SQL Dependency Tracker - 2.7

SQL Dependency Tracker

Analyzing the diagram - SQL Dependency Tracker

When you have added objects to your project, SQL Dependency Tracker displays the dependency diagram in the main view.

DisplayElements

Diagram

The Diagram pane shows the dependency diagram for the current project. For example:

Diagram

Database objects are shown as objects on the diagram. Dependencies between the objects are shown as connections.

When you select a single object on the diagram, if the selected object is used by another object, the connection is shown in red; if the selected object uses another object, the connection is shown in blue. An arrow also indicates the direction of the dependency. Self-references are shown in green.

When you select multiple objects, any direct connections between the selected objects are shown in green.

A stalk indicates that the object has dependencies that are not shown on the diagram, either because they have been hidden, or because they have not been added to the project. You can hover your mouse pointer over the object to see a list of the dependent objects that are not shown.

StalkToolTip

You can use the navigation tools to change your view of the diagram. For example, you can zoom in to a particular area of interest, or pan the diagram.

SQL Dependency Tracker provides a number of tools for you to customize the diagram to suit your particular needs. For example, you can move objects around, or hide objects so that they are not shown in the diagram. For details of how you can customize the diagram, see Fine tuning the diagram.

Diagram Overview

The Diagram Overview pane provides a bird's-eye view of the diagram.

DiagramOverview

The Diagram Overview pane always shows the entire diagram; the shaded area indicates the position and size of the current view extent in the Diagram pane.

You use the Diagram Overview pane to change the view in the Diagram pane.

Objects in Project

The Objects in Project pane lists all the objects in the project. You can use this list to select objects, and to show or hide objects.

ObjectsInProject

The list shows all objects that you have explicitly added to your project, and their dependencies as specified by your diagram options. Objects that you have hidden are included in this list.

Select the IconVisibility (3) visibility check box to show the object in the diagram; clear the check box to hide the object.

The Type column indicates the type of object:

IconTypeTables

Tables

IconTypeRules

Rules

IconTypeViews

Views

IconTypeDefaults

Defaults

IconTypeStoredProcedures

Stored Procedures

IconTypeUserDefinedTypes

User Defined Types

IconTypeUsers

Users

IconTypeFunctions

Functions

IconTypeRoles

Roles

IconTypeFullTextCatalogs

Full Text Catalogs

IconTypeDDLTriggers

Triggers

 

 

For SQL Server 2005:

IconTypeAssemblies

Assemblies

IconTypeQueues

Queues

IconTypeAsymmetricKeys

Asymmetric Keys

IconTypeRoutes

Routes

IconTypeCertificates

Certificates

IconTypeSchemas

Schemas

IconTypeContracts

Contracts

IconTypeServices

Services

IconTypeDDLTriggers (2)

DDL Triggers

IconTypeServiceBindings

Service Bindings

IconTypeEventNotifications

Event Notifications

IconTypeSymmetricKeys

Symmetric Keys

IconTypeMessageTypes

Message Types

IconTypeSynonyms

Synonyms

IconTypePartitionFunctions

Partition Functions

IconTypeXMLSchemaCollections

XML Schema Collections

IconTypePartitionSchemes

Partition Schemes

 

 

For SQL Server 2008:

IconStopList

Stop lists

By default, the objects are grouped by database, and sorted by object type, then name within type. You can change the way in which the objects are sorted as follows:

  • To group the objects by object type and sort by database then name, click the Type column heading.
  • To sort the objects by object name with no grouping, click the Name column heading.
  • To sort the objects by visibility in addition to the current sort mode, click the IconVisibility (4) column heading.
  • To group the objects by database and sort by object type, then name within type (the default), click the DB column heading.

You can filter the list by performing a search on the object names, or by filtering on object type.

Dependencies

The Dependencies pane lists the object dependencies for the selected objects.

Dependencies

Dependencies are listed even if you have hidden them.

The dependencies are grouped:

  • Used by: the selected objects are used by the objects listed
  • Uses: the selected objects use the objects listed

IconCircularRef indicates a Circular reference; a connection to an object that also exists higher up in the hierarchy, or a self-reference.

You can double-click an object in the Dependencies pane to select that object on the diagram and in the Objects in Project pane.

Message Indicator

SQL Dependency Tracker brings any important messages to your attention at the time they occur. However, if further informational messages are available, these are indicated at the bottom-right of the SQL Dependency Tracker window.

MessageIndicator

For example, when you add an object to the project, if it has a dependent object that belongs to a database that has not been added to the diagram, a message is reported.

You can click the Message Indicator to view the full details of the messages in the Message Report. For details, see Using the Message Report.

See also

Selecting objects

Fine tuning the diagram

Setting diagram options

Viewing object creation scripts

Using the Message Report

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