Entity Type: Variants
This section contains information on the following:
● General
● Create variants
● Displaying/maintaining variants
● Deleting variants
General
A variant refers to the definition of an entity type, that is, you can assign several definitions to an entity type using variants.
It is possible, therefore, for an entity type to have a number of different definitions in the modeling process, particularly if the entity type is being used by more than one developer.
The first definition of an entity type, and therefore its first variant has the identification number 00. The ID numbers of additional variants are incremented by 1 each time.
Once the modeling process is complete, delete all variants. Only variant 00, that is, the definition of the entity type, is transported.
If you want to display or change an entity type for which variants have been created, enter the name of the entity type and activate either Display or Change to display all the variants together with their corresponding ID numbers in a dialog box. Select the required variant in this dialog box.
Creating a variant for an entity type
1. After you have saved the entity type, select Edit ® Variants ® New variant to display the screen Create Entity Type: Definition again. The heading for the definition text is now Definition Variant 01. The previously saved definition text is no longer visible.
2. Enter the variant of the definition. To access the text editor, choose the Editor pushbutton or double-click on the text lines. You can enter more detailed definitions here. To exit the text editor, choose Back.
3. Save the variant by choosing Edit ® Variants ® Save variant.
Displaying or changing a variant for an entity type
4. On the definition screen for the entity type, choose Edit ® Variants ® Get variant....
5. The dialog box Entity Type Variants appears. This dialog box contains a list of all the variants of this entity type. Position the cursor on the variant you require and choose Choose.
6. The selected variant is displayed. If you are in maintain mode, you will be able to make changes (otherwise choose the Display<->Change pushbutton).
7. To save your changes, choose Edit ® Variants ® Save variant .
Deleting a variant for an entity type
8. Access the variant you want to delete as described above under Display Variants or Maintain Variants.
9. Choose Edit ® Variants ® Delete variant.
10. Confirm the subsequent dialog box.
Other subjects:
Entity Type: Specialization/Specialization Type
Entity Type: Dictionary Assignment
Entity Type: Change Entity Type
Entity Type: Use in Data Models (Inverse Hierarchy)
Inverse Hierarchy: Changing the Display