Object mapping allows you to establish connections between objects belonging to heterogeneous models and diagrams. You create mappings between objects to model O/R (Object-Relational) mappings, which associate classes with tables to store OOM objects into a relational database, or simply to express a correspondence between objects in different models.
The following table lists the supported types of model-to-model mapping in PowerDesigner:
Source Model |
CDM Target |
LDM Target |
PDM Target |
OOM Target |
XSM Target |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CDM |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
LDM |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
PDM |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
OOM |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
XSM |
X |
in the Mapping Editor - which gives you a global view of all the mappings to objects in the current (target) model (see Creating Mappings from the Mapping Editor)
on the Mapping tab of the property sheet of the target object (see Creating Mappings from an Object's Property Sheet)
Each mapping is recorded in a query, a textual expression or an XPATH expression defined in the target object, which permits the selection of data from the data source and its transfer to the target model. You can view and refine these mappings in the Mapping Editor.
The following tables list the objects that can be mapped for each kind of model.
CDM objects can be mapped to other model objects as follows:
CDM Source Objects | CDM Target Objects | LDM Target Objects | PDM Target Objects | OOM Target Objects |
---|---|---|---|---|
Entity | Entity, Association, Relationship | Entity, Relationship | Table | Class, Association |
Entity attribute | Entity attribute, Association attribute | Entity attribute | Column | Class attribute |
Relationship | Entity, Association, Relationship | Entity, Relationship | Table, Reference | Class, Association |
Inheritance | Inheritance | Inheritance | - | - |
Inheritance attribute | Inheritance attribute | Inheritance attribute | - | - |
Association | Entity, Association | Entity, Relationship | Table, Reference | Class, Association |
Association Attribute | Association attribute, Entity attribute | Entity attribute | Column | Attribute |
Data item | Data item | - | - | - |
Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain |
LDM objects can be mapped to other model objects as follows:
LDM Source Objects | CDM Target Objects | LDM Target Objects | PDM Target Objects | OOM Target Objects |
---|---|---|---|---|
Entity | Entity, Relationship, Association | Entity, Relationship | Table | Class, Association |
Entity attribute | Entity attribute | Entity attribute | Column | Attribute |
Relationship | Entity, Relationship | Entity, Relationship | Table, Reference | Class, Association |
Inheritance | Inheritance | Inheritance | Reference | Generalization |
Inheritance attribute | Inheritance attribute | Inheritance attribute | - | - |
Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain |
PDM objects can be mapped to other model objects as follows:
PDM Source Objects | CDM Target Objects | LDM Target Objects | PDM Target Objects | OOM Target Objects | XSM Target Objects |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Table | Entity, Relationship | Entity, Relationship | Table, Fact,Dimension | Class, Association | Element, Complex type |
Table column | Entity attribute | Entity attribute | Table column, Measure, Dimension attribute | Attribute | Element, Complex type |
View | - | - | Fact,Dimension | Class | - |
View column | - | - | View column, Table column, Measure, Dimension attribute | Attribute | - |
Reference | Relationship | Relationship | Reference | Class, Association | - |
Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain | - |
OOM objects can be mapped to other model objects as follows:
OOM Source Objects | CDM Target Objects | LDM Target Objects | OOM Target Objects | XSM Target Objects |
---|---|---|---|---|
Class | Entity, Association, Relationship | Entity, Relationship, Inheritance | Class | Element, complex type |
Attribute | Entity attribute, Association attribute | Entity attribute, Inheritance attribute | Attribute | Element, Complex type |
Generalization | - | Inheritance | Generalization | - |
Association | Association | Entity, Relationship | - | - |
Domain | Domain | Domain | Domain | - |
XSM elements and complex types and their attributes can only serve as source objects for mapping to other XSM elements, complex types and attributes, but they can serve as the targets for mapings from OOM or PDM source objects.