EDIT: 7/28/2014
I should mention that I'm still using Data Modeler, despite all the shortcomings below. It's ability to reconcile changes against previous versions of the model, script, or live db, and generate a script is really great. This could be a great tool, but there's stilll a lot to be desired.
My current employer primarily uses Oracle as their RDBMS which I have no problem with. While I can't say I agree that it's a "better" database than Sql Server, I definately see it's strengths and it is certainly a powerful piece of software. But that unfortunately stops with the database engine. Oracle's developer tools are on the abysmal side. They are chalked full of bugs and usability problems.
Let's take Oracle's Data Modeler. In typical Oracle fashion it's full of bells, knobs, and whisles. In addition to the expected relational modeller it also contains a slew of tools aimed at the database geek. The problem is they're so busy making this the ultimate do-every-thing tool, that they run out of time when it comes down to Usablility:
- You can't scroll left, right, up, or down beyond the farthest object in that direction. If you want to add something to the perimeter of your erd, you need to add something and push it over a little at a time, and even that only works to the right or down. Moving an object left or up runs it into a brick wall.
- Items in drop down lists like the pk/uk index selection for a constrain or sorted in created order. Seriously, a database company failing to recognize a decent place for a simple sort?
- At first I thought there was no such thing as automatic, right angle connectors. But I right clicked one day on an empty area of the diagram and selected "auto route". I didn't find such a feature in the preferences. Worse, I quickly realized this is a worthless feature since it doesn't allow you to fix them afterwards (and it does a pretty lousy job so they do need to be fixed).
- Doing things like adding columns requires way too many windows and steps:
- Right click
- Click Properties
- Click Columns
- Click the '+' button
- Click the Type drop down and select
- In visio, I just started typing the column name in the pane on the bottom.
- The properties box is modal-less, which means you can make changes outside of the properties box but you'll need to close it to refresh.
- The connectors are pretty dumb. They stay stuck to the edge they were originally attached to even if that's the opposite edge.
- Inconsistent context menus. Some things have them, but try to add a table or domain by right clicking? Nope. For tables you need you use the designer tool. For domains you need to go to Tools > Domains Administration
- In Domains Administration, The Save Button doesn't enable after changing something. You need to move to something else and wait for the "Do you want to save..." dialog. After that, then you click save.
- An additional unique constraint that includes the PK, it is not shown for the PK. It only shows "P". Even worse, if the alternate key is composite, the other column looks like it's unique by itself.
- Mouse wheel only scrolls up and down. No zoom or horizontal scroll.
- I just about had a seizure when I saw this color scheme:
- Very Confusing button sets - On many dialogs there will be a Save, Apply, and Close button.
- Custom design rules can only be deleted. They cannot be deactivated.
- Design Rules is a modal dialog. You can't leave it open while fix the errors that it lists.
- Want to rename a table?
- Table Properties
- Rename the table
- Click OK
- Back into table properties
- Click Naming Rules
- Click OK to rename the related constraints
- Click OK
- And, no you can't do the rename and the naming rules in the same step - it doesn't rename the primary key constraint until you close out of the properties window.
- By the way, despite not having an option listed for columns, the naming rules are also going to rename your columns (which was great when my Parent_Object_Id, Child_Object_Id columns were renamed Object_Id and Object_Id1).
- No feedback - try deleting a column with a foreign key constraint. Nothing will happen. You have to delete the FK, click ok, then go back in a delete the column.
- Save As always defaults to your My Documents directory. So if you want to save a copy as a different name but under the same directory, you better not forget to change the path
- Multiple periods in the file name are ignored. So if you save an erd as erd1.2.dmd it will be saved as erd1 instead.
- As far as I can tell there is no way to change your subversion server url. They give you a cute Edit "server" button that opens a text editor for other subversion parameters, but to change my server from a local repository to an online one, I had to rename repositories.xml under C:\Documents and Settings\brandon\Application Data\Oracle SQL Developer Data Modeler\system3.1.0.691\o.jdeveloper.subversion.11.1.1.4.37.59.48 and start again.
- Can't associate a DMD file - I've tried opening the program by clicking on a dmd file. However, associating the dmd file extension to data modeler causes the dmd file to be opened in sql developer instead as an xml file??
- No indicator that current file has changes. Asterisk, italics, anything would be nice to let me know that changes have been made but are not saved.
- CTRL-S doesn't save. Ever other app on the planet, including Oracle's SQL Developer (so I know they got the memo), uses CTRL-S to save. I thought I was saving, but of course with the item immediately above this one, I didn't realizing that I was doing CTRL-S just to stretch my index finger and not for any other purpuse.