Creating attribute types

You can create attribute definitions using the base types that are supplied with Rational® DOORS®, or you can create custom attribute types for your attribute definitions.

Before you begin

You must have create and modify access to the module to create an attribute type, and the module must be open in exclusive edit mode.

About this task

Rational DOORS has the following base types.
Table 1. Base types
Base type Description
Text Can include paragraphs (newline characters).

There is no restriction on the number of characters that can be entered.

String Cannot include paragraphs (newline characters).

There is an upper limit of 968 on the number of characters that can be entered, which includes hidden characters. For example, rich text contains hidden characters and these are included as part of the 968 characters. Unicode and upper ASCII characters take up more internal storage space than plain ASCII characters.

If you try to enter a value that contains more than 968 characters, an error is reported, and the value is truncated. If you need to enter many characters, use a Text attribute.

Integer Stores whole numbers. Numbers can be positive or negative.
Real Stores decimal numbers. Numbers can be positive or negative.
Date Stores dates.
Enumeration A list of values. You need to define the list of values for an enumerated attribute.

For example, you might define an attribute type called Priority with the base type Enumeration and the values High, Medium, and Low.

Username A Rational DOORS username. This attribute type is linked to the current users in the Rational DOORS database. Rational DOORS attributes that use this type may be updated when users are removed from the Rational DOORS database.

You can construct your own types from these base types.

For example, you create a type called Percentage that has a base type of Integer and that can have values in the range 0-100. You then create various attributes of type Percentage. You know that users can only assign integer values 0 - 100 to those attributes. Rational DOORS rejects any other values as invalid.

You can use types as a way of letting users know what units of measurement are being used for an attribute. For example, you create a type called Kg that has a base type of Integer, and then create an attribute called Weight of type Kg. If a user is looking at the values in the Weight attribute, and is not sure what units the weight is measured in, they can check the attribute type and see that the units are Kg.

Procedure

  1. Click Edit > Types.
  2. Click New, or select the type you want to copy, and then click Copy.
  3. Type the name of the new attribute type in the Type name field, and select the options that you want. For more information about the options, click Help.
  4. Click OK to create the attribute type.

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