Description:
Short story:
right click on a table allows you to edit the table - that is the definition of a table schema object. Right click on a relationship only allows you to edit the "relationship" that is the container of visual/conceptual properties. At the same time there is a foreign key editor in the table, but we can't access that directly from the context menu, and we also cannot switch from the fk editor to the relationship editor and vv.
[2007-12-04 23:55] <roland> hi all, is there a particular reason for having a "relationship editor" and a "foreign key editor" (in the table editor)?
[2007-12-04 23:56] <roland> I mean, we can only deal with fk's right? why not merge all the functionality in one editor?
[2007-12-04 23:56] <alfredo> the stuff you edit in the relationship editor are related to the figure
[2007-12-04 23:57] <alfredo> like visibility
[2007-12-04 23:57] <alfredo> FK is for the physical aspect of it
[2007-12-04 23:57] <alfredo> the whole table editor is only for the db object
[2007-12-04 23:58] <roland> alfredo: ok, thanks. but it would make sense to quickly switch from the one to the other, no?
[2007-12-04 23:58] <alfredo> i dont know, you can have a physical table without a graphic
[2007-12-04 23:59] <alfredo> db objects and canvas figures are separate things
[2007-12-04 23:59] <alfredo> you can have the 1st without the 2nd and you can also have the 1st in > 1 canvas
[2007-12-04 23:59] <roland> alfredo: ok, put another way then...when I click it, i would expect the context menu to offer me a choice to edit eithe the fk or the relationship aspect of it
[2007-12-05 00:00] <alfredo> hm
[2007-12-05 00:00] <roland> I mean, it works like that for a table, so....
[2007-12-05 00:00] <alfredo> what would you want to edit, for example?
[2007-12-05 00:00] <roland> well, it is more like, suppose I am editing a database model, and I am all into the physique aspect of it.
[2007-12-05 00:01] <roland> well, i use the diagram for navigation, and to quickly pick what i want to edit
[2007-12-05 00:01] <roland> so, i see a table, boom! i right click and edit it.
[2007-12-05 00:02] <roland> now I see a relationship, i right click and i should then be able to immediately open the fk editor inside the appropriate table editor
[2007-12-05 00:02] <roland> just a matter of consistency in interface.
[2007-12-05 00:03] <alfredo> hm ok, can you pls file a feature req for that?
[2007-12-05 00:04] <roland> alfredo: ok, will do that. Thx ;)
[2007-12-05 00:04] <alfredo> i think we could add a button in the rel editor for that
[2007-12-05 00:05] <roland> alfredo: sure, but I'd like a meny item too...avoid the extra click..
[2007-12-05 00:05] <roland> alfredo: or simply add a tab to the rel editor and allow you to access the physical properties there too
[2007-12-05 00:06] <roland> (if available)
[2007-12-05 00:06] <alfredo> sure
[2007-12-05 00:06] <alfredo> pls include in the bug report
How to repeat:
right click a relationship. choose edit relationship
Suggested fix:
I am all for separation of visual and logical properties, but I think it is not a good idea to separate the user interfaces. It would IMO be way more intuitive to have one place where you can edit an object of a particular type, and make visual separations using tabs.
In this case I would most prefer the relationship editor and foreign key editor to be merged, and the properties to be separated using fieldsets or whatever.
But at least, make the access to the fk properties possible by clicking the relationship on the canvas - that is how it works for tables and it should work so for fk's too.
