Re: Data-dictionary / Case tools

In article <33b13a91.30600891@gate.idg.no>, Nils.Myklebust@idg.no wrote: > > We are also looking at such tools. > In the thread mentioned by Billy there where no mention of > InfoModeler. It used to be made by Asymetrix but is now split out to a > separate company with the same name as the product. They are at > http://www.infomodelers.com > > Have anybody used it? Ver. 3.0? (It is supposed to have many new > features.) > Is it any good? Infomodeler (IM) 3.0 is a very good tool. I have been using IM since 1.0, because I am a big fan of ORM (Object Role Modeling). The tool has really matured. It is the best thing I have seen for doing a true conceptual model, and it does a great job of capturing many constraints that ER can't touch. It automatically creates a properly normalized data model based on the conceptual model. For those constraints that can't be mapped directly into the logical model, IM writes stored procedure code. > Informix reasantly made some agreament with InfoModeler about modeling > for Universal Server. IM is the only tool out there that can create models for Universal Server. ORM is very well suited to modeling for both RDBMS and ORDBMS, because the ORM model is truly conceptual, and is very stable. The biggest changes are just in the mapping phase. Other tools are going to have a tough time keeping the model stable when targeting a pure relational engine vs an object - relational engine. > I have downloaded the test version and just started looking at it. I > have previously read about their ORM method (based on NIAM as I > understand it). I don't quite see the utility of this as it's far too > detailed for most of my purposes. ORM is deta iled, but I've found it's worth the effort, because you get a model that you can discuss with business users, and you know it will do what your users require. The biggest risk with mid size to large projects is making sure that the requirements are accurately reflected in the database design. I think ORM is the best way to accomplish this, because it gives you an easy to talk to users (e.g. natural language fact statements and examples form the basis of the model, not entities and attributes> The web site for the company www.infomodelers.com has a paper by Dr. Terry Halpin that explains ORM. It is very good. Halpin has also written a book called Conceptual Schema and Relational Database Design (2nd edition) Prentice Hall Australia. This is one of the best design books I have seen. Thanks, Bill MacLean (P.S. From the enthusiam of my message, it may sound like I work for Infomodelers. I don't, I just think the product is incredible) -------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====----------------------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet