Data Modeler

The Data Modeler is a powerful graphical Web Dynpro design time tool which is integrated into the Web Dynpro Perspective of the SAP NetWeaver Developer Studio. The tool is assigned to the Web Dynpro component for which you can define the main application units such as views and controllers, for example, with graphical support.

You start the Data Modeler tool on a Web Dynpro component by double-clicking the component name in the Web Dynpro Explorer. In the right-hand screen area, the modeler tool is opened with white background. Inititally, the units Window, View, Component Controller, and Component Interface are created and displayed as first optional units to use. In the next steps, you would click once on one of the palette entries to go on with further definitions.

View
- Allows defining new views, the layout entities of the Web Dynpro application.
Window
- Creates a new window additional to the one defined by default during component definition.
Custom Controller
- Defines a new Custom Controller which is one of the central active parts of the application - beneath the component controller itself.
Model
- Creating a new Web Dynpro Model for backend access such as SAP backend, Web Service, or JavaBean, for example.
Model Usage
- Embeds a Web Dynpro Model which was already defined via Web Dynpro Explorer view.
Component Usage
- Provides support for embedding an existing Web Dynpro Component.
Data Link
- Used for context mapping (data flow definition between view controllers, custom controllers, component controller) or model binding (data flow between controller and Web Dynpro model).
Data Sources
- Creates/imports a new Web Dynpro model into a project. You can choose a data source from the list of Data Sources available within the Palette such as RFC, Web Service, or Java Bean.

After selecting an option from the palette, simply click once into the editor area of the graphical Data Modeler tool. The wizard appears, and you can start with your definitions.

Note

We recommend that you generally make your definitions from the graphical tools.

The table below provides some detail information for the different wizards.

Unit type	Creation procedure	Result
View	Create a Web Dynpro view with any name. As view package, the component package is used.	The view is created and visually displayed within Data Modeler tool and Web Dynpro Explorer.
	In the Properties view, you additionally can add some quickinfo as well as some technical documentation, if needed.	Quickinfo is displayed with mouse pointer on view.
	From the context menu on the view, you can trigger some more actions for the view such as renaming, applying templates, for example.
Window	Create one or more interface views for the Web Dynpro window, if needed.
Custom Controller	Component package is used for custom controller definition. You can add quick info and technical documentation for the custom controller.
Data Sources	All Web Dynpro model types are available for definition from the graphical tool. When you embed the model, you refer a model usage.
Component (Embedding)	You can embed one or more Web Dynpro components, each would have to be embedded separately.	The component usage with its optionally assigned interface controller is displayed with an incoming and an outgoing port for dataflow purposes. To edit the interface controller separately, you can select it via mouse click and start the context menu on it. For example, you can start the Controller/Context Editor to go on with mapping definitions.
Data Link	A Data Link definition is possible for the following unit pairs: View and controllers View (controller) and component controller (data binding) View (controller) and custom controller (data binding) View (controller) and interface controller (data binding) Component controller and custom controller (mapping) Between controllers Component controller and interface controller (mapping) Custom controller and interface controller (mapping) Model and controllers Component controller and model (model binding) Custom controller and model (model binding) Window and controllers Window and component controller Window and interface controller Window and custom controller	Mapping wizard is started, and you can do the needed mapping or binding steps.

To edit a unit, double-click on it in the graphical tool (it is not explicitly marked as selected when you click once on it) to open the corresponding editor or tool.

Automatic layouting

When using the editor, you don't have to manually arrange the units since automatic layouting is supported. Choose context menu entry Layout in the editor area to arrange the entity types in the editor screen. Additionally, you can zoom in and zoom out the editor display size, select the corresponding context menu entry.