How to configure ORM source model for referential actions?

[Matt M]

Hi

This could be a stupid question. Anyway, I'd like to configure referential
actions (on parent update cascade etc.) in my ORM source models, not the
mapped logical models. But I can't work out how to do this, and Halpin
(Database Modeling with MS Visio EA) is no help. He recommends that the only
changes made to mapped logical models are reordering columns and renaming
tables. The rest should be done in the ORM source model. AFAICS, however,
there is no way to configure referential actions in the ORM source. Or have
I overlooked something?

I'm using Visio EA 10.0.2705.

Thanks

Matt M.

 

[Scot Becker]

Hi Matt,

This could be a stupid question. Anyway, I'd like to configure referential
actions (on parent update cascade etc.) in my ORM source models, not the
mapped logical models. But I can't work out how to do this, and Halpin
(Database Modeling with MS Visio EA) is no help. He recommends that the
only changes made to mapped logical models are reordering columns and
renaming tables. The rest should be done in the ORM source model. AFAICS,
however, there is no way to configure referential actions in the ORM
source. Or have I overlooked something?

You can only specify referential actions in the Database Model Diagram.

The Halpin book is correct in that you should strive to make as many changes
as possible on the ORM side (for conceptual and tool-bug-related reasons,
IMO), but this is one of those things that can only be done on the ER side.

HTH,
Scot.
................................................
Scot Becker

Orthogonal Software
www.orthogonalsoftware.com

ORM Blog: www.objectrolemodeling.com

To e-mail me, please use my first name at the domain listed above. All mail
sent to the reply-to address gets routed to a junk e-mail folder where it
will likely be deleted without being read.

 

[Matt M]

You can only specify referential actions in the Database Model Diagram.

The Halpin book is correct in that you should strive to make as many
changes as possible on the ORM side (for conceptual and tool-bug-related
reasons, IMO), but this is one of those things that can only be done on
the ER side.

HTH,
Scot.

Hi Scot

Thanks, that is what I suspected. Just one thing bothers me - if I specify a
referential action in a database model, I can migrate that change back to
the ORM source model. If I then use that source model to build a new
database model, the referential action is automatically set. So the
referential action can be stored in the ORM source model, right? If that is
so, then is it possible at least to check what referential actions are
stored in an ORM source model? Or must I build a database model to find out?

Thanks again

Matt

 

[Scot Becker]

Hi Scot

Thanks, that is what I suspected. Just one thing bothers me - if I specify
a referential action in a database model, I can migrate that change back
to the ORM source model. If I then use that source model to build a new
database model, the referential action is automatically set. So the
referential action can be stored in the ORM source model, right? If that
is so, then is it possible at least to check what referential actions are
stored in an ORM source model? Or must I build a database model to find
out?

Well, it is buried somewhere in the VSD file of the ORM Source Model, but it
is not accessible from the user perspective. There are a number of mapping
options that end up getting stored someplace in the file (e.g. column name
overrides) but unless you can hack the file format, you can't see them....

HTH,
Scot.
................................................
Scot Becker

Orthogonal Software
www.orthogonalsoftware.com

ORM Blog: www.objectrolemodeling.com

To e-mail me, please use my first name at the domain listed above. All mail
sent to the reply-to address gets routed to a junk e-mail folder where it
will likely be deleted without being read.

 

[Matt M]

Well, it is buried somewhere in the VSD file of the ORM Source Model, but
it is not accessible from the user perspective. There are a number of
mapping options that end up getting stored someplace in the file (e.g.
column name overrides) but unless you can hack the file format, you can't
see them....

Okay, thanks for the info.

Matt