Test Data Profile Properties

To view or edit a test data profile's properties, double-click its Browser or list entry. The property sheet tabs and fields listed here are those available by default, before any customization of the interface by you or an administrator.

The General tab contains the following properties:

Property

Description

Name/Code/Comment

Identify the object. The name should clearly convey the object's purpose to non-technical users, while the code, which is used for generating code or scripts, may be abbreviated, and should not normally include spaces. You can optionally add a comment to provide more detailed information about the object. By default the code is generated from the name by applying the naming conventions specified in the model options. To decouple name-code synchronization, click to release the = button to the right of the Code field.

Stereotype

Extends the semantics of the object. You can enter a stereotype directly in this field, or add stereotypes to the list by specifying them in an extension file.

Class

Specifies the kind of data to be generated from the profile. You can choose between:
  • Number - to populate numerical columns
  • Character - to populate text columns
  • Date & Time - to populate date columns

Generation source

Specifies from where PowerDesigner will draw the data to populate the columns associated with the profile. You can choose between:
  • Automatic - PowerDesigner generates the data based on the parameters you set on the Detail tab.
  • List - PowerDesigner draws the data from the list you define on the Details tab.
  • Database - PowerDesigner draws the data using a query from a live database connection that you specify on the Details tab.
  • File - PowerDesigner draws the data from the CSV file that you specify on the Details tab.

Keywords

Provide a way of loosely grouping objects through tagging. To enter multiple keywords, separate them with commas.

Detail Tab (Automatic Number Data)

If you have selected to automatically generate number data on the General tab, you must define the following properties on the Detail tab:

Property

Description

Type

Specifies whether the data is to be generated randomly or sequentially.

Range

Specifies the range of numbers to generate from and, if a sequential type is specified, the step value to use when traversing the range.

Decimal numbers

Specifies that the numbers to be generated are decimal, and the number of digits after the decimal point to generate.

Detail Tab (Automatic Character Data)

If you have selected to automatically generate character data on the General tab, you must define the following properties on the Detail tab:

Property

Description

Valid characters

Specifies the characters that can be generated (by default, all alphanumeric characters and spaces), separated by commas. You can specify:
  • Single characters or strings of characters - surrounded by double quotes. For example, "a", "bcd", "e".
  • Character intervals - in which the boundary characters are surrounded by single quotes and separated by a dash. For example, 'a'-'z', 'A'-'Z'

To allow any character, select the All checkbox.

Invalid characters

Specifies the characters that cannot be generated, using the same syntax as for the valid characters. To disallow accented characters, select the No accents checkbox.

Mask

Specifies the mask characters used to tell users what kind of character they must enter in a given context. By default the test data profile uses the following mask characters:
  • A - Letter
  • 9 - Number
  • ? - Any character

Case

Specifies the case in which to generate the data. If you select Lower or Mixed case, select the First Uppercase checkbox to require that each word begin with a capital letter.

Length

Specifies the length of character strings to generate. You can specify either an exact required length or a range.

Detail Tab (Automatic Date & Time Data)

If you have selected to automatically generate date and time data on the General tab, you must define the following properties on the Detail tab:

Property

Description

Date range

Specifies the upper and lower limits of the date range within which data can be generated.

Time range

Specifies the upper and lower limits of the time range within which data can be generated.

Step

Specifies step values for use when traversing the date and time ranges, if sequential values are generated.

Values

Specifies whether the values are to be generated randomly or sequentially.

Note: The format in which date and time data is generated can be controlled by DBMS items in the Script/Sql/Format category (see Customizing and Extending PowerDesigner > DBMS Definition Files > Script/Sql Category.

Detail Tab (List Data)

If you have selected to provide list data on the General tab, enter as many value-label pairs as necessary on the Detail tab.

Detail Tab (Database Data)

If you have selected to provide data from a database on the General tab, you must define the following properties on the Detail tab:

Property

Description

Data Source

Specifies the data source from which to draw data for the profile. Click the Select a Data Source tool to the right of this field to open a separate dialog on which you can specify your connection parameters.

Login and Password

Specifies the login and password to use when connecting to the data source.

Table, Column, and Query

Specifies the table and column from which the data will be drawn. By default, a query selecting distinct values from the column is used.

Detail Tab (File Data)

If you have selected to provide data from a file on the General tab, you must define the following properties on the Detail tab:

Property

Description

File

Specifies the file from which to draw data for the profile.

Type

Specifies whether the values are to be drawn randomly or sequentially.