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3.2 Many Files, One Diagram

Big schemas are easier to manage split into files, one per area or team. Point any command at a folder and every *.txt under it, recursively, becomes one diagram:

schema/
├── sales.txt        # Order, OrderLine, Invoice …
├── customers.txt    # Customer, Address …
└── products/
    └── catalog.txt

qdbd check schema/
qdbd serve schema/
qdbd build schema/ -o schema.html

You can also list files: qdbd build sales.txt customers.txt -o sales.html.

How the files combine

  • One namespace: foreign keys can point at tables in other files. Defining the same table in two files is an error that names both locations.
  • Settings stay per file: CaseSensitive and DefaultFieldType apply to the file that sets them, so each file still pastes into QuickDBD on its own.
  • One layout file: positions for the whole folder go to schema/qdbd.layout.json (3.3 Table Positions).

Files become groups

Each file is a group. In the page:

  • the explorer lists tables under their file;
  • Regions shades a labelled area per file (4.1);
  • the selector group:sales or file:sales.txt filters to one file (4.2).

To arrange the diagram so each file's tables sit together, add --by-group:

qdbd build schema/ --by-group -o schema.html

Regions