Toad Data Modeler 6.5 - User Guide

Convert Logical Model to Physical Model

Toad Data Modeler allows you to convert your logical model to a physical model of any supported database system.

• Select your desired database platform.

• Change any of the conversion settings, if necessary.

• Choose what object types will be converted. You can access full list of Objects and Properties by clicking on Detailed Settings.

• Check items you want to convert to another model. For easier item management use buttons located on the top.

• Review the statistic and when you're done, click the Finish button.

• After a short while your Logical model will be converted to Physical model of your desired database platform.

Selection Tree Overview

	Collapse All.
	Import selection from a saved file.
	Save selection to a file.
	Checks all items.
	Unchecks all items.
	Opens the Wildcard Dialog where you can define settings for bulk selection/deselection of the Action box of the items listed on page Select Items.
	Refresh Necessitated Items Explanation: Some objects are related together (e.g. entity and domain, entity and relationship). Let's say you uncheck a Domain in Select Object Types dialog. However you keep an Attribute of the Domain type checked for conversion. In the next screen the Domain will be selected for conversion (and highlighted in gray), even if you don't want it to. This is because of its relationship with the Attribute, which cannot exist without the Domain. Now, if you uncheck the Attribute, the Domain will still be checked for conversion. This is where you use this button. It runs through all checked objects and removes the Domain highlighted in gray since the Attribute is no longer checked. That means the Domain is no longer necessary, since it has no relationships with currently checked objects and you unchecked it in Select Object Types dialog.
	Expand All.
	Collapse All.
	Display options for properties.

Right-click an item to see the following options:

Data Type Conversion

To define rules for data type conversion

Select Expert Mode | Expert Mode Settings | Data Type Conversion Settings. Data Type Conversion Settings

M:N Relationships

LER and PER models both support M:N relationships. See below how they are converted.

LER Model

PER Model (After Conversion)

Migration of Keys

In Logical model, keys do not migrate from parent entities to child entities. In Logical model, only logical information is available. The relationships have only a logical meaning (-> FKs do not migrate). However, in Physical model the information on foreign keys is necessary. Therefore when you convert your logical model to a physical model, foreign keys will be displayed properly in the physical model.

Linking Method

Before you start the LER to PER conversion, you can select a linking method in relationships in your LER model. See the following example and the differences after the conversion to PER model:

Example: Department entity has two unique identifiers (non-identifying relationship).

a) UI1 has been selected.

Result after Conversion to Physical Model

• Department ID FK is now in the Employee table (child table).
• Alternate key has been created in the PER model automatically.

b) UI2 has been selected in LER model.

Result after Conversion to Physical Model

• Department ID and Department Name FKs are now in the Employee table (child table).
• Alternate key has been created in the PER model automatically.

See the Relationship Properties dialog | Foreign Keys tab in PER model after conversion:

LER to PER Conversion - Self-Relationship

If there is a self-relationship in LER model, the entity has two columns, both of the same name (primary key), in converted PER model. Other modifications are necessary.

Possible solution: You can define a name for the propagated attributes in LER model before the conversion. Open the Attribute Properties dialog | General tab | enter the name to the Propagated Name box.

If this box is empty, Toad Data Modeler will behave standardly (two columns of the same name in PER model).