How to: Open Database Diagram Designer
The Database Diagram Designer is a visual tool that allows you to design and visualize a database to which you are connected. When designing a database, you can use Database Designer to create, edit, or delete tables, columns, keys, indexes, relationships, and constraints. To visualize a database, you can create one or more diagrams illustrating some or all of the tables, columns, keys, and relationships in it.
You can open Database Diagram Designer by opening a new or existing diagram.
Note
The dialog boxes and menu commands you see might differ from those described in Help depending on your active settings or edition. To change your settings, choose Import and Export Settings on the Tools menu. For more information, see Visual Studio Settings.
Open a new database diagram
Right-click the Database Diagrams node of your connection in Server Explorer.
From the drop-down menu, click Add New Diagram.
In the Add Table dialog box, choose tables to work with in the diagram.
Note
If you choose Close without adding tables, you can go back and add tables later.
The Database Diagram menu will be added to the main menu and the designer pane will open.
Open an existing database diagram
Right-click the diagram under the Database Diagrams node of your connection in Server Explorer.
From the drop-down menu, click Design Database Diagram.
The Database Diagram menu will be added to the main menu and the diagram will open in the designer pane.