R2D2?

[LaRetta]

I am looking for an FM file called R2D2. It's supposed to be a relationship documentation tool which provides dynamic lists of relationships and saves snapshots of relationship definition sets. Do ya'all know what I'm talking about? Have you heard of such a critter?

[djgogi]

How abot making it by yourself using 2 design functions (RelationInfo (dbname, relationname) and RelationNames (dbname)) with one loop?

Dj

[LaRetta]

I will try that, thank you. I was hoping it would show a data flow and how certain things were indicated. I am using arrows between Primary Keys, but I have Critical Decisions & Pass Through Pivots. Right now I'm trying to identify the relationships using color, but it's getting a bit complex, although quite colorful and right-brain! Maybe I'll try adding numbers at key points and reference on a list. In one db, a field may need to be locked down, but it's a lookup in another and yet it may be a Primary Key in another.

I will try your suggestion if you think that will help me. I tried printing the field definitions and relationships, but then I have 12 pieces of paper (representing each db) spread out on my lap, and I'm looking at my VERY colorful computer screen and ... well, I just wish I could see what a finished Data Flow and the support documents looked like from a finished analysis.

BTW, this is the Invoicing piece you helped me on before. I'm hoping it comes together soon. I promised myself I would stay up all night until it was finished but I doubt I'll make it. Thank you very much for your help.

[BobWeaver]

Check out Visualizer from Waves in Motion:

http://wmotion.com/visualizer.html

They have a demo you can download.

[LaRetta]

Bless ya Bob!!!

[LaRetta]

Well that's going to help, I think. Darn it, the only demo files of Visualizer they have are MAC. I'm a Windoz! But they are only show a lock/key symbol on one side. Would it be the side of the one (the left side)?

[LaRetta]

It appears that they are showing the Primary Key symbol on the 'one' to the many; however, one db doesn't even have the Primary Keys symbol at all. Where is a MAC when you need one! Demo says 'fully functional.'

[BobWeaver]

I think Visualizer probably uses Applescript to perform some functions, hence Mac only. Analyzer is Mac only too.

[SteveB]

Bob, Analyzer runs on Windows and has for about 6-8 months now.

[Kurt Knippel]

R2D2 is a utility that was developed by Core Solutions. Try contacting them for it. It is really nothing more than a dictionary of what relationships mean.

For example say they develop a relationship called #pk_L<>#fk_R||Temp.fp5, you'd look at it an say "what the ^%$%^$% is that?" Well R2D2 will tell you exactly what it means.

I am grossly simplifying here, and no offense it meant to the developers of R2D2 as it is a great tool!

[LaRetta]

Thanks Kurt! Are you talking about naming conventions and Standards stuff? I'm trying to learn that as quickly as possible so I won't have to use a plug-in to globally rename or rewrite stuff (is that right? I think I have a printed post that told me that). Anyway, I'm still struggling with understanding (not 'thinking' I understand), but UNDERSTANDING basic structure concerns. Thanks for the info! I ended up using an fp5 -- I have no graphics program either, so I also printed my field defs, relationships and scripts; although I only have a handful of low-quality scripts as yet (smile). The design process was quite enlightening however; and I'm glad I'm being forced to data flow and map it by hand. Harder maybe (okay certainly) but better in the long run for a newbie like me, because it forces me to look differently at the data -- I was seeing it in reverse order (among many other things). And, with three pivots (I think, I'm not done yet) and several many-to-many, I'd have had a nightmare with many incorrect relationships ... let's see someone referred to 'developers' like me (I'm not), what was the term? Snake oil salesman! Yes, in Difficult Relationships! Geez, I loved that thread. I only had two hours sleep, so I hope this is making sense.

This is for a insurance billing, services piece. Way too complex for me if I hadn't had help from ya'all on this forum. Now, I just need to learn how to use Cobalt Sky's Matrix Model to seamlessly pass the info throughout the structure instead of creating TONS of calcs. Ohhhh, this is FUN! p.s. Have ya'all seen the stuff on his website?