Visio Starter Tutorial Developed from Material by Daniel L. Silver

Outline Getting Started Getting Started Entities Entities Relationships Relationships Fine-tuning the drawing Fine-tuning the drawing

Obtain and Install Sinclair bookstore Sinclair bookstore Use standard install process Use standard install process Tutorial assumes default installation settings Tutorial assumes default installation settings Our classroom already has Visio installed Our classroom already has Visio installed

Opening Screen Can choose various categories and templates Can choose various categories and templates We will focus on entity relationships We will focus on entity relationships Select Database from Category Menu Then select Database Model Diagram from Template menu

Resulting Screen Opens new blank worksheet with basic shapes used in creating Entity Relationship Diagrams available for selection

Making Things Easier Change worksheet view from portrait, to landscape Change worksheet view from portrait, to landscape Do this by clicking File --> Page Setup Do this by clicking File --> Page Setup Then select landscape Then select landscape

Entities Entities represent tables in a database Entities represent tables in a database Independent entities do not rely on each other for identification Independent entities do not rely on each other for identification Dependent entities do rely on each other for identification Dependent entities do rely on each other for identification

Creating Entities in Visio Click on Entity in the green Entity Relationship menu Click on Entity in the green Entity Relationship menu Drag the shape onto your worksheet Drag the shape onto your worksheet

Refining Raw Entities Define your Entity's attributes Define your Entity's attributes name, columns, primary keys, … name, columns, primary keys, … Click on the new Entity shape to open the database properties windows Click on the new Entity shape to open the database properties windows

Continue to Refine Switch to the Columns field of the Category menu Switch to the Columns field of the Category menu Used to enter any attributes that an entity may have. Used to enter any attributes that an entity may have. Allows you to specify the primary key Allows you to specify the primary key uniquely identifies entity uniquely identifies entity Can also specify those columns which are required fields of the entity Can also specify those columns which are required fields of the entity order in which you enter fields does not matter order in which you enter fields does not matter data type changed by clicking on the field and selecting a type from the menu data type changed by clicking on the field and selecting a type from the menu

Example Fields

Changing Fonts Can change font size by selecting the entity then picking a size from the drop-down menu. Can change font size by selecting the entity then picking a size from the drop-down menu. can also change other font attributes can also change other font attributes family, color, alignment,... family, color, alignment,... Notice that required fields are shown in boldface Notice that required fields are shown in boldface all others are shown in standard face all others are shown in standard face

Example Fonts

Creating Relationships Relation lines are used to show the relationship between data in two tables (Entities) Relation lines are used to show the relationship between data in two tables (Entities) Click the Relationship connector in the Entity Relationship menu Click the Relationship connector in the Entity Relationship menu Drag and Drop the shape to any blank space on your current worksheet Drag and Drop the shape to any blank space on your current worksheet best to put it near or between the Entities it will associate best to put it near or between the Entities it will associate

Example Relationship

Refining Relationships Must identify which entity is the Parent Table and which is the Child Table Must identify which entity is the Parent Table and which is the Child Table Child Entity is easily identified as the entity which depends on information from another entity to describe itself Child Entity is easily identified as the entity which depends on information from another entity to describe itself Parent Entity supplies this information to the Child through their relationship Parent Entity supplies this information to the Child through their relationship Click the end of the Relationship Connector with the arrowhead Click the end of the Relationship Connector with the arrowhead Drag arrowhead over to the border of the Parent Table until the border turns red Drag arrowhead over to the border of the Parent Table until the border turns red

Parent Side of Relationship

The Child Side Drag the other end of the arrow to the border of the Child Entity until that border turns red Drag the other end of the arrow to the border of the Child Entity until that border turns red

Associating Attributes Must specify which attribute in Child Entity matches which attribute from Parent Entity Must specify which attribute in Child Entity matches which attribute from Parent Entity Double click on the Relationship Double click on the Relationship Opens new menu at bottom of screen Opens new menu at bottom of screen Highlight value in Parent Entity and value in Child Entity to be mapped Highlight value in Parent Entity and value in Child Entity to be mapped

Relationship Misc Notice in the Child Entity, that next to the attribute which is mapped to a value in the Parent Entity appears an FK for Foreign Key Notice in the Child Entity, that next to the attribute which is mapped to a value in the Parent Entity appears an FK for Foreign Key shows that a particular value from the Child Entity is reliant on the Primary Key of the Parent Entity shows that a particular value from the Child Entity is reliant on the Primary Key of the Parent Entity Click on Miscellaneous in the Categories menu to specify cardinality of the relationship with regard to the Parent Entity Click on Miscellaneous in the Categories menu to specify cardinality of the relationship with regard to the Parent Entity Can reorganize diagram without harm to relationships Can reorganize diagram without harm to relationships move an Entity to a desired position and Visio will move the relationship(s) along with it move an Entity to a desired position and Visio will move the relationship(s) along with it

Drawing Style Options Many basic drawing style options can be accessed by selecting Database/Options/Document Many basic drawing style options can be accessed by selecting Database/Options/Document

Relation Symbols General tab lets you select symbology General tab lets you select symbology IDEF1X or Relational IDEF1X or Relational also lets you select which set of entity names to display also lets you select which set of entity names to display

Items to Display Table tab lets you select the items to display Table tab lets you select the items to display PK, FK, secondary indices, non-key fields, data types PK, FK, secondary indices, non-key fields, data types Can also display primary key fields at the top of each entity or in their actual physical order Can also display primary key fields at the top of each entity or in their actual physical order Select Physical Order option in order to have the two SSN fields displayed in their original positions instead of at the top of tblParent and tblChild above the horizontal lines. Select Physical Order option in order to have the two SSN fields displayed in their original positions instead of at the top of tblParent and tblChild above the horizontal lines.

Example Items Display Dialog

Displaying Relationships Relationship tab lets you display relationships as arrows or as crow's feet Relationship tab lets you display relationships as arrows or as crow's feet Select Crow's Feet option Select Crow's Feet option Notice that mother-child relationships are shown as mandatory on the one-side and optional on the many- side Notice that mother-child relationships are shown as mandatory on the one-side and optional on the many- side

Relationship Display Dialog