Previewing SQL Statements

Click the Preview tab in an object property sheet to view the SQL code associated with the object before it is generated. The code displayed is read-only and reflects the options selected in the Database Generation dialog box.

For more information on database generation options, see Generating a Database from a PDM.

The text in the script preview is color coded as follows:

Text color	Represents
Blue	SQL reserved word
Black	Statement body
Red	Variable
Green	Comment

You can use the following tools and keyboard shortcuts from the Preview toolbar:

Tool	Description	Keyboard shortcut
	Editor contextual menu	Shift + F11
	Refresh	F5
	This tool is available when at least one extended model definition flagged for generation is linked to the model and when it contains GeneratedFiles entries for the current object. When available, it displays the list of targets for the current object. If you add a generation target, the corresponding tab is added to the Preview tab. If you deselect a generation target, the corresponding tab disappears from the Preview tab	Ctrl + F6
	Show generation options	Ctrl + W
	Ignore generation options	Ctrl + D

For more information on extended model definitions used for generation, see "Extended Model Definitions" in the Resource Files and the Public Metamodel chapter of the Customizing and Extending PowerDesigner manual.

Changing Generation Options

If you click the Change Generation Options tool, the Generation Options dialog box is displayed. You can change generation options and preview their effect on the code.

Ignore Generation Options

If you click the Ignore Generation Options tool, the preview ignores generation options selected by using the Change generation options tool but uses a predefined set of options.

Selected tool	Effect on generation options	Effect on preview
Change generation options	You can select generation options	Visible in Preview if options are applicable
Ignore generation options	Generation options currently selected are overridden by predefined set of options	Only predefined options are visible in Preview
Change generation options + Ignore generation options	You can select generation options	Changes ignored in Preview

The predefined set of generation options selects these items:

Generation Option Tab	Selected items
Tables and Views	All items except drop options
Keys and Indexes	All items except options represented differently in some DBMS. For example, if a database is auto indexed, the index options corresponding to the keys are not selected
Database	All items except drop options
Options	All user-defined options are used

In the SQL Editor or SQL Preview tab, you can add and remove bookmarks at specific points in the SQL script and then navigate forwards or backwards from bookmark to bookmark:

Keyboard shortcut	Description
Ctrl + F2	Adds a new bookmark. A blue bookmark box is displayed. If you repeat this action from the same position, the bookmark is deleted and the blue marker disappears
F2	Jumps to next bookmark
Shift + F2	Jumps to the previous bookmark

Note that bookmarks are not printable and are lost if you use the Refresh, Change Generation or Ignore Generation options.