Changing attribute properties

You can change attribute properties in the Properties view for entities or attributes in a logical data model.

Procedure

To change attribute properties:

  1. Select the attribute to be changed in the entity on the diagram to access the Properties view for the attribute or select the entity that includes the attribute to be changed and then select the attribute under the Attributes tab in the Properties view for the entity.
  2. Then complete one of the following options:
    • In the Properties view for the attribute, you can change the following properties:
    Option Description
    General tab You can edit the name or label.

    You can also specify whether the attribute is Persistent. When you specify that an attribute is persistent, the attribute is carried over to the physical data model when you transform from the logical data model to the physical data model. Non-persistent attributes are not transformed into columns in the target physical data model.

    Type tab You can edit the data type, length/precision, scale, default value, and select primary key, required, or surrogate key.

    XML Type Modifiers tab

    The fields in this tab are enabled only when the data type selected in the Type tab is an XML data type.

    You can specify the location of the XML schema and the name of its root element.

    You can also specify information about XML Indexes including a name, data type and XML Pattern.

    You can create an XML Index by specifying the name, data type, length and XML Pattern for the XML index.

    You can also use the XML Pattern Builder (accessed by clicking "..." in the XML Pattern column) to build and validate your own XML Patterns using sample XML Data.

    Volumetrics tab Specify the average field length.
    Documentation tab You can provide documentation.
    Annotation tab You can add or delete properties and edit their values.
    Advanced tab You can add or delete properties and edit their values.
    • In the Properties view for the entity, use the Attributes tab to change the following properties of the attributes:
      • Add or delete attributes
      • Move attributes up or down in the list
      • Rename attributes
      • Select primary or surrogate keys
      • Select data types
      • Edit length or precision
      • Specify scale
      • Specify default values

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