Document Your Databases with DB Documentor

By : Dinesh Asanka Apr 11, 2006

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How do you keep a backup of your database schemas? The easiest way is to make a backup of the database and store it. An obvious drawback to this method is that whenever you want to locate the schema of a database object you need to restore the entire database. Another method is to script all the objects and store the scripts. Although scripting will solve the problem that you face when working from a backup, it is by no means an easy job. It is also difficult to find related objects using this method. For example, if you want to find out the details of linked tables, you need to open the script of the linked tables. A better solution is available: DB Documentor.

DB Documentor is a tool that allows you to automatically document your database's schema and store it in easy to access CHM or HTML files.

Few tools available on the market provide the same functionality as DB Documentor. So go through this review carefully and find out what DB Documentor has to offer you.

Product Overview

DB Documentor's most important feature is its simplicity. It does not have many fancy screens to decipher. In fact, it has only one screen.

In the document settings area, you can select the output type — either CHM or HTML format — and other settings for the document you are going to create. However, it is best if these configurations are made from a central location, as that will let you change settings for the entire project at once. If your project contains two or more databases, you can document multiple databases to one CHM or HTML document.

In the database object selection area, you can select the object types you want to document.

The following screen shows the settings when connecting to SQL Server 2000.

DB Documentor also supports SQL Server 2005. The following screen displays the objects for the SQL Server 2005 database. Additional objects such as Assemblies, Asymmetric Keys, Certificates, Schemas, Symmetric Keys, and Synonyms for SQL Server 2005 are displayed here.

When a CHM file is created (shown below), you have the ability to navigate from one section of the document to another. For example, if you clicked on a table, along with the table properties, there are a few links to the Constraints, Indexes, Triggers, Dependencies, Permissions, and Extended Properties available. From these links, you can go directly to the necessary section with ease.

DDL statements are highlighted by default so they can be easily identified.

CHM documentation.