Set Display Preferences for a Diagram

You use the options in the Display tab to set preferences for displaying shadows, comments, definitions, view expressions and relationships.

To set display preferences for a diagram

  1. Click Diagrams on the Diagram menu.

    The Diagram Editor opens.

  2. From the Edit ER Diagrams in drop-down list, select the model or subject area that has the diagram for which you want to set display preferences.

    The diagrams available in the selected model or subject area appear.

  3. Select the diagram for which you want to set display preferences, and go to the Display tab.
  4. Work with the following options:
    Shadow

    Display Shadows

    Specifies whether or not to display the shadow effect for entities, tables, and views in the diagram. Select the check box to display the shadow effect, or clear the check box to hide the shadow effect.

    Shadow Width/Shadow Height

    Specifies the width and height for the shadow in pixels.

    Display Length

    Definitions and Comment Display Length

    Specifies the number of characters displayed on single line for definitions and comments. Enter a digit or click the arrows to increase or decrease the default value. If you exceed this number, then you must resize the object to display the entire length of the text.

    View Expression Display Length

    Specifies the number of characters displayed on single line for view expressions. Enter a digit or click the arrows to increase or decrease the default value. If you exceed this number, then you must resize the object to display the entire length of the text.

    Note: For the View Expression Display Length option to work, you must select Display View Column Expression on the View tab.

    Relationship Display

    Relationship Line Orientation

    Orthogonal

    Specifies whether or not to display relationships with orthogonal lines which lay at right angles. Traditionally, orthogonal lines are used in the diagram window for logical and physical models.

    Diagonal

    Specifies whether or not to display relationships with diagonal lines. Traditionally, diagonal lines are used for star schema diagrams in a dimensional model.

    Display Dangling Relationships

    Specifies whether or not to show dangling relationship lines in the diagram. Select the check box to display dangling relationship lines, or clear the check box to hide dangling relationship lines.

    Split Verb Phrase

    Splits the parent-to-child and child-to-parent verb phrases on each relationship line.

    Display Child to Parent Verb Phrase

    Select to display only the child-to-parent verb phrase for relationships.

    Display Parent to Child Verb Phrase

    Select to display only the parent-to-child verb phrase for relationships.

    Display Subcategory Cardinality

    Display the cardinality symbol for relationship lines in a supertype/subtype construct.

    Note: For the Display Subcategory Cardinality option to work, you must select Display Logical Relationship Name on the Relationship tab.

    Display Lines on Top

    When a relationship line passes through an object, displays the relationship line on top the object. If you clear the check box, displays the relationship line behind the object which it is passing through.