Microsoft Visio's Open Source Alternatives(2/3)

In my last blog entry I shared one open source software ArgoUML which targeted to all UML diagrams .In today's we will see two another open source softwares which mostly I use in my profession to create diagrams, first one targets to ERD or db diagrams with name DB Designer who can does more then visio as ERD or DB is concern and second one targets to all type of diagrams with the name DIA, calls roughly inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio'

DB Designer

Db Designer is a visual database design system that integrates database design, modeling, creation and maintenance into a single, seamless environment.It combines professional features and a clear and simple user interface to offer the most efficient way to handle your databases.I simply call it "Too rich in all database related modeling".

DBDesigner also comparable with products like Oracle's Designer©, IBM's Rational Rose©, Computer Associates's ERwin© and theKompany's DataArchitec

Some of the listed features are

• Available on Linux / MS Windows
  
• User Interfaced based on industry standard layouting software(Canvas navigation similar to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop,Palettes (docked / floating) including "Bird Eyes view",Available objects include tables, realtions, labels, regions, images,Extensive Drag'n'drop support,Extensive Popup-Menu support,Advanced Editors,UNLIMITED Undo-/Redo- functions,Copy-/Cut-/Paste clipboard functions (XML, DDL),Align functions etc).
  
• Design Mode / Query Mode
  
• Reverse engineering MySQL, Oracle, MSSQL and any ODBC databases
  
• Userdefined schema-generation
  
• Model-To-Database syncronisation
  
• Index support
  
• Automatic foreign key placement
  
• Weak entity support
  
• Standard Inserts storing and sync
  
• Full documentation capabilities
  
• Advanced model printing
  
• Output as image
  
• All MySQL datatypes with all options
  
• User defined datatypes
  
• Database storage, ability to save model within database
  
• Network-/Multiuser access through database storage
  
• Version control
  
• SQL Query Builder
  
• SQL Command History
  
• SQL Command storage within model
  
• Plugin interface

DIA

Dia is roughly inspired by the commercial Windows program 'Visio', though more geared towards informal diagrams for casual use. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.

I like its one really cool feature which calls creates new shapes .It is perfect free alternative of Visio which available for widows and linux but one con ,not for me, it is not a very much user friendly like Microsoft Visio.

To see DIA complete documentation click here

Conclusion:
ArgoUML ,DBDesigner and DIA are providing the perfect open source free alternative for Microsoft Visio.I am professionally using these softwares for designing artifacts ,modeling softwares diagrams and other flow diagrams, Some other alternatives are also available which I haven't experienced other softwares and complete list of Microsoft Visio alternative available at below link

http://alternativeto.net/desktop/microsoft-visio/?platform=windows