Test Data Profile Properties

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

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.