Setting Properties in a Database Diagram

Set column properties in the database diagram to redefine a column name, data type, and so on. Use the Properties Pages dialog box to set properties of tables, relationships, indexes, and constraints.

To edit column properties

1. In your database diagram, select the table whose columns you want to edit.
   
   
2. Right-click the table and select Column Properties.
   
   
3. Click inside the cell you want to change and then edit the property. The new setting takes effect when you exit that cell.

For more information, see Column Properties.

To set properties of other database objects

1. In your database diagram, select the table or relationship line whose properties you want to edit. To edit an index or constraint, select the table that it’s attached to.
   
   
2. Right-click the object and select Properties from the shortcut menu.
   
   
3. Select the tab that shows the properties for the object you want to edit.
   • Choose the Tables tab to rename the table or edit check constraints.
     
     
   • Choose the Relationships tab to rename the relationship or change the columns that participate in the selected relationship.
     
     
   • Choose the Indexes/Keys tab to rename an index, create or edit an index or constraint, or set a fill factor.
4. Type or select a new setting. The setting takes effect when you exit the field.

Property settings are saved in the database when you save the diagram or selected tables. If you close a database diagram to discard unsaved changes when other database diagrams are still open, the modified database objects will remain in memory until you close all open diagrams. For example, suppose you change the properties of the authors table and close the table without saving it. If you then add the authors table to another open diagram, it will appear in the new diagram in its modified state. To discard all unsaved changes, you must close all open database diagrams without saving them.