MS Access 2003 reverse eng. - No Column types

[ig999999]

Hi all. Out of EA 8 Ultimate I am reverse engineering an MS Access 2003 DB through ODBC. Instead of getting the Table columns as types and dimensions am am getting two compartments pro Table, <<column>> and <<PK>>. How can I get the column types instead ?

[juhi]

Hi there,

 Please have a look under Feature Tab in Diagram Properties Dialog. There you can set the Show Attribute Detail and Show Parameter Detail.
Please have a look at this,
http://www.sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/modeling_fundamentals/appearance_options_feat.html

HTH

Juhi
Sparx Systems Pty Ltd

[ig999999]

Hello Juhi.

These are precisely my settings (Show Attribute Detail: "Name and Type" and Show Parameter Detail: "Full Details").

Btw, I am not a new EA user. This is the first time that I see this phenomenon, hence the posting here.

Any other ideas ? Maybe I am not importing into the correct type of diagram ? I am in a "Data Model" (logical view) right now.

Best regards,

Johannes.\

[Geert Bellekens]

Johannes,

The "compartiments" thing is due to the setting: Tools|Options|Objects|"Group Attributes by stereotype"

As for the types, if you have those settings for attribute detail then I guess the attributes (columns) of the class (table) have no type.

Can you verify that? and if so, what happens if you set the type of the columns? Do they then show up on the diagram?

I don't think the diagram type has anything to do with it. (although you didn't mention the diagram type itself, only the location in your model). Except for Sequence diagrams, I think all other diagram types display elements the same way.

Geert

[ig999999]

Hello Geert,

Thank so much for bringing your experience to bear into this discussion. The thing is that if I invoke the "Properties" on the individual table and then "Table Detail" > "Columns/Attributes ...", then the Columns tables at the bottom of the dialog shows indeed the correct type, for each and every Column.

The column types are invisible :

1. On the Diagram itself, for each and every table,
2. On the Project Browser, underneath the Table name. Column names are complete, column types are nowhere.

Any other ideas, please ?

Thanks and regards,

Johannes.\

[Geert Bellekens]

Johannes,

The project browser never shows types of attributes, so that is normal.
What isn't normal is that your diagram won't show the types, although you have selected the "name and type" for Attribute details in the diagram properties tab.

What I would try (in this order):
1. drag a class onto a new diagram (of another type, such as a class diagram) and see if the types of the columns show up.
2. Play with the "Show Attribute detail" property of the diagram to see if that makes any difference
3. Check the version of EA you are working with. If it isn't the latest, try upgrading.
4. Disable all MDG Technologies except basic UML 2 technology
5. Check if there is some rogue shapescript defined for stereotypes <<table>> or <<column>>
6. Check if there is anything in the template package that is preventing the type to be shown.
7. Send a support request to Sparx.

Geert

[ig999999]

Thanks again Geert,

Situation: Steps 1-4 done.

1: This is reverse schema operation. As you suggested, however, I define a new table on the same diagram and also its columns. Column types appear for this new table, alright.
2: No difference.
3: I am running build 863.
4: Done. No improvement.

Steps 5-6 I have never done before (probably would need help to hack about), however I am not using any exotic addins. Any final ideas before I escalate (7.), please ?

Johannes.\

[Geert Bellekens]

1. Ok so we've established that this is not an issue with the diagram itself, but with the reverse engineered classes. Now what happens if you put a reverse engineered class on a new diagram?

5. Go to Settings|UML and find the stereotype table and column, and check that there isn't a shapescript defined in the "Override Appearance " section.

6. Go to Settings|Template Package... Elements (and diagrams) defined in that package act as a template for newly created stuff.

Geert

[ig999999]

Thanks again Geert,

5. and 6. : done. Negative in both cases.

1: Creating a brand-new project. Creating a "Database" model. Going to the "Schema1" diagram. Reverse Engineering same ODBC DB. Again, tables appear, column names appear, column types NOT there.

Sparx ?

Johannes.\

[Geert Bellekens]

1: Creating a brand-new project. Creating a "Database" model. Going to the "Schema1" diagram. Reverse Engineering same ODBC DB. Again, tables appear, column names appear, column types NOT there.

I acutally ment to just create a new diagram in the same repository and drag one of those reverse engineered classes on that, to see if the types appear.

Sparx ?

If all else fails... Might be a bug in the way the reverse engineered classes are created. IIRC they did some work on the db reverse engineering in the last few builds, so it might be a case of regression :-/

Geert

[ig999999]

AHA.

Creating new Diagram in same project. Taking Table from old diagram > dragging and dropping it > "Insert as Link".

DataTypes APPEAR.

What the ... ?

Dank u weel,

Johannes.\

[Geert Bellekens]

You might be able to recreate the whole diagram by:

- open old diagram
- Ctrl-A (select all)
- Ctrl-C (copy)
- open new diagram
- Ctrl-V (paste)

Geert

[ig999999]

Indeed it worked. I would, however, it rather worked out of the straight reverse engineering.

Anyway, that helps for the time being.

Thanks again Geert.

Johannes.\