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In Visio 2010, after creating an Entity using the Entity Relationship (Metric) stencil, I can choose to show Conceptual names, Physical names or Both in the Database Document Options dialog.

If I choose Both, I can see two different names for each Entity shape, provided I've defined them differently in the Definition tab of the Database Properties window:

"Sync names when typing" is not checked; Physical name is "Home Ownership" and Conceptual name is "owned_homes"

As shown below, the Columns tab only provides an input field for the column's Physical Name, not for its Conceptual Name. This is regardless of what type(s) of name I choose to show in the Options dialog.

So, I figured columns don't get a conceptual name. But when I choose to show Both names on my diagram, the column name is repeated as though there are separate physical and conceptual names:

How can I assign one column separate physical and conceptual names? This must be possible because I've had it happen by accident, as shown in the following image:

When I first started typing a new column name in the "Physical Name" field, I misspelled "mobile," so I quickly went back and corrected the field. I do not have physical/conceptual name synchronization enabled in the logical modeling preferences (and I did not change any settings as this occurred). Now, the name in brackets (physical name) is stuck - I can't figure out how to change it!

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1 Answers1

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Here's the only method I've found that works - fair warning, it's disgusting.

First, disable the "Sync conceptual and physical names..." setting in the database modeling preferences dialog:

Next, create a new column in your shape by typing the name directly into the Database Properties window. This will end up being the conceptual name of your entity attribute:

At this point, if you've changed your mind or made a typo, you can still change the conceptual name as long as you don't remove focus from the Physical Name input field.

As soon as you click somewhere else—if you advance the cursor to the Data Type input field, if you click on the ribbon, if you Alt + Tab to another program—the names desync and the conceptual name no longer reflects changes to the Physical Name input field. Actually, you don't even need to click somewhere else; sometimes Visio will just decide you're done inputting the conceptual name after a brief moment, while you're typing. I have yet to find any way of changing the conceptual name at this point other than to delete the column entirely and try again.

What's more, this property seems to be determined for a particular column based on the modeling preferences options at the moment you create the column. If you go back and check or uncheck the "Sync conceptual and physical names..." option, it doesn't seem to affect any existing columns.

In summary:

  1. Uncheck the sync option in Modeling Preferences
  2. Type the conceptual name quickly and accurately into the Physical Name field when you create the column.
  3. Change the Physical Name field at any later point; e.g., after choosing data types
  4. If you ever need to change a conceptual name, delete that column and start over
Air
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