Creating an object by script

Chapter 7 Scripting PowerDesigner

Creating an object by script

It is recommended to create an object directly from the collection to which it belongs in order to directly obtain a valid state for the object. When you do so, you only create the object but not its graphical symbol.

You can also use the following method: CreateObject(ByVal Kind As Long, ByVal ParentCol As String = "", ByVal Pos As Long = -1, ByVal Init As Boolean = -1) As BaseObject

Creating an object in a model

If not ExistingModel is Nothing Then
' Call the CreateNew() method on the collection that owns the object
   Dim MyClass
   Set MyClass = ExistingModel.Classes.CreateNew()
   If MyClass is nothing Then
      msgbox "Fail to create a class", vbOkOnly, "Error"    ' Display an error message box
   Else
      output "The class objects has been successfully created"    ' Display a message in the application output window
     ' Initialize its name and code using a specific method
      ' that ensures naming conventions (Uppercase or lowercase constraints,
      ' invalid characters...) are respected and that the name and code 
      ' are unique inside the model
      MyClass.SetNameAndCode "Customer", "cust"
      ' Initialize other properties directly
      MyClass.Comment = "Created by script"
      MyClass.Stereotype = "MyStereotype"
      MyClass.Final = true
      ' Create an attribute inside the class
      Dim MyAttr
      Set MyAttr = MyClass.Attributes.CreateNew()
      If not MyAttr is nothing Then
         output "The class attribute has been successfully created"
         MyAttr.SetNameAndCode "Name", "custName"
         MyAttr.DataType = "String"
         Set MyAttr = Nothing
      End If
      ' Reset the variable in order to avoid memory leaks
      Set MyClass = Nothing
   End If
End If

Creating an object in a package

If not ExistingModel is Nothing Then
   ' Create a package first
   Dim MyPckg
   Set MyPckg = ExistingModel.Packages.CreateNew()
   If not MyPckg is Nothing then
      output "The package has been successfully created"
      MyPckg.SetNameAndCode "All interfaces", "intf"
      ' Create an interface object inside the package
      Dim MyIntf
      Set MyIntf = MyPckg.Interfaces.CreateNew()
      If not MyIntf is Nothing then
         output "The interface object has been successfully created inside the package"
         MyIntf.SetNameAndCode "Customer Interface", "custIntf"
         Set MyIntf = Nothing
      End If
      Set MyPckg = Nothing
   End If
End If