Chapter 5 Using the PowerDesigner Interface


How named paths are used

Named paths are used when you save a file and open it.

Saving a file

The named path is used when you save a file. Each path found in the file is compared to the list of named path. If the path or part of the path is declared in the list of named path, it is replaced by a variable corresponding to the name of the named path.

Example, you have declared the following named path in the list of named paths:

HOME = c:\Program Files\Sybase

The following path is saved in a file:

c:\Program Files\Sybase\PowerDesigner\tempo_samples

When you save this file, the variable %HOME% will replace c:\Program Files\Sybase\ in the first part of the path:

%HOME%\PowerDesigner\tempo_samples

Opening a file

When you open a file, each variable found in a file path is replaced by the path declared in the list of named paths.

For example:

%HOME%\PowerDesigner\tempo_samples

is replaced by the complete path:

c:\Program Files\Sybase\PowerDesigner\tempo_samples

If you open a file containing a variable not defined on the current machine, the Unresolved Named Path dialog box appears with the following options:

Selected option Description
Ignore the named path and keep the file name unresolved The variable in the file path is not evaluated and you keep the unresolved path name in the file you are trying to open. The link between files is broken and you may have update problems
Define a new named path ... You can add a user-defined named path. This named path has the name as the variable found in the file, you have to define its path and may add a comment
Browse another existing variable to replace with You can browse to select another existing variable from the Variable list. The selected variable will replace the undefined variable
Directly browse the target file You can type the path of another target file or browse for it from the Path box. The selected file will replace the file you were trying to open

 


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