Modeling Features › Editing Objects › Object Arrangement on the Diagram Window

Object Arrangement on the Diagram Window

You can arrange model objects to view the model according to your needs. You can move, layer, group, align, and space to enhance both the appearance and readability of your diagram window and Model Explorer. If you work in a multi-user environment, other users will not have access to these unique views that you create, since they are stored at the diagram level.

You can move model objects on the diagram window to display your data in the most logical manner for you. For example, you can move entities next to each other that you review more frequently.

Layering objects on the diagram window enables you to show more objects. You can also specify the alignment of objects and adjust the spacing on the diagram window.

You can group objects on the diagram window to keep them together. For example, if you work with all the tables related to accounting procedures in your database, you can set up the diagram window so that all the tables are grouped. The boundary for the grouped objects is indicated by a dotted line. After you group the objects, you must ungroup them to adjust spacing or any layers within the group. To adjust alignment, you can move either the entire group or the individual objects of the group. When you select an individual object in a group, the boundary is indicated by a solid line. When you move an individual object, the boundary of the group adjusts by itself.

Another option is to create a diagram for the objects that you work with in a subject area. For example, if you are responsible for updating the entity definitions and for maintaining fact tables in the dimensional model, you can create a diagram that displays only definitions and one that displays collapsed fact tables in order to make your job easier.

Note: Both logical and physical models also include relationship lines, which interconnect different model objects, and move with the objects when they are moved. You can also move relationship lines independently of their associated objects, to change the position of the line or to reduce the number of angles.

More information:

Drawing Object Layering

Object Alignment

Object Grouping on the Diagram Window

Diagrams