Attribute Properties

You can modify an object's properties from its property sheet. To open an attribute property sheet, double-click its Browser entry in the Attributes folder within an entity, association, or inheritance.

The General tab contains the following properties:

Property

Description

Name

Specifies the name of the item, which should be clear and meaningful, and should convey the item's purpose to non-technical users.

Code

Specifies the technical name of the object, which is used for generating code or scripts, which may be abbreviated, and should not generally include spaces.

Comment

Specifies a descriptive label for the attribute.

Stereotype

Sub-classification used to extend the semantics of an object without changing its structure; it can be predefined or user-defined.

Entity/ Association/ Inheritance

[read-only] Specifies the parent object. Click the tool to the right of the field to open its property sheet.

Data Item

[CDM only, read-only] Specifies the related data item. Click the tool to the right of the field to open its property sheet.

Inherited from

[LDM only, read-only] Specifies the parent entity from which the attribute is migrated through an inheritance.

Data type

Specifies the data type of the attribute, such as numeric, alphanumeric, boolean, or others. Click the question mark button to open the list of data types (see Domains (CDM/LDM/PDM)).

Length

Specifies the maximum length of the data type.

Precision

Specifies the maximum number of places after the decimal point.

Domain

Specifies the name of the associated domain (see Domains (CDM/LDM/PDM)). If you attach an attribute to a domain, the domain supplies a data type to the attribute, and can also apply length, decimal precision, and check parameters.

Primary Identifier

[entity attributes only] Indicates whether or not the attribute is the primary identifier of the entity.

Displayed

[entity and association attributes only] Displays the attribute in the object symbol.

Mandatory

Specifies that every object occurrence must assign a value to the attribute. Identifiers (see Identifiers (CDM/LDM)) are always mandatory.

Foreign identifier

[LDM only, read-only] Indicates whether or not the attribute is the foreign identifier of the entity.

The following tabs are also available:


  • Standard Checks - contains checks which control the values permitted for the attribute (see Check Parameters (CDM/LDM/PDM)).

  • Additional Checks - allows you to specify additional constraints (not defined by standard check parameters) for the attribute.

  • Rules - lists the business rules associated with the attribute (see Business Rules (CDM/LDM/PDM)).