Importance

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Abstract

An entity relationship diagram for a relational database is generated from introspection of the relational database to determine which entities should be included within a specific table to be displayed. Tables within the entity relationship diagram are displayed with icons hyperlinked to other portions or displays of the entity relationship diagram. A trigger icon links the displayed table to a display of the trigger information for the displayed table. A primary key icon indicates which column of the displayed table is utilized as the primary key for the displayed table, while a foreign key icon links the displayed table to a display of another table in the entity relationship diagram containing the foreign key. Dashed or dotted lines and dot or diamond terminators associated with the foreign key icon described the relationship between the displayed table and the linked table. A constraint icon links the displayed table to a display of the constraint information for an entity. A menu icon links the displayed table to a pop-up menu of child tables for the display table. Entity relationship diagrams for relational databases may thus be viewed in manageable, easily comprehensible portions, with links between tables directly associating the displayed table with the proper portions of the linked tables. The entity relationship diagram automatically reflects changes to the corresponding relational database.

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First Claim