ERD Tables Reference
Reference for ERD table representations in NeoArc Studio: Data Views in persistence mode (recommended) and standalone ERD table shapes in the diagram editor (for freeform diagramming).
Two approaches are available for visualising entity-relationship data. Data Views in persistence mode are the recommended approach for structured data modelling, displaying entities as nodes on an interactive graph canvas with the Entity Overlay for property inspection. Standalone ERD table shapes in the diagram editor remain available for freeform diagramming.
Data Views (Persistence Mode)
Data Views in persistence mode display model entities as nodes on a force-directed graph canvas. Click any node (or press Alt+Enter) to open the Entity Overlay, which shows the full property table with ERD-style columns. Entity properties, key roles, relationships, and constraints come from the model; the view file stores layout and profile configuration only.
For the complete Data View document schema, see the Data View Document Reference page. For creating and configuring Data Views, see the Data Views guide.
Standalone ERD Table Shapes
The standard diagram editor includes standalone ERD table shapes for freeform entity-relationship diagramming. These shapes store their data directly in the diagram file without referencing a central model.
Table Structure
Each standalone ERD table shape displays the following elements.
Column Properties
Creating Standalone ERD Tables
Relationships and Crow's Foot Notation
Connect standalone ERD tables using connections with crow's foot line endings to show cardinality.
Row-Level Ports
Standalone ERD tables support row-level ports, allowing connections to attach to specific columns rather than the table edge. Hover over a column to see available port indicators, then drag from the port to create a connection.
FK Auto-Fill
The FK Auto-Fill feature identifies potential foreign key relationships between selected standalone ERD tables based on column names and types.
SQL Server Import (Standalone)
The SQL Server import feature reads an existing database schema. In the standalone diagram context, the import creates ERD table shapes directly on the canvas with columns, data types, keys, and relationships.
ERD Linting
The standalone ERD linter validates diagrams with three severity levels.