Support for new databases as a customization?

Hi all,
Since TDM Team’s plan for future features seems to be quite enigmatic :wink: I was thinking if it was possible to add support for DDL generation for some other databases? Let’s say I want to copy-and-paste some existing database packages and scripts, rename them and adjust them to support required database… is it possible from technical and legal point of view?
I was figuring how the databases support work, and I am quite sure that adding support for a new database is a huuuuge amount of customization script. So – am I right? As far as generating table, keys, constraints structure is concerned; differences between most SQL implementations are not so big…

Hi Michal,

To customize the application to add support for your database on your own would be quite complicated now. The customization options are still in development. I’m afraid, we need to ask you for patience. Please wait until it’s clear and properly documented. Thanks!

The way you describe is similar to TDM 2 where you just copied system templates to user section and made the changes. However, with each new release of system templates, you had to go through this process again. We’d like to apply another way in TDM3, more effective and comfortable (and easy and user-friendly at the same time, which is sometimes hard to harmonize, however we’ll do our best).

Nevertheless, what database exactly do you mean? Current Beta supports DB2 UDB v. 8, next release will support v. 9.
Another planned database is MS Access 2003 and 2007.

Regards,

Vladka

Hi vladka,

Yes, I am patient since my evaluation for TDM indicated that TDM offers really good set of features and you still keep on delivering new ones :slight_smile: I see that there is a problem with documentation, but hope this will be fixed soon :slight_smile: I think customization docs are even more important than normal manual, since it is easy to figure out how to work with TDM, but it is quite hard to fully understand customization without solid docs.

The database I would like to see in TDM3 is Firebird (Yeah, I know it is not very popular database, but the scalabilty makes it a perfect solution for packaged software). As I see Firebird is not as urgent as Access (I can understand it), so this is why I was asking. I was even thinking of doing some XSLT on TXL files to get DDL script :slight_smile:

I also think, that allowing people to create their own support for new databases can be good for your bussiness (your team will focus on core features, since community will improve and widen the database support).

Hi Michal,

Generally, customization in TDM 3 means work with scripts, packages, metamodels and forms. The changes are saved in packages.

Next TDM 3.1 version brings some significant changes, e.g. a new way of RE - object oriented reverse engineering. System scripts and packages are being significantly modified now. Other important changes are under way.
Therefore, at the moment, we do not recommend to spend the time customizing the product, particularly not adding support for new database. And this is also the reason why there is the lack of documentation on this issue. Things are still in progress for now.

Nevertheless, it will be better with the version 3.1 release. Except some documentation, tutorials, new flash movies and also blog will be available in the community.

Thanks for your patience.

Regards,

Vladka