Extended objects, sub-objects, and links are special metaclasses that
are designed to allow you to add completely new types of objects to your models, rather than
basing them on existing PowerDesigner objects. These objects do not appear, by default, in
models other than the free model unless you add them to an extension or other resource
file.
-
Extended objects – define new types of objects that can be
created anywhere.
-
Extended sub-objects – define new types of child objects that
can only be created in the property sheet of their parent via an
extended composition (see Extended Collections and Compositions (Profile)).
-
Extended links – define new types of links between
objects.
- Right-click the Profile category, select Add
Metaclasses, and click the PdCommon
sub-tab in the dialog to display the list of objects common to all models.
- Select one or more of ExtendedLink,
ExtendedSubObject, and ExtendedObject and
click OK to add them to your profile.
Note: To make the tools for creating extended objects and extended links
available in the Toolbox of models other than the free model, you must add
them via the customization dialog available at .
- [optional] To create your own object add a stereotype (see Stereotypes (Profile) and define appropriate extensions under the
stereotype. To have your object appear in the PowerDesigner interface as a
standard metaclass, with its own tool, Browser category and model list, select
Use as metaclass in the stereotype definition (see
Creating New Metaclasses with Stereotypes).
- Click Apply to save the changes.