Chapter 1 About This Book

Subject

This book describes the PowerDesigner basic features.

The first part of this feature guide explains how to use and customize the PowerDesigner main window. You will learn to:

• Customize your work environment
• Use object property sheets
• Use lists of objects
• Use the Browser tree view

The second part of this feature guide explains the basic concepts you need to understand how to use PowerDesigner. You will learn to:

• Manage a workspace
• Use a folder
• Create and manage models, and packages
• Create and use modeling objects
• Access modeling objects using VBScript
• Use object shortcuts
• Use object replications
• Use transformations
• Compare and merge models
• Use the Resource Editor
• Use the Mapping Editor
• Use the PowerDesigner graphical interface

Audience

This book assumes that you are an experienced Windows user.

Although it does not assume you have knowledge about any particular topic, having some familiarity with object oriented databases, client/server architecture, SQL, and design methodology is helpful.

Documentation primer

The PowerDesigner modeling environment supports several types of models:

• Conceptual Data Model (CDM) to model the overall logical structure of a data application, independent from any software or data storage structure considerations
• Physical Data Model (PDM) to model the overall physical structure of a database, taking into account DBMS software or data storage structure considerations
• Object Oriented Model (OOM) to model a software system using an object-oriented approach for Java or other object languages
• Business Process Model (BPM) to model the means by which one or more processes are accomplished in operating business practices
• XML Model (XSM) to model the structure of an XML file using a DTD or an XML schema
• Requirements Model (RQM) to list and document the customer needs that must be satisfied during a development process
• Information Liquidity Model (ILM) to model the replication of information from a source database to one or several remote databases using replication engines
• Free Model (FEM) to create any kind of chart diagram, in a context-free environment

This book only explains the general features of PowerDesigner. For information on other models or aspects of PowerDesigner, consult the following books:

Conceptual Data Model User's Guide To work with the CDM.

Physical Data Model User's Guide To work with the PDM.

Object Oriented Model User's Guide To work with the OOM.

Business Process Model User's Guide To work with the BPM.

XML Model User's Guide To work with an XSM.

Requirements Model User's Guide To work with the RQM.

Information Liquidity Model User's Guide To work with the ILM.

Reports User's Guide To create reports for any or all models.

Repository User's Guide To work in a multi-user environment using a central repository.

Typographic conventions

PowerDesigner documentation uses specific typefaces to help you readily identify specific items:

• monospace text (normal and bold)
  
  Used for: Code samples, commands, compiled functions and files, references to variables.
  
  Example: declare user_defined..., the BeforeInsertTrigger template.
• bold text
  
  Any new term.
  
  Example: A shortcut has a target object.
• small caps
  
  Any key name.
  
  Example: Press the enter key.

Copyright (C) 2005. Sybase Inc. All rights reserved.