Why am I always bringing computers to their knees. On my own machine, I can understand it. But I also over work our servers. I do this all the time. I get tired of it. If I have time to write about it while I watch it process ....
This time is unusual, but it just reminds me how much it happens. I am looking at a system that I will be working with and I want to diagram the database structure. Sounds simple, doesn't it? My problem is the database size. 600 tables. All the tools I am using are choking on it. SQL Server Diagrams and Visual Studio place all the tables in a row if no relationships are defined. At first glance, the database has very few relationships (in the database, I think it is managed in code). Visio 2003 has done the best job so far. It will group the tables on the page. As I work with all 600 tables, the memory requirements are more then my computer wants to deal with.
I am looking at trying to display possible relationships, but that is not working either. Visio is very programmable, but I can not find a way to access each shapes database fields. Either it can not be done, or my search terms are to vague. I wanted to loop through each shape's Primary key and connect it to any table that has a matching field name. Without the ability to talk to the field names, it cant be done.
My next thought was to build the relationships in the database. I attached a copy of the working database and researched my commands. It generated the SQL I wanted to run. As I was running it, I realize that most tables have multiple fields in their Primary Keys. My code did not account for that. It doesn't have to be exact. I am trying to reimport into visio, but it looks like I over worked it even though it eventually finishes. I do have to say that I have not crashed visio yet.
Each step takes way to long (On both the server and my workstation). I feel as if I have done nothing all day and it iritates me. I will eventually send the diagram to the printers and post it on my wall. 100 x 120 inches.
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