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Changing the Attributes of Data Model Elements

All elements of a data model have attributes that describe their behavior in the service. In the Attributes panel, you can see and change the attributes of a selected data model element. If using the panel preset, the attributes panel is displayed in the lower left corner. To return to the panel preset, go to the user preferences and use button Reset Panels.

Refer to Customizing Editors and Panels for detailed information about panel management in general.

Click an element in the Implementation folder to display its attributes in the Attributes panel:

All elements have the following standard attributes:

  • Name

  • Description

  • Stereotype

Some elements have specific attributes:

  • General

  • Interfaces

  • Include in Library Export

  • Type

  • Array

  • Default Value

  • Is static

Standard Attributes

In the attributes panel, all attributes of the selected element are displayed. Some standard attributes are present for all elements.

Attribute Name

Description

Possible Values / Example

Availability

Name

Click here to insert and change the Name of the related element. Generated elements (like e.g. the Message folder and its elements) cannot be changed.

Element names must follow certain naming rules. They

  • must not contain blanks

  • must not start with a number

  • must not contain special characters

EmployeeSuperior

All data model elements.

Description

If you want to insert or change a description for the respective data model element, click here to open a text editor where you can enter and format your text:

attribute_description_text_editor.png

All data model elements.

Stereotype

Via button Add Stereotype, you can add a stereotype to a data model element.

By adding a stereotype, you can extend the attributes of a data model element with additional properties.

XML Serialization

All data model elements.

Specific Attributes

In the attributes panel, all attributes of the selected element are displayed. Some attributes are only available for specific elements (see column Availability below).

Attribute Name

Description

Possible Values / Example

Availability

General

Select the class the current class derives from. All properties and operations of the general class will also be available on the current class.

Order

Classes

Interfaces

You can add an interface to the respective class by clicking option Open selection dialog and selecting an interface from the list of available interfaces.

SupportManager

Classes

Include in Library Export

You can mark classes and interfaces as to be part of a library export. Read more about defining and using libraries on Developing and Using Libraries.

true

The selected element is part of the library.

  • Classes

  • Interfaces

false

The selected element is not part of the library.

Type

Properties always have a type. These can be basic types or user defined types. Users can define their own types in the Implementation folder or in a library.

For properties, you can change the type by clicking option Select in service panel and selecting a class or an interface from the list of available types.

Base Types.String

Properties

Array

Use the attribute Array to enable multiplicity.

It is not possible to set default values for arrays. Therefore, the option to set a Default Value for the respective property (see below) disappears when the option Array is enabled.

true

The variable has a multiplicity of 0..*.

  • Properties

false

The variable has a multiplicity of 0..1 (default).

Default Value

Specify a default value for the respective property here by clicking Plus on the right.

Click Minus to remove a set default value.

a valid default value depending on the type of the property

  • Properties

Is static

Specify if the operation is static (default) or not.

  • Wanting to call a non-static operation, you need to create a local instance of the related class, and call the operation on that object. This is called self Context.

  • Static operations can be called without creating an instance of the related class. They get all necessary data via their input parameters.

For more information, also refer to Adding Operation Calls.

true

The operation is static (default) and can be used outside the context of the related class.

  • Operations

false

The operation is non-static and needs a self object as an input.

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