Importing Schemas
Import entities into the data model from a wide range of file formats including SQL DDL dialects, draw.io, GraphML, GEXF, Graphviz DOT, PlantUML, Mermaid ERD, Neo4j Cypher, ERDPlus, StarUML, RDF/OWL, JSON Graph Format, Microsoft Visio, and OpenAPI.
NeoArc Studio supports importing entities from a wide range of external file formats into the central data model. Two import paths are available: SQL DDL Import for database scripts, and File Import for diagram tools, graph databases, and schema definition files. All imported entities become first-class model nodes with typed properties, validation, and group organisation.
SQL DDL Import
The SQL DDL Import dialog accepts SQL scripts from several database dialects and DBML notation. Paste DDL text directly or upload a .sql file.
| Dialect | Supported Statements |
|---|---|
| PostgreSQL | CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE ADD CONSTRAINT (FK), CREATE INDEX |
| MySQL | CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE ADD CONSTRAINT (FK), CREATE INDEX |
| SQL Server | CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE ADD CONSTRAINT (FK), CREATE INDEX |
| Snowflake | CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE ADD CONSTRAINT (FK), CREATE INDEX |
| Oracle | CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE ADD CONSTRAINT (FK), CREATE INDEX |
| DBML | Table blocks, Ref lines, indexes |
What Gets Imported from SQL DDL
SQL DDL Import Example
The following PostgreSQL DDL creates two entities with a foreign key relationship.
CREATE TABLE customers (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
email VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL UNIQUE,
name VARCHAR(100),
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
CREATE TABLE orders (
id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
customer_id UUID NOT NULL,
total DECIMAL(10, 2) NOT NULL,
status VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'pending',
order_date TIMESTAMP DEFAULT NOW()
);
ALTER TABLE orders
ADD CONSTRAINT fk_orders_customer
FOREIGN KEY (customer_id) REFERENCES customers(id);
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_customer_id ON orders(customer_id);
CREATE INDEX idx_orders_status ON orders(status);This produces two model entities: customers with 4 properties and orders with 5 properties, connected by a foreign key relationship from orders.customer_id to customers.id.
File Import
The File Import dialog supports a broad set of external diagram and schema file formats. Formats that support text paste allow pasting content directly without uploading a file.
draw.io / diagrams.net
Imports entity shapes and connections from draw.io XML files. Supports compressed and uncompressed .drawio files. Entity shapes are extracted from the diagram cells, and connections between shapes become relationships.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .drawio, .xml |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Compression | Supports deflate-compressed content via pako |
| Extraction | Entity labels from cell values, relationships from edge connections |
GraphML
Imports nodes and edges from GraphML graph exchange files. GraphML is used by tools including yEd, Gephi, and NetworkX.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .graphml |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Extraction | Node labels from data elements, edges with source/target mapping |
GEXF (Gephi)
Imports graph data from GEXF (Graph Exchange XML Format) files, commonly exported from Gephi.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .gexf |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Extraction | Node labels and attributes, edge relationships with weights |
Graphviz DOT
Imports graph definitions from Graphviz DOT language files. Parses node definitions, edge statements, and subgraph groupings.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .dot, .gv |
| Text paste | Yes |
| Extraction | Node labels from node statements, edges from arrow notation |
PlantUML
Imports class and entity diagrams from PlantUML notation. Parses class definitions with fields and methods, and relationship arrows between classes.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .puml, .plantuml |
| Text paste | Yes |
| Extraction | Class/entity names, properties from fields, relationships from arrows |
Mermaid ERD
Imports entity-relationship diagrams from Mermaid ERD syntax. Parses entity blocks with typed attributes and relationship lines with cardinality.
erDiagram
CUSTOMER {
string id PK
string name
string email
}
ORDER {
string id PK
string customerId FK
float total
string status
}
CUSTOMER ||--o{ ORDER : places| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .mmd, .mermaid |
| Text paste | Yes |
| Extraction | Entity names, typed attributes with key roles, cardinality from relationship lines |
Neo4j Cypher
Imports node and relationship definitions from Cypher CREATE statements. Parses node labels, properties, and relationship types.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .cypher, .cql |
| Text paste | Yes |
| Extraction | Node labels from CREATE (n:Label), properties from property maps, relationships from CREATE patterns |
ERDPlus
Imports entity-relationship diagrams from ERDPlus JSON export files. ERDPlus is a browser-based ER diagram tool used in database courses.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .json |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Extraction | Entity names, attribute names and types, relationship names and cardinality |
StarUML
Imports class diagrams from StarUML .mdj project files. StarUML projects are ZIP-compressed JSON files containing UML model elements.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .mdj |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Compression | ZIP extraction via JSZip |
| Extraction | Class names, attribute names and types, association relationships |
RDF/OWL
Imports ontology definitions from RDF files. Supports both Turtle (.ttl) and RDF/XML (.rdf, .owl) serialisation formats. OWL classes become entities, and OWL object properties become relationships.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .ttl (Turtle), .rdf, .owl (RDF/XML) |
| Text paste | Yes (Turtle only) |
| Parser | N3.js library for Turtle, XML parsing for RDF/XML |
| Extraction | OWL classes to entities, datatype properties to typed fields, object properties to relationships, rdfs:subClassOf to inheritance edges |
JSON Graph Format
Imports graph data from JSON Graph Format (JGF) files. JGF is a JSON-based graph exchange format with typed nodes and edges.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .json |
| Text paste | Yes |
| Extraction | Node labels and metadata, edges with source/target and relationship labels |
Microsoft Visio
Imports shapes and connections from Microsoft Visio diagram files. Extracts entity shapes, labels, and connector relationships from Visio's XML-based format.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| File extensions | .vsdx |
| Text paste | No (file upload only) |
| Extraction | Shape labels to entity names, connectors to relationships |
OpenAPI Import
Import existing OpenAPI specifications to create REST API documentation. This import path creates API endpoints and schemas rather than data model entities.
Import Workflow
After Import
Once entities are in the model, they have access to all model capabilities.
Related
Export model entities to a range of schema formats including SQL DDL dialects, GraphQL SDL, TypeScript, Prisma, Protocol Buffers, and more. Import from SQL DDL scripts across multiple database dialects, plus draw.io, GraphML, PlantUML, and other diagram tools.
Export data model entities to a wide range of schema formats spanning SQL DDL dialects, schema definition languages (GraphQL SDL, TypeScript, Prisma, Avro, Protobuf, DBML, Mongoose), graph and document formats, diagram notations, and GraphML.
Create and configure the central data model that serves as the single source of truth for all entities, properties, and relationships in your project.