Custom Complex Types
In the Designer, you can define your own complex data types as described on Modeling Data Structures.
Element | Description | Details | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Package | A package is like a directory for the file system. It is used to group executable data model elements. Packages can have any depth of nesting: To structure your work, you can create packages within packages. Also, packages define a sort of namespace to the contained elements. The name of the package is part of the element path, e.g. Package1.Class is different from Package2.Class. | ||||
Class | A class is an aggregation of properties and operations that describes a complex data type from which objects can be created. Classes can have relationships with each other. | ||||
Property | Properties are data fields that describe the structure of the class. | ||||
Operation | An operation adds behavior to a class or interface. The behavior describes how to process the data given by the parameters. In the context of the Designer, you can implement operations as mapping diagram, activity, Action Script or JavaScript . | ||||
Parameter | Operations can have parameters that define the input and output objects. Operation parameters can be of simple type (Available Base Types) or of complex type (class or interface). | ||||
Interface | In contrast to a class, an interface has no properties nor implementations. Interfaces are used to define common operations for multiple classes. In the deriving class, you must implement all interface operations. | ||||
| Interface | Interfaces can have sub-interfaces and sub-classes. | |||
Class | |||||
Operation | Operations and parameters for interfaces are the same as for classes. The difference is that they have no implementation but only define the signature for the dependent classes to derive from. | ||||
| Parameter |
Related Content
Related Pages:
- Class Properties
How class properties can be customized.
- Classes
How classes can be customized.
- Interfaces
How to define and use interfaces in the Designer.
- Polymorphism
How polymorphism can be implemented using the Designer.
- Relationships
Classes can have relationships: associations, generalizations, and realizations.