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Best way to draw a database scheme in Designer?


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Hi,

I have to draw a database scheme for a database I am developing for one of my applications. I know there are applications which create sophisticated database designs. However some are expensive, others are for complex database design and others are free but need Flash which I do not use.

My database designs are very simple. The consist of 3 colums;
Index key
Field name
Field type

The first row is just the heading, the following rows represent each field in the table.

Some in the table have the role of indentifying the record related from one table to the other. A relation is represented by a line, going from one table to the other. Tables can be moved, so it is important that the connecting lines remain connected with the tables. It is perfectly fine when I have to move the lines manually by adding or removing nodes.

It should be ideal if I can draw a  table and store them somewhere in a library within Affinity Designer. I can do that by using the "Assets" feature. Because in Affinity designer we can easily align objects to each other, I am thinking creating an asset for the table heading and an asset for the field. I can add fields to the table by first draging a table header from the assets which contain the tablename, a subheader containing the description of the table record and then fore very field I need, I drag a field asset from the assets. In this way it will also easier to connecting relations (lines) to the fields.

Is this a good idea or do you have a better suggestion ?

I will appreciate your suggestions very much and thank you in advance.

Chris

 

 

 

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Hi Bad_Wolf,
Although you can use Affinity Designer to draw the database scheme, you have to do it manually. Some features may help to speed the process (symbols and assets) but you still have to keep/adjust the lines/connectors manually if you move tables/fields etc. A dedicated tool for diagramming would probably be the best option for this type of work.

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Hello MEB,

Thank you very much for your reply and advice.

A dedicated tool will be a better option if you create many databases. But I only need to create them once in a while and I am used to Affinity Designer (which I use for a lot of projects).

I used dedicated tools in the past, but when I draw it manually I remember it better. In that way when the database is not too big, I can remember it out of my head.

Yesterday evening I experimented a little and made the head section containing the name of the table, then the sub-head with the 3 columns; Index - Fieldname - Fieldtype. Then the fieldinformation row which is just an empty sub-head and everything snapped nicely together. I will store those objects as assets, so they are ready to use.

Also the snap to grid option is very handy in this case. Lets give an example, like I drawed yesterday.

Rowheight : 8 mm

Columnwidth index : 8 mm
Columnwidth fieldname : 32 mm
Columnwidth fieldtype : 16 mm

In the "Grid and Snapping Axis" dialog, make sure "show grid" is checked and "Use automatic grid" / "Uniform" is unchecked. For the grid lines and sub-division lines I use two different colors. Then go to the "Advanced" tab and make sure the value of "Divisions" for the "first axis" is "1" and the value for the "second axis" is 2. When everything is done properly, you see now your main gridlines squared at 8 mm. The vertical sub division lines are in a different color. These sub division lines are for connecting in the middle of the fields. Make sure in the "Snapping" menu, make sure "Snap to grid" is checked.

When you now draw your rows in a multiple of 8, they align perfectly.

This is what I found out yesterday with a little experimentation. Maybe it will work for somebody else too.

Thank you again very much for your advice and help.

Chris

 

DatabaseDesign.png.a456e860a4ebd95304216358fb7b6257.png

 

 

 

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