Chapter 4 Building Conceptual Data Models

Creating a data item

There are several ways to create a data item:

• From the list of data items
• From the Browser

At creation, a data item has a default name including a number. This number is assigned in the order of creation of objects.

For more information on the different ways to create a data item, see section Creating an object in chapter Managing objects in the General Features Guide .

To create a data item from the list of data items:

1. Select Model→Data Items to display the list of data items.
   
2. Click a blank line in the list.
   
   or
   
   Click the Add a Row tool.
   
   An arrow appears at the beginning of the line.
3. Type a data item name and a data item code.
4. (Optional) Click the Data Type column for the same row.
   
   
      Display the column you need
   If you do not see the column you need, display it with the Customize Columns and Filter tool. For details, see the General Features Guide .
   
   
   
   Click the down arrowhead and select a data type from the dropdown listbox.
   
   or
   
   Click the ellipsis button to display the list of standard data types and click the radio button corresponding to the data type you want to apply.
   
   Type the maximum number of characters for the data item in the Length box.
   
   If the data type can include values that take a decimal point, type the number of places after the decimal point in the Precision box.
   
   Click OK.
   
5. (Optional) Click the Domain column for the same row.
   
   Select a domain from the dropdown listbox.
6. Click OK.

For more information on selecting a data type for a domain see section Selecting a data type for a domain in a CDM.

For information on indicating data type length and precision, see section Indicating data type, length, and precision in a CDM.

For more information on attaching a data item to a domain, see section Attaching a data item to a domain.

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