24 Database Modeling Tips for Vertabelo

In our previous Tip #16 and Tip #17 you could have learned that using table shortcuts makes it easier to create a well-laid-out database model. Do you know that references between shortcuts may be shown in the diagram too?

Let’s go back to our example from Tip #16. Assume that we have already created all necessary subject areas. Now, we want to put shortcuts of all purchase-related elements in the Purchase subject area.

First, select all relevant tables (use Ctr + Click for that) and copy them to the clipboard by clicking either Copy in the top toolbar, or Ctrl + C:

Then, click Paste as shortcut in the top toolbar:

Your shortcut tables are created:

Move them down to the Purchase subject area:

The next step is to click the Reference icon in the top toolbar and choose Show all references. Before you do that, make sure that all the tables between which you want to display references are selected.

Now, all references between the tables are displayed:

Note that shortcut reference lines are dashed, just as shortcut tables are dashed. A dashed reference line means that the reference occurs more than once in the diagram. A solid reference line means that the reference is present in the diagram exactly once.