Chapter 1 About This Book

Subject

This book describes the PowerDesigner Physical Data Model data modeling environment. It shows you how to do the following:

Build a Physical Data Model (PDM) using Physical and Multidimensional diagrams
Create and use business rules and other model objects
Generate triggers, procedures, scripts, and databases
Generate databases
Reverse engineer existing databases
Generate a Physical Data Model, a Conceptual Data Model and an Object-Oriented data Model from a PDM

Audience

This book is for anyone who will be building data models with PowerDesigner. Although it does not assume you have knowledge about any particular topic, having some familiarity with relational databases, SQL, and design methodology is helpful. For more information, see the Bibliography section at the end of this chapter.

Documentation primer

The PowerDesigner modeling environment supports several types of models:

Conceptual Data Model (CDM) to model the overall logical structure of a database, 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 Physical Data Model. For information on other models or aspects of PowerDesigner, consult the following books:

General Features Guide To get familiar with the PowerDesigner interface before learning how to use any of the models.

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

Object Oriented Model Getting Started To learn the basics of the OOM.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Bibliography

Data Modeling Essentials

Graeme Simsion, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1994, 310 pages; paperbound; ISBN 1850328773

Information engineering

James Martin, Prentice Hall, 1990, three volumes of 178, 497, and 625 pages respectively; clothbound, ISBN 0-13-464462-X (vol. 1), 0-13-464885-4 (vol. 2), and 0-13-465501-X (vol. 3).

Celko95

Joe Celko, Joe Celko's SQL for Smarties (Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Inc., 1995), 467 pages; paperbound; ISBN 1-55860-323-9.