/bahill

Answer 2

Hello Barclay,

I have a question regarding Database Project VS2010. Please help me.

I have created a database project. Imported all database objects and settings. Once I added the objects, I got 200+ unresolved references. So, I have added the database references (the dbschema files) to the database project. Many of the errors have gone. But for some objects to give database reference, I dont have dbschema files. And they have 4-part names that means linked server objects. So, can you please help me how to give reference when there is no dbschema file.

And also, after adding reference, the objects using OPENQUERY is not getting resolved. The format is as shown:

Before Reference:

SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY(BY2MTZ123,HealthDB.dbo.spAdmin_GetAllUsers)

After Adding Reference:

SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([$(BY2MTZ123)],[$(HealthDB)].dbo.spAdmin_GetAllUsers)

 

Thanks you,

Balu.

Answer 3

Is it possible to generate a Database Diagram off of a schema in a VS2010 Database project and save that diagram as part of the project / solution?  I'm working on developing a new database for a project and would like to have some visual aids without having to deploy my work-in-progress to a Database Server in order to see a diagram for my Devs to reference.

I was looking for the same thing - so far I found http://www.conceptdevelopment.net/Database/ScriptDiagram2008/ which is a script to create a stored procedure to dump the row of the sysdiagram table to a file.  The file can be checked into source control - one for each diagram.  Then the diagram can be recreated from script.  Cumbersome, but may be worth it rather than using another tool (we use Power Designer) to maintain visual views of the database.  If they do integrate this into VS2010 I wouldn't necessarily want it to be a deployable part of the database - there's no need for production databases to have the diagrams.

Answer 4

I find it strange that Microsoft has seemed to deemphasize the support of database diagramming tools to almost "no support at all". I have consistently used Microsoft's diagramming tool that is built into SQL Server Management Studio which, as you point out, stores the diagram in the database and so reduces the lifetime of your diagrams to the lifetime of your current instantiation of your database. At one point I heard rumors that MS was going to eliminate the diagrams altogether. I thought that the switch over from the old DTS to the newer SSIS represented a profound new level of persistent database support from Microsoft, i.e. the idea that your transformations, diagrams, etc. do not necessarily die along with the latest instantiation of your database. I was expecting Visual Studio 2010's "Database Project" to contain a facility for creating persistent database diagrams in much the same way that SSIS preserves your data transformations but alas, no such luck.

I am sure that there are many developers like me who rely constantly on database diagrams - especially small fractional ones that help me understand the structure of someone else's database very quickly. When will people like me finally get some support?