Hi Scott,
Thanks for the insights. When asking about this in an email concerning Visio EA, I was in Outlook, and typed the sample using italics for the constraint portion - couldn't do that with the editor used here. Using italics looked more natural than a delimiting character set. I wouldn't know if a formating option, like italics, would be workable in this instance. Considering the constraints that would be most helpful, covering the IU set would take care the most common chores. Having these would eliminate the need to switch from keyboard to mouse; and removing that physical interuption would remove an interuption to the thought process of entering FactTypes.
Going beyond the set of constraint declarations that would make life easier, would be important only to create two complete representations of the model, diagramatic and textual. I haven't thought through the implications for that (or how it might be implemented), but I get a sense that they would open up new utilization of the models, as well as giving the modeler the choice as to how best to enter and assess FactTypes. [It may have import as a method to establish a dynamic linkage between conceptual ORM models and physical implementations - something I think would be huge].
Just as draging and dropping all the drawing elements (ovals, rectangles, line segments, etc...), on to a work space to enter each fact would be a pain, so would having to enter every constraint and property using text. Also, a text only representation of a large model would be very hard for a human to comprehend - this human, anyway. Unless a person were limited by a disablity, I doubt if they would choose to do all model creation using either form excusively. In order to switch and choose (ad hock), would require the two representations be kept in sync.
As far as using Intellisense, I recall Matt C. mentioning that it's not a trivial task to implement. Not knowing what it takes to make it work, I thought it might make sense (no pun intended), in several aspects of the tool UI. Also, I'm guessing there are propriatory rights issues (the more so if NORMA became independant of VS).
BRN..