Graphic: Displaying/Changing Objects

Displaying definitions of individual objects

If you double-click an object, the definition screen for the object is displayed. The screen is automatically positioned in the foreground. The graphic is not ready for input while you are on the definition screen. Select Back, Exit, or Cancel to return to the graphic.

If you double-click an object, the definition screen is always called in display mode.

You can display the definitions for the following objects by double-clicking:

• Data model (colored-in area)

• Entity type (white rectangle)

• Relationship (narrow black line)

• Specialization category (blue triangle)

Displaying/changing definitions/subobjects

The  Edit  Change  function is only available in maintain mode in the graphics program. Select an object and choose this function. Just as when you double-click on an object, the definition screen for the object is now displayed. However, this time the definition is called in maintain mode.

Selecting  Goto  Entity Type , Relationship, Specializ. Category, or Data Model also takes you into the definition screens for the objects. For entity types you can also call the attributes, Dictionary assignments, comment, example, and aliases. Select the object you require and choose a function. The corresponding screen is displayed automatically in the foreground. The graphic is not ready for input while you are on this screen. You can now make your changes. (If you are still in display mode, choose Display<->Change first). Once you have saved your changes, you can return to the graphic with Back, Exit, or Cancel. Changes relevant to the graphic, such as the entity type short text or data model color are updated when you return to the graphic.

Editing several object definitions in sequence

The graphics program allows mass editing of object definitions. This is done by selecting several objects of the same class (entity types, relationships, specialization categories, data models) and choosing the corresponding function under Goto (  Entity Type  Definition  or alternatively Relationship, Specialization Category, or Data Model). The definition screen for one of the selected objects appears. On this screen, choose  Goto  Next <Object> . In this way you can 'scroll through' the definitions of all selected objects and, if required, edit them in maintain mode. Once all selected objects have been processed, choosing  Goto  Next <Object>  returns you to the graphic.

Entity type: Displaying hypertext

If you select an entity type and then choose  Goto  Entity Type  Hypertext , the hypertext for this entity type is displayed. The hypertext contains the definition of the entity type and links to any other texts for this entity type (such as a comment). From the hypertext you can jump directly to the other texts.

Entity type: Data Browser (data display)

If you select an entity type followed by the menu options  Goto  Entity Type  Data Browser , you can display the data (entities) for the entity type that was taken from the assigned table or view. You branch to the Data Browser screen for the relevant table or view. You can enter the selection criteria there and display the selected data.