Hi,
actually a user was looking for a database modeling tool at the postgresql mailinglist. As I do use a piece of paper for my db modeling and having used DbDesigner during my time using MySQL and Windows, I thought it would be a good chance to have a look at some tools. Actually two have been supposed by the list members.
Power* Architect (thanks to Thomas Kellerer for the tip)
This is a data modeling and profiling tool. It supports not just PostgreSQL but also many other DBMS. The connection to the database is handled by a JDBC driver. It’s avilable for MAC OS X, Windows and Linux and it’s open source (GPL v 3).
Here are some more features (copied from the page below):
- Connects to multiple source databases concurrently
- Compares data models & database structures and identifies discrepancies
- Drag-and-drop source tables & columns into the playpen
- Remembers the origin of each column
- Generates source-to-target visual Mapping Reports
- Forward-engineers to PostgreSQL, Oracle, MS SQL Server & more
- Saves source data structure snapshots in the project, so you can work remotely
- All project data is stored in an easy-to-parse XML format
- OLAP schema modeling: Cubes, Measures, Dimensions, Hierarchies & Levels
Power* Architect is developed by a Canadian company called SQL Power. You can get more info and download at http://www.sqlpower.ca/page/architect
MicroOLAP Database Designer for PostgreSQL (thanks to Pavel Golub for the tip)
This is another one but unfortunately available only for Windows. As of this reason, I did not check it but it is said, that it has a good support for wine on Linux OS. Here are some features (taken from the page below):
-simple physical database creation by using a wizard;
-Database structure generation;
-Database modification: generation of ALTER statements to bring a database to the state of the diagram;
-Reverse engineering (import) of existing databases from multiple sources;
-Export of a diagram to popular graphics formats;
-Database structure reports generation;
-Cheking a diagram for errors;
-Merging of diagrams;
-Ability to print diagram out on multiple pages;
-Works under Windows 2000, XP, 2003.
-Support of PostgreSQL server starting from 7.4 and a partial support of PostgreSQL 7.3;
This software is developed by a company called MicroOLAP. They have many other software concerning database. For more info and download see http://microolap.com/products/database/postgresql-designer/.
If you are looking for a GUI database modeling tool, hopefully these are some good tips.
Andy