Toad Data Modeler 6.4 - User Guide

Options and Configuration

The Options contain most of the settings available in Toad Data Modeler. This topic divides all settings into categories and describes what each individual option controls.

There are two kinds of Options:

• Default Options (most of the Model related settings) - these apply to newly created Models only, they do not influence existing Models
• Other Options (most of the general settings) - these are changeable at any time, the changes are applied immediately

The main Options Categories are:

• Application Options - affect the application behavior and user interface
• Model Options - affect every existing or created Model

The Options categories are:

• General
• Graphics
• Dialog Boxes
• Paths
• Reverse Engineering
• Reports
• Scripting
• TOAD for Oracle Integration
• Version Control System
• Print
• Expert Mode
• Physical Model
• Specific Databases
• Logical Model

The Import and Export of Settings is discussed at the end of the topic.

Application

General

Graphics

General tab

Colors tab

• Colors used in Toad Data Modeler can be set here.

Autolayout tab

Page Setup tab

• This tab contains options for default page setup configuration for printing.

Dialog Boxes

Hidden Dialog Boxes tab

• Most dialog prompts have a Do Not Show Next Time checkbox. When you check it, the specific dialog won't be shown anymore. It will also appear in this tab, so if you change your mind, you can allow it again by unchecking it.

Other tab

• You can configure Delete in Designer dialog here. It determines what action will be performed by default when you delete an object on workspace.

Paths

• This section contains default paths where Toad Data Modeler looks for objects and where objects are saved.

Reverse Engineering

Reports

• You can set default file name and preferred language of generated reports here.

Scripting

Toad for Oracle Integration

Version Control System

Print

Expert Mode

Expert Mode | Version Manager

• Paths to Version Control server and client files and projects can be set here.

Expert Mode | Editable Forms

Design Mode tab

• You can choose which windows should be visible when in Design Mode.

Component Palette tab

• Shows small/large buttons in Component Palette when in Design Mode.

Object Inspector tab

• Contains options to configure Object Inspector when in Design Mode.

Form Explorer tab

• Has several options to configure Form Explorer when in Design Mode.

Expert Mode | Eclipse

Model

Logical Model

General Tab

Shape tab

Note Line tab

Entity tab

Verification tab

• This tab contains Model Verification criteria. You can enable/disable them and Model Verification will/won't use them.

Physical Model

General Tab

Generation SQL Script tab

Verification

Workspace Tab

Shape tab

Note Line tab

Entity tab

Specific Databases

• Specific databases have their own settings, for more information see chapter Databases.

Import and Export of Settings

Export

You can export your customized settings at any time by clicking the Export button.

Choose a destination folder and Toad Data Modeler exports several .txc files to it. These are configuration files, one file matches one category in Options. The more categories settings you change, the more files will be exported.

Import

To load your exported customized settings, click the Import button.

You can either import settings from a folder or from an existing Toad Data Modeler installation.

Import from Folder

Select the Import from Folder option and in the following dialog navigate to your folder where your .txc files are stored. Toad Data Modeler will then import the configuration.

Import from Other Installation

Import Settings dialog is displayed. You can choose from which Toad Data Modeler installation should the settings be imported. If your installation directory is not shown, you can add it manually by clicking Add Location.

Default Values

Toad Data Modeler allows you to define and change default values of objects in your models.

Examples:

• You want to define default values for referential integrity type in your model.
• You want to define Not Null property for all new attributes that you create in your model.
• You want to define a name for your relationships in the following format: 'parent table - child table'.

TIP: You can use application variables in default values. Application Variables and Default Values

To open the Default Values dialog

Select Settings | Default Values...
or
Open the Properties dialog of specific object (e.g. Relationship Properties form) | right-click the form and select Default Values for Class.

Note: The second option is available only in Expert Mode.

To define a default value e.g. for relationships in your Oracle 10g model

1. Open your Oracle 10g model.
2. Select Settings | Default Values.
3. Select the Relationships item in the list.
4. Select the default value you want to modify.
5. Press F2 in the Default Value column.
6. Define the value and click anywhere else in the dialog.
7. Confirm OK.
8. Restart Toad Data Modeler.

Note: When you change the default values, you make modifications in package (by default in My Package.txg file). So, to apply the changes, you need to save the package.

9. Create a new relationship. - All newly created relationships will have the new default value.

To restore the original default values

1. Open the Default Values dialog.
2. Select the default value that you want to change back to original. (For multiple selection use CTRL or SHIFT.)
3. Click Delete to restore the original default values.  
4. Confirm OK.
5. Restart Toad Data Modeler.

Default Values Dialog

See the dialog for the Entities item and after the Show Details button has been clicked.

Dictionaries

Dictionary allows you to add and translate new terms in your current dictionary from other dictionaries, import web-based dictionaries and export dictionaries to the web (in CSV file format).

To open Dictionaries

Select Settings | Dictionaries.

Localized HTML, RTF and PDF Reports

To generate localized HTML, RTF or PDF reports

1. Download dictionaries from community website.
2. In Toad Data Modeler select Settings | Dictionaries. New Dictionaries tab opens.
3. On tab Dictionaries click the Dictionary Items sub-tab.
   
4. Click Import Dictionary .
5. Select the downloaded .csv file and click Import. All the imported words will be displayed.
   
6. Make changes if necessary. Otherwise close the Dictionaries tab and generate .
7. In the Report Wizard, page Select Report, select a report type and the newly added language.
   
8. Go through other steps in the Report Wizard.

File Extensions

Toad Data Modeler works with the following files:

*.TXP Files

Physical models created in Toad Data Modeler have *.TXP extension. These files are in XML format.

*.TXL Files

Logical models created in Toad Data Modeler have *.TXL extension. These files are in XML format.

By default, the .TXP and .TXL files are saved to a path defined in the Settings menu | Options | Application | Paths | Advanced tab | Paths to Models.

*.TXM Files

Metamodels in XML format.

System metamodels are saved together with the application installation package. Possible path is: C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler 3\Packages\System\MetaModels.

Path to user's metamodels can be set in the Settings menu | Options | Application | Paths | Paths to Metamodels.

*.DM2 Files

Models created in Toad Data Modeler 2 product.

*.DMX Files

Models created in Toad Data Modeler 2 product (*.DM2) that were exported to XML format.

*.TXG and * TBG Files

Packages where definition of database or its part, scripts, forms, data types etc. are saved. System packages are in binary format, user packages in XML format.

System packages are saved together with the application installation package. Possible path is:

C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler 3\Packages\System.

User packages are saved in user's Documents and Settings directory, e.g.:

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\My Documents\Toad Data Modeler\Installation Name\Packages\{SOME GUID Number}.

*.TXD Files

Default config files that are saved together with the application installation package, e.g.:  

C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler 3\Configs.  

*.TXC Files

Config files that contain settings of Toad Data Modeler. The settings are accessible in the Settings menu | Options.

.TXC files are modified .TXD files. If .TCX file doesn't exist, it will be created in user's Documents and Settings directory automatically after running the application. Settings of .TXD file will be copied to the new .TXC file then.

*.TXE File

Changed environment of Toad Data Modeler will be saved to this file after the application is closed.

This file is saved in user's Documents and Settings directory.

*.TXS Files

Files with Style definitions for HTML reports.

CSS styles are saved in user's Documents and Settings directory.

*.XSLT Files

Templates for XSL transformation. Default path: C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler 3\XSL

*.XSD Files

XSD file describes structure of XML file - of your physical model created in Toad Data Modeler (TXP file). XSD shows how the TXP file looks like, how it is structured etc.

By default, the XSD file is generated to:

C:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Toad Data Modeler\Reports

*.TXA Files

Files where aliases created during reverse engineering are saved. They are saved in user's Documents and Settings directory.

The path to aliases can be set in the Settings menu | Options | Application | Reverse Engineering | Paths to Aliases.

*.TXV Files

Local files created after the Check Out operation in Version Manager. These files are contained in projects saved in Version Manager. They are saved in user's Documents and Settings directory.

The paths can be set in the Settings menu | Options | Application | Version Manager.

*.TXN Files

Files that contain exceptions for data type conversion between databases.

*.TXI Files

Files where dictionary items (User Data Types, Dictionary Types and Domains) are saved during export/import between models. You can save the .TXI file where you want, no default path is defined.

*. TXO Files

Files where selected OTPs settings are saved.

1. Default (System) Selected OTPs are stored by default at:

C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler\Selected OTPs

2. User Selected OTPs are stored by default at:

C:\Documents and Settings\user\My Documents\Toad Data Modeler\Installation Name\Selected OTPs

*.CSV Files

Import/export of glossaries (*.CSV files) also from/to other tools is possible. See the Naming Convention Properties dialog | Glossary tab | Import button. You can find some CSV files with diacritical marks at: C:\Program Files\Quest Software\Toad Data Modeler 3\Naming Conventions\CSV.

*.TXN Files

Every defined naming convention is stored in external .TXN file stored by default in user Documents folder, directory Toad Data Modeler\ Installation name\Naming Conventions.