SQL Server Enterprise Manager Tip: Printing Diagrams

SQL Server Enterprise Manager Tip: Printing Diagrams

"This is one of those simple tips you could overlook for years, as have I.

In Enterprise Manager, when you try to print database diagrams, the insane things always end up straddling multiple pages. It's a nightmare trying to get a nice simple print out.

...

Right-Click and select the option 'View Page Breaks'. Now you can rearrange your tables to avoid page breaks. And a neat print out is as easy as pie.

I'm kicking myself, wishing I'd noticed this sooner."

LOL. Man, how long have I been using Enterprise Manager? sigh...

I used to hate Enterprise Mangler's (err... um I mean Enterprise Manager... yeah.. that's it) Diagramming and have stayed as far as possible, preferring to use ERWin.

But ERWin is expensive and doesn't yet support SQL 2K5. So I thought I was going to be stuck with Visio for my DB diagrams. You see, printing a diagram is a big part of my DB design process. I take the printout, wander around looking at it, think on it, play it out in my head, mark it up, wash rinse repeat.

So printing a usable DB diagram is critical to me. And I thought EM's diagram printed.. well.. um... sucked?

Now I know better. Grr. Live and learn.

Thanks to the Leon Bambrick (aka the SecretGeek) for pointing this out.