Database Diagrams from SQL Server

[wnfisba]

In your experiences, what is the best way to create Database Diagrams?

SQL Server Enterprise Manager Diagrams or Visio???

In SQL Server Enterprise Manager, when I create a "Diagram" and then try to
"Autosize Selected Tables" it leaves a lot of white space at the top which
results in the Table printing over one page. Is there any way to control
this??? Does that have something to do with my printer set-up??? Even if I
click and drag the table to the top of the page, it automatically slides it
down again creating that white space.

If I Reverse Engineer the Table into Visio, the column attributes are not
showing up.

I welcome your opinions and your help is GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks!

wnfisba

[Jens]

My best way to do this is to use Visio Enterprise Edition (with
reeingineering tool). YOu have a good chance to do your modifications
in here and deploy them right away in the server. Another tool which is
often mentioned is Erwin - a database modelling solution.

HTH, Jens Suessmeyer.

[wnfisba]

When attempting to Reverse Engineer into Visio, I am not seeing the column
attributes. The column names are coming
over, but not their attributes. Can I change that???

Please let me know.

Thanks!

[Sue Hoegemeier]

I also prefer Visio (or Erwin or ERstudio or pretty much
anything) over the Diagram tool in Enterprise Manager.
In terms of the columns in Visio, that's just a setting you
can change. In Visio, open the diagram, go to the menu and
select Database, then Options, then Document. A database
document window pops up. On the tables tab, you can select
what is displayed for the tables in the diagram (which types
of columns, if you want to display data types, etc.).

-Sue