In SqlDBM, objects can be color-coded for grouping and easy identification. This can help identify objects that belong to the same logical grouping even though they are on opposite ends of a diagram. Color coding can also work with methodologies such as Data Vault.

Diagram objects can be filtered by color (and other attributes such as Flags and Tags—see related article titled "Object Flagging" for more info) to aid navigation and search.

Color indicators can be assigned in the "Format" tab of the properties editor for the following objects:

• Schemas

• Tables

• Notes

• Views

• Virtual relationships

Select any of these objects on the diagram or from the Explorer menu and navigate to the "Format" section of the properties editor.

Click on any of the available colors to assign it.

Bulk editing color indicator assignment is supported when selecting multiple objects. See the related article on Multi-select for more info.

When you pick a color for an object, you will also see that color appear next to its name in the Explorer panel.

Pick a color for your schemas to point out objects that the schema contains.

For instance, when you color a Schema with orange, all future tables in that schema become orange, too. If you want to force all existing objects in a schema to inherit the schema color, just click the "Override" button in the Schema properties.

By default tables and views are marked with the same color as their schema.

You can also select a color indicator for notes. In the "Note" properties, you can see the format tab with a color palette, just like for tables and schemas.

Colors of a Note are completely independent of Table or Schema colors, therefore can not be inherited.

Virtual relationships are foreign key relationships that do not explicitly declare the foreign key through DDL. The line pattern of virtual relationships uses long spaces instead of a solid line and short spaces for non-virtual.

To help differentiate virtual from non-virtual relationships, virtual relationships are also color-coded by default.

Relationship line styles:

Identifying: Solid line, no color

Non-identifying: Short-spaced short-dash, no color

Virtual identifying: Long-spaced, long-dash, green color

Virtual non-identifying: Long-spaced short-dash, orange color

If you pick another color and create a new virtual relationship using the top bar, that color will be remembered.
​

Once colors have been assigned, diagrams can be filtered to show only objects of a chosen color. To apply a filter, use the "Objects Filter" option in "Diagram Properties," available in the right-hand panel of any diagram (click on an empty spot on the canvas in case an object was previously selected).

Multiple color flags can be applied at once. Multiple selections use OR logic, so objects with any of those chosen colors will appear. Also, note that "No color" is available as a filter option.