EXERCISE 3.4: Getting Comfortable with ER/Studio

Before you close the Adventure Works model, let’s change some options for future models. ER/Studio has an incredible number of customizations we can choose from under Options:

We will play with different tabs under Options throughout the book, but for this exercise let’s look at three tabs: Application, Directories, and Logical.

Under the Applications tab, there is a section for Application Defaults. If the checkbox Show Status Bar is checked, the status bar will appear at the bottom of the ER/Studio Landscape. Check Show Full Path In Title Bar, click <OK>, and see what happens. You will notice that in the tab that previously just contained the name of the model, we now have the full path name. If you like this setting, you can keep it – otherwise go back into Options and turn it off.

Let’s go back into Options, and this time to the Directories tab. This tab allows you to define the default directories for models and model-related artifacts such as macros. Choose where you would like your models to be stored, or just keep the default path.

The Logical tab has some neat features we’ll cover shortly, but for now click the Background Color button, and choose your favorite color as the background. Note that my personal preference is a light gray background, but choose what suits you!

Click <OK> and notice that the background color did not change to your selection. This is because you changed the background color for all models going forward. Some of the settings under Options, such as displaying the path name, apply directly to the model you are working in and all subsequent models. Some settings, such as the background color, apply only to models going forward.

Here’s how you can change the background color of the currently open model:

Click on <Set Color> to select a color for the open model and click <OK> to apply this color to the background of your open model.

Note that if you close the model and create a new one, you will see the background color you selected from the Options menu.

For the remainder of this exercise, continue playing with the tools in this new model you created. Just spend some time clicking around and getting yourself into trouble. It’s the best way to learn. We’ll formally go through ER/Studio functionality, but it doesn’t hurt to give yourself a preview by just clicking on things and seeing what happens. Your data model is already saved and you can always exit the model without saving or create a new data model and play there.