How to open database diagram in Visual Studio 2017

Question

In Visual Studio 2017, I can not make relations between tables using database diagram.

How to open database diagram in Visual Studio 2017?

Answer 1

Database diagrams in xsd format can be opened in Visual Studio.

I Created and worked with Database Diagram xsd format using Visual Studio 2019 (can do same in VS 2017) in the following manner: -

1. Open Visual Studio and create a new C# console application (you can also use VB)
2. Go to “Solution Explorer” and right click on the Project and choose Add > New Item from sub-menu

3. from the pop up window, choose Visual C# project type as "Data" and select Dataset

4. Select main menu View > SQL Server Object Explorer to connect and view the desired SQL database objects.
5. Connect using credentials to view database objects like Views, tables etc.
6. To draw the database diagram, drag the required tables to the Dataset Pane

Answer 2

As per this similar question on MSDN, the database diagrams have been deprecated after Visual Studio 2012.

The answer there provides two workarounds:

1. You can use SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) to work with Database diagrams, here is a download link.

2. You can add a item (ADO.NET Entity Data Model) to project, it will create for you a .edmx file which contains a table with relation. More in here.