Objects

Modeling objects, such as tables and entities, are the building blocks of your models. All the objects in a model are listed as items in the Browser and they may also appear as symbols in your diagrams.

Each type of model diagram (see Diagrams) supports certain specific types of objects, and each object created in a diagram is represented by a symbol (see Symbols). A single object can have multiple symbols associated with it to allow it to appear in multiple diagrams or multiple times in the same diagram (see Creating Graphical Synonyms for Object Symbols).

• Creating Objects from the Toolbox
  The toolbox is a toolbar that lets you quickly create objects in diagrams. To create an object, click the appropriate tool and then click in the diagram. When you release the mouse button, the object is created, and you can click again elsewhere to create a second object and so on.
• Creating Objects from the Browser
  You can create any object, including objects that do not have symbols, from the Browser. If the Browser is not visible, select View > Browser (or press Alt+0) to display it.
• Creating Objects from an Object List
  You can create most types of objects in object lists, available under the Model menu. Some property sheet tabs, such as a table's Columns tab or a class's Attributes or Operations tabs also contain object lists. Lists provide a method to quickly create multiple objects and change their properties simultaneously.
• Object Properties
  All model objects created in PowerDesigner have property sheets, which organize object properties on tabs.
• Object Lists
  PowerDesigner object lists provide a spreadsheet-like interface for manipulating large quantities of objects. They offer you an overview of the objects in your model and can save you time and effort in managing your metadata. While property sheets provide depth of detail for individual objects, lists allow you to select and manipulate multiple objects simultaneously to streamline creation and improve consistency.
• Moving, Copying, and Deleting Objects
  Objects in the PowerDesigner working environment are easy to manipulate and to reuse from one model or package to another.
• Finding Objects
  PowerDesigner lets you search for objects within all the models currently open in your workspace.
• Business Rules
  A business rule is a rule that your business follows. It is a written statement specifying what an information system must do or how it must be structured. It could be a government-imposed law, a customer requirement, or an internal guideline.
• File Objects
  A file object is a representation in a PowerDesigner model of an external application file (for example, a Java file, script SQL, or MS Word file). The file itself can be kept external to the model or embedded within and saved with it.
• Checking Models
  You can check the validity of your model at any time. We recommend that you check your model before generating code or another model from it. The Check model option is enabled by default in the Generate dialog box and, if an error is found, the generation is stopped.
• The Free Model (FEM)
  A free model (FEM) provides a context-free environment for modeling any kind of objects or systems. It is generally associated with a set of extensions, which allow you to define your own concepts and graphical symbols.
• Naming Conventions
  You can use naming conventions to specify a case, maximum length, and valid characters for object names and codes, and enforce compliance with an enterprise glossary. You can also invoke conversion scripts and conversion lists to generate appropriate object codes from names (or names from codes).
• Spell Checking
  You can spell check your PowerDesigner models if you have MS Word 2000 or higher installed on your machine, and if your system code page is consistent with the model language. For example, for the spell checker to work properly on a Chinese model, your system code page should be Chinese.
• Extending Objects
  PowerDesigner includes powerful tools to extend and customize your modeling objects. Many extensions are defined in the resource files that are provided with PowerDesigner to support a particular language or DBMS, and you can add your own to add new attributes and attribute lists to objects, create entirely new objects, and customize object generation.
• Applying Transformations to Objects
  Transformations are used to perform generic modifications to your model objects. You can apply transformations to your model as a sort of design pattern. You can design a pattern using the transformation feature and play it in your model in order to modify objects. For example, in an OOM, you could use a transformation to convert all analysis classes with the <<control>> stereotype into components in order to add an implementation layer to your model.
• Importing Objects from Excel Files
  The Excel Import extension allows you to launch a wizard that guides you through mapping tables of objects to be modeled from Excel files (v2003 and higher) to PowerDesigner objects and properties, and to import the contents of the files to your model. For example, you could create a list of database tables in an Excel file, specifying any appropriate properties, and then import them into a PDM.
• Importing Objects from XML Files
  PowerDesigner allows you to import objects from an XML file by defining mappings between the elements in the XML schema and objects in the PowerDesigner metamodel (and any extensions). The import mappings are defined in an extension file, can be shared with all users through the repository library, and are accessed by selecting File > Import > Import Name.
• Exporting Objects to Troux Semantics
  The Troux Upload extension files provide a framework for mapping PowerDesigner metadata to Troux Semantics domains. An extension file with the export mechanism is provided for each type of PowerDesigner model along with instructions for how you can define mappings to export your model objects in the Troux Upload XML format. Example mappings are provided to map certain EAM objects to the Troux Application and Software domains