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I am currently using TOAD to connect to the database. I have around 20 tables that I have been asked to analyze ( I am new to project ). I think the first place to start is to understand the relation between tables.

  • I am wondering if there is a schema analyzer tool or something in TOAD or a free tool available that can help me understand the relation between tables?
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For which database? Oracle, MySQL,DB2, Sql Server – Atilla Ozgur Apr 30 '12 at 20:49
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For Oracle possible answer here : dba.stackexchange.com/questions/973/… – Atilla Ozgur Apr 30 '12 at 21:31

2 Answers

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The most reliable schema analysis tool is something that lets you dump the DDL for the indexes and contraints and a SQL command line for writing queries against the real table data.

One of the problems with trying to take a shortcut with an automated tool is that what the designer first had in mind may not be exactly what the programmer built and is too often nothing like what the user actually entered into the system.

I have reverse-engineered several systems and found shocking divergences between the presumed ERD and what was actually in place in the production tables.

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There are some tools available like Red-Gate's SQL Dependency Tracker. I think it is important to take Joel's point. It can be a great learning experience by dissecting them manually.

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