MySQL Workbench

9.1.1.1 Modeling Menus

Some menu items are not available in the MySQL Workbench Community Edition of this application, and are available only in the MySQL Workbench Commercial Editions. This is indicated where applicable.

9.1.1.1.1 The File Menu

Use the File menu to open a project, begin a new project, or save a project. The following submenu items apply to the active model tab, EER diagram tab, or both:

  • New Model: Opens a new MySQL Model tab and closes the tabs of a previously opened model and diagram. The new MySQL Model tab includes an initial schema named mydb by default. You can rename or remove (and replace) the initial mydb schema. For additional information, see Section 9.1.1.4, “The Physical Schemas Panel”.

  • Open Model: Opens a file-selection window with the default file type set to MySQL Workbench (.mwb file extension). To display a list of recently opened .mwb files, select Open Recent.

  • Include Model: Adds the database objects defined within an existing model file to the active MySQL model and to its diagram, if applicable. This operation also adds a separate diagram icon containing the included objects only to the active model.

  • Open Recent: Displays the file path of each model file opened previously. Selecting a file from the list closes the tabs of an open model.

  • Close Tab: If selected when the MySQL Model tab is shown, the action closes both the MySQL Model and EER Diagram tabs. However, if the EER Diagram tab is shown, this action closes the EER Diagram tab only. To reopen an EER Diagram tab, double-click the EER Diagram icon in the Model Overview section of the MySQL Model tab.

  • Save Model or Save Model As: When you save a model, its name appears in the title bar of the application. If you have made changes to a project and have not saved those changes, an asterisk appears in the title bar following the model name. When you save a model, it is saved as a MySQL Workbench file with the .mwb extension.

  • Import: Imports a MySQL data definition (DDL) script file. For example, this might be a file created by issuing the command mysqldump --no-data. MySQL Workbench handles the script as follows:

    • If the script does not contain a CREATE DATABASE db_name; statement, the schema objects are copied to the initial schema, named mydb by default.

    • If the script creates a database, a new tab bearing the database name is added to the Physical Schemas section of the MySQL Model page.

    • If the script contains data, the data is ignored.

    For details about importing a DDL script, see Section 9.4.2.1, “Reverse Engineering Using a Create Script”.

  • Export: Generates the SQL statements necessary to create a new database or alter an existing one. For more information about these menu items, see Section 9.4.1.1, “Forward Engineering Using an SQL Script”. Use the Export submenu items to export an EER diagram as a PNG, SVG, PDF, or Postscript file. For an example of a PNG file, see Figure 9.35, “The sakila Database EER Diagram”.

  • Page Setup: Enables you to set the paper size, orientation, and margins for printing purposes. This item is enabled only if the EER Diagrams tab is selected.

  • Print Preview: Opens a print preview window for the active EER diagram. This item is enabled only if the EER Diagrams tab is selected. For more information, see Section 9.2.1, “Printing Diagrams”.

  • Print: Opens print window for the active EER diagram. This item is enabled only if the EER Diagrams tab is selected. For more information, see Section 9.2.1, “Printing Diagrams”.

  • Print to File: Prints the diagram (or diagrams) associated with the active model as a PDF or Postscript file. If your model has multiple diagrams, you can deselect one or more to exclude them from the file, but you must include at least one diagram in the file.

  • Document Properties: Sets the following properties of your project:

    • Name: The model document name (default is MySQL Model).

    • Version: The project version number.

    • Author: The project author.

    • Project: The project name.

    • Created: Not editable; determined by the MWB file attributes.

    • Last Changed: Not editable; determined by the MWB file attributes.

    • Description: A description of your project.

  • Exit: Prompts you to save the current changes and then closes MySQL Workbench.

9.1.1.1.2 The Edit Menu

Use the Edit menu to make changes to objects. The menu item text descriptions change to reflect the name of the selected object.

This menu has items for cutting, copying, and pasting. These actions can also be performed using the Control+X, Control+C, and Control+V key combinations. Undo a deletion using the Undo Delete 'object_name' item. The Control+Z key combination can also be used to undo an operation. It is also possible to carry out a Redo operation using either the menu item, or the key combination Control+Y.

Also find a Delete 'object_name' menu item for removing the currently selected object. The keyboard command for this action is Control+Delete. You can also right-click an object and choose the delete option from the pop-up menu.

The Delete 'object_name' menu item behaves differently depending upon circumstances. For example, if an EER Diagram is active and a table on the canvas is the currently selected object, a dialog box may open asking whether you want to remove the table from the canvas only or from the database as well. For information about setting the default behavior when deleting from an EER Diagram, see Section 3.2.4, “Modeling Preferences”.

Warning

If the MySQL Model page is active, the selected object is deleted from the catalog and there will be no confirmation dialog box.

Choose Edit Selected to edit the currently selected object. You can also perform edits in a new window by selecting Edit Selected in New Window. The keyboard shortcuts for Edit Selected and Edit Selected in New Window are Control+E and Control+Shift+E, respectively.

The Select item has the following submenus:

  • Select All (Keyboard shortcut, Control+A): Selects all the objects on the active EER diagram.

  • Similar Figures (Objects of the same type): Finds objects similar to the currently selected object.

  • Connected Figures: Finds all the objects connected to the currently selected object.

These menu items are active only when an EER Diagram tab is selected. The Similar Figures and the Connected Figures menu items are disabled if no object is currently selected on an EER diagram.

When multiple objects have been selected using one of these menu items, you can navigate between selected items by choosing the Go to Next Selected or Go to previous Selected menu item.

Selecting objects changes some of the Edit menu items. If only one object is selected, that object's name appears after the Cut, Copy and Delete menu items. If more than one object is selected, these menu items show the number of objects selected.

9.1.1.1.2.1 Find Dialog Window

Each MySQL Workbench window includes search functionality. The Find panel with Find & Replace enabled is shown in the following figure.

Figure 9.4 The Find Panel with Find & Replace

Content is described in the surrounding text.

Find Options

The Find dialog options are described in the following list:

  • String Matching (default) or Regular Expression: Search by matching a string, or a PCRE regular expression.

  • Ignore Case: A search method that is not case-sensitive. Works with both the String Matching and Regular Expression search methods. Enabled by default.

  • Match Whole Words: If enabled, only whole strings are matched. For example, a search for "home" would not match "home_id". Disabled by default.

  • Wrap Around: The search will wrap around to the beginning of the document, as otherwise it will only search from the cursor position to the end of the document. Enabled by default.

  • And the arrows jump to the discovered search terms, and behave according to the Wrap Around option.

The MySQL Workbench Commercial Editions include an advanced Find facility for models, as indicated in the figure that follows.

Figure 9.5 The Find Window

Content is described in the surrounding text.

You can search the following locations:

  • Entire Model: Searches the entire model.

  • Current View: Searches the current view only. This may be the MySQL Model page.

  • All Views: Searches the MySQL Model Page and all EER diagrams.

  • Database Objects: Searches database objects only.

  • Selected Figures: Searches the currently selected objects. This feature works only for EER diagrams.

Enter the text you wish to search for in the Find Text list. You may also select any or all of the following check boxes:

  • Match Case

  • Whole Word

  • Use Regular Expression

  • Search in Comments

  • Search in SQL for Views, SPs etc.

Any text you enter into the Find Text list is retained for the duration of your session. Use the Next or Previous buttons to find occurrences of your search criterion.

Clicking the Find All button opens a Find Results window anchored at the bottom of the application. If you wish, you may undock this window as you would any other.

Use this window to navigate to objects. For example, double-clicking the Description of an object located on an EER diagram navigates to the specific diagram and selects the object. Notice that the properties of the object are displayed in the Properties palette.

The Find dialog window can also be opened using the Control+F key combination. Use Control+G to find the next occurrence and Control+Shift+G to find a previous occurrence. Close the Find dialog window by clicking the x in the top right corner or by pressing the Esc key.

9.1.1.1.2.2 Workbench Preferences

This menu item enables you to set global preferences for the MySQL Workbench application.

For further information, see Section 3.2, “Workbench Preferences”.

9.1.1.1.3 The View Menu

This context-aware menu features general options for changing the view in MySQL Workbench. These options change depending on the current tab, and here are the available View menu items:

General options:

  • Home: Selects the home screen.

  • Panels: Configure which of the three available panels are open. You may also manage this from the GUI using the panel toggle buttons on the top-right side of MySQL Workbench.

  • Output: Displays the console output.

  • Select Next Main Tab: Selects the next (moves to the right, and wraps around) MySQL Workbench tab.

  • Select Next Main Tab: Selects the previous (moves to the left, and wraps around) MySQL Workbench tab.

Model/EER options:

  • Windows: A submenu with items that activate (slide open) specific panels. Designated panels include the "Model Navigator", "Catalog", "Layers", "User Datatypes", "Object Descriptions", "Object Properties", and "Undo History".

  • Zoom 100%: The default level of detail of an EER diagram.

  • Zoom In: Zooms in on an EER diagram.

  • Zoom Out: Zooms out from an EER diagram.

    The ability to zoom in on an EER diagram is also available using the slider tool in the Model Navigator palette. See Section 9.1.2.3, “The Model Navigator Panel”.

  • Set Marker: Bookmarks an object. From the keyboard, select the object you wish to bookmark, then use the key combination Control+Shift and the number of the marker (1 through 9). You may create up to nine markers.

  • Go To Marker: Returns to a marker. From the keyboard, use the Control key and the number of the marker.

  • Toggle Grid: Displays grid lines on an EER diagram.

  • Toggle Page Guides: Toggles Page Guides to help design the EER diagram on a per-page basis.

9.1.1.1.4 The Arrange Menu

The Arrange menu items apply only to objects on an EER diagram canvas and are enabled only if an EER diagram view is active. The Arrange menu has these items:

  • Align to Grid: Aligns items on the canvas to the grid lines

  • Bring to Front: Brings objects to the foreground

  • Send to Back: Sends objects to the background

  • Center Diagram Contents: Centers objects on the canvas

  • Autolayout: Automatically arranges objects on the canvas

  • Reset Object Size: Expands an object on an EER diagram. For example, if a table has a long column name that is not fully displayed, this menu item expands the table to make the column visible. This menu item is not enabled unless an object is selected.

  • Expand All: Use this item to expand all objects on an EER diagram. This item will display a table's columns if the object notation supports expansion. Some object notations, such as Classic, do not permit expansion or contraction. Indexes will not automatically be expanded unless they were previously expanded and have been collapsed using the Collapse All menu item.

  • Collapse All: Undo the operation performed by Expand All.

9.1.1.1.5 The Model Menu

When a model is opened, this menu features actions to perform against your model, and the Model menu has these items:

9.1.1.1.5.1 The DBDoc Model Reporting Dialog Window (MySQL Workbench Commercial)

This dialog window is found by navigating to the Model menu and choosing the DBDoc - Model Reporting item.

Note

The DBDoc - Model Reporting feature is only available in MySQL Workbench Commercial.

Use this dialog window to set the options for creating documentation of your database models. For more information, see Section 9.2.2, “DBDoc Model Reporting”.

9.1.1.1.5.2 The Validation Submenus (MySQL Workbench Commercial)

The Model menu has two validation submenus, Validation and Validation (MySQL). Use these submenus for general validation and MySQL-specific validation of the objects and relationships defined in your model.

Note

These items are only available in MySQL Workbench Commercial.

The Validation submenu has these items:

  • Validate All: Performs all available validation checks

  • Empty Content Validation: Checks for objects with no content, such as a table with no columns

  • Table Efficiency Validation: Checks the efficiency of tables, such as a table with no primary key defined

  • Duplicate Identifiers Validation: Checks for duplicate identifiers, such as two tables with the same name

  • Consistency Validation: Checks for consistent naming conventions

  • Logic Validation: Checks, for example, that a foreign key does not reference a nonprimary key column in the source table

The Validation (MySQL) submenu has these items:

  • Validate All: Performs all available validation checks

  • Integrity Validation: Checks for invalid references, such as a table name longer than the maximum permitted

  • Syntax validation: Checks for correct SQL syntax

  • Duplicate Identifiers Validation (Additions): Checks for objects with the same name

For detailed information about validation, see Section 9.2.3, “Schema Validation Plugins”.

9.1.1.1.5.3 The Object Notation Submenu

The items under the Object Notation submenu apply to both a model and an EER diagram.

The Object Notation submenu has these items:

  • Workbench (Default): Displays table columns, indexes, and triggers

  • Workbench (Simplified): Shows only a table's columns

  • Classic: Similar to the Workbench (Simplified) style showing only the table's columns

  • IDEF1X: The ICAM DEFinition language information modeling style

The object notation style that you choose persists for the duration of your MySQL Workbench session and is saved along with your model. When MySQL Workbench is restarted, the object notation reverts to the default.

Note

If you plan to export or print an EER diagram be sure to decide on a notation style first. Changing notation styles after objects have been placed on a diagram can significantly change the appearance of the diagram.

9.1.1.1.5.4 The Relationship Notation Submenu

The items under the Relationship Notation submenu apply to both a model and an EER diagram.

The Relationship Notation submenu has these items:

  • Crow's Foot (IE): The default modeling style. For an example, see Figure 9.30, “Adding Tables to the Canvas”.

  • Classic: Uses a diamond shape to indicate cardinality.

  • Connect to Columns

  • UML: Universal Modeling Language style.

  • IDEF1X: The ICAM DEFinition language information modeling method

To view the different styles, set up a relationship between two or more tables and choose the different menu items.

The relationship notation style that you choose persists for the duration of your MySQL Workbench session and is saved along with your model. When MySQL Workbench is restarted, the relationship notation reverts to the default, the Crow's Foot style.

Note

If you plan to export or print an EER diagram, be sure to decide on a notation style first. Changing notation styles after objects have been placed on a diagram can significantly change the appearance of the diagram.

9.1.1.1.6 The Database Menu

This menu features actions against the connected MySQL server. The Database menu has these items:

9.1.1.1.7 The Tools Menu

The Tools menu lists tools and utilities that related to MySQL Workbench usage.

  • Browse Audit Log File: Launches a file browser to open a specific audit log file. MySQL Workbench prompts for sudo access if the MySQL Workbench user is unable to read the audit log file. For additional information about the Audit Inspector, see Section 6.6, “MySQL Audit Inspector Interface”. MySQL Workbench Commercial only.

  • Configuration: Backup (or restore) your MySQL Connections, as defined in MySQL Workbench. Connection data is stored in a connections.xml file, for additional information about this file, see Section 3.3, “MySQL Workbench Settings and Log Files”.

  • Utilities: These utilities generate PHP code to either "Connect to the MySQL server" or "Iterate SELECT results", if applicable. For additional information about PHP code generation, see Section 8.1.11.2, “Generating PHP Code”.

  • Start Shell for MySQL Utilities: Opens the mysqluc MySQL Utility. For additional information about MySQL Utilities, see Appendix F, MySQL Utilities.

9.1.1.1.8 The Scripting Menu

This menu features GRT scripting and plugin options. The Scripting menu has these items:

  • Scripting Shell: Launches the MySQL Workbench Scripting Shell. For additional information, see Section C.5, “The Workbench Scripting Shell”.

  • New Script: Opens a New Script File dialogue, with options to create a Python Script, Python Plugin, or Python Module.

  • Open Script: Opens a Open GRT Script dialogue, which defaults to the Workbench scripts directory. Files are opened into the Workbench Scripting Shell window.

  • Run Script File: Executes the script that is currently open.

  • Run Workbench Script File: Executes the specified script file.

  • Install Plugin/Module File: Loads and installs a plugin or module file

  • Plugin Manager: Displays information about the plugins that are installed, and allows disabling and uninstalling the plugins.

9.1.1.1.9 The Help Menu

Use the Help menu when you require support, or when you want to help improve MySQL Workbench. This menu has the following items:

  • Help Index: Opens a window showing a local copy of the MySQL Workbench documentation. Read, search, or print the documentation from this window.

  • MySQL.com Website: Opens your default browser on the MySQL website home page.

  • Workbench Product Page: Opens your default browser on the MySQL Workbench product page.

  • System Info: Displays information about your system, which is useful when reporting a bug. For more information, see Section 9.1.1.1.9.1, “System Info”.

  • Report a Bug: Opens your default browser to bugs.mysql.com, and automatically fills in several fields such as the Operating System and MySQL Workbench version by passing in additional data via the GET request. The default "Description" requests you to also attach the Workbench log file. For additional information about reporting useful bug reports, see Appendix D, How To Report Bugs or Problems.

  • View Reported Bugs: Opens your default browser to see a list of current bugs.

  • Locate Log Files: Opens up the directory that contains the MySQL Workbench log files.

  • Show Log File: Opens up the main MySQL Workbench log file in your default text editor. This file is typically named wb.log.

  • Check For Updates: Checks if you are using the current MySQL Workbench version. If you are, then a popup informs you of this. If not, then a prompt asks you to open the MySQL Workbench download page.

  • About Workbench: Displays the MySQL Workbench About window. This also displays the MySQL Workbench version.

9.1.1.1.9.1 System Info

Use the Help, System Info menu item to display information about your system. This item is especially useful for determining your rendering mode. Sample output follows. 

MySQL Workbench Community (GPL) for Windows version 6.1.4  revision 11773 build 1454
Configuration Directory: C:\Users\philip\AppData\Roaming\MySQL\Workbench
Data Directory: C:\Users\philip\Desktop\MySQL\MySQL Workbench 6.1.4 CE
Cairo Version: 1.8.8
OS: Microsoft Windows 7  Service Pack 1 (build 7601), 64-bit
CPU: 4x Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2400 CPU @ 3.10GHz, 8.0 GiB RAM
Active video adapter NVIDIA GeForce GT 610
Installed video RAM: 1024 MB
Current video mode: 1920 x 1080 x 4294967296 colors
Used bit depth: 32
Driver version: 9.18.13.2049
Installed display drivers: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Current user language: English (United States)
MySQL Documentation Library