Please note : This help page is not for the latest version of Enterprise Architect. The latest help can be found here.

ERD To Data Model Transformation

The purpose of the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) to Data Model transformation is to create a data model from the ERD logical model, generating a model targeted at the default database type ready for DDL generation. Before doing the transformation, make sure you have defined the common data type for each attribute and selected a database type as the default database. The data modeling diagram can then be automatically generated. This data model can be used for generating DDL statements to run in one of the Enterprise Architect supported database products.

The transformation uses and demonstrates support in the intermediary language for the following database-specific concepts:

Reference

Concept

Definition

See also

Table

Mapped one-to-one onto Class elements.

 

 

Column

Mapped one-to-one onto attributes.

 

 

Primary Key

Lists all the columns involved; this ensures that they exist in the Class and creates a primary key method for them.

 

 

Foreign Key

This is a special sort of connector. The Source and Target sections list all of the columns involved; this ensures that they exist and that a matching primary key exists in the destination Class, and that the transformation creates the appropriate foreign key.

 

 

 

Generalization

Generalization can be handled in ERD technology, as illustrated by the following example. Note that the copy-down inheritance is currently supported with two levels only.

Example

ERDGen

This transforms to:

erdgentrans

Notes

Sometimes you might go back to the ERD, make some changes and then want to do another transformation. To achieve better results, always delete the previous transformation package before doing the next transformation

 

Learn more