Data Properties

To view or edit a data'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.

Type

Specifies the type of the data. The following types are available:
  • Undefined – [default].

  • Elementary data – atomic pieces of data, which are comparable to entity attributes, table columns, or class attributes such as a date, name, or ID.

  • Structured data – more complex data that can be decomposed into sub-data, which are comparable to entities, tables, or classes, such as user, customer, or product.

Definition

Specifies the external PowerDesigner model object that models the data in more detail. Use the tools to the right of the list to browse the complete tree of available objects or view the properties of the selected object.

For more information, see Linking Data to an External Model Object.

Keywords

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

Sub-Data Tab

The Sub-Data tab is available only for data objects with the structured data type, and lists the data objects into which the structured data object is decomposed. You can add or create sub-data using the Add Objects and Create an Object tools.

Note: You can click the Dependencies tab of a sub-data property sheet to display the data of which it is a part.