Defining Model Nodes

In this step of the roadmap, you create nodes and assign node names and node attributes.

In this step, the nodes are displayed as a list, without any hierarchical structure. You define the structure in a later step.

Procedure

Creating Nodes

Choose the data provider that is to serve as the data source for the node from the Metadata Provider Type list. This selection also defines the extraction technology.

Note
Once you have created the first node, you cannot change the data provider.

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To create a node, choose Create Node.
Enter the name and description of the node.
Enter the data source for this node.

Note
You can use the possible entries help for some data providers, however, this is not possible for the DDIC type.

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The system can automatically generate technical models with fixed values or a simple value table for DDIC domains. To do this, choose the Generate Techn. Model link.
Define which of the nodes is to be the root node by selecting the radio button in the Root column.
By default, the first node in the table is selected as the root node.

Note
If you select another node as the root node, it will appear at the top of the list the next time you return to this screen.

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Select a node to display and change its attributes in the Details: Attributes of Node '<node name>' area.
In the Details: Attributes of Node '<node name>' area, click in the Sel column to select the node attributes whose values you want to be extracted and indexed for this node for use in searches.
You may have to scroll down to find additional attributes. Once you select an attribute, it is automatically moved to the top of the list.

Note
You can use the content of binary files attached to the business objects (for example, documents) for the search. For this, the attribute must contain a URL that points to the document. To resolve pure URLs (without a destination) that, for example, point to documents in a document management system, the communication can take place only via HTTP without querying user and password.

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If required, change or add a description of a selected attribute in the Description column.
To access the description, simply click into the relevant entry in the column. Enter your description and use the tab key to leave the field.
Adjust the properties of the selected node attributes. You can adjust the following properties in the following columns:
- Key: Here you define which of the available attributes are key fields in the search object connector model. By default, the system adopts the selection of attributes as key fields.
- Resp. (response attribute): Here you define whether this attribute is to be included in the search results. This property has to be analyzed by the application.
- Int. Nav. (interactive navigation): Here you define whether the search can be narrowed down (refined) using filtering based on this attribute. This property can be displayed on the SAP NetWeaver Enterprise Search user interface.
- Name in Back End: Name of the attribute as used in the back-end system.
- Cont. Text (contains text): Here you define whether the attribute contains readable text. You also set this property for attributes that use a URL to point to attached documents.
- Conversion: Conversion of values with leading zeros so that the zeros are ignored during the search and removed for the output.
- Semantic: Business meaning of the node attribute
  If you choose the Language Code option, a cross-language search is performed so that only results in the logon language are returned.
  
  You set this property for attributes that use a URL to point to attached documents to Content URL. In this way you ensure that both the URLs and the document content are indexed.
- No Extraction: You can define here whether or not the attribute is relevant for display and access but not for extraction.
  
  Example
  In the classification search, there is an non-indexed dummy field whose content TREX converts to seven or nine real attributes during searches.
  
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- Switched: Specifies whether or not a model with the switch assignment function has been activated using the SAP Switch Framework.This function is available only to SAP.
Note
Once you have edited attributes of a node, the check box in the Attributes column of the node is marked. This gives you an overview of the nodes you have already worked on.

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Optional: Group attributes in attribute groups.
If there are already attribute pairs in the DDIC (for example, a value and the associated unit or currency), the system automatically generates attribute groups for these pairs. In the search results, attribute groups are displayed as a single field or, when entering a search query or using the attribute search, in a single row.

You can also create specific attribute groups for a node.

In the case of an advanced search, these attribute groups can be specified as search criteria in addition to the basic attributes.

Note
You can reuse attribute groups during the modelling process when defining query and response attributes and do not have to create them more than once.

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To create a group, choose Add New Group .

To add an attribute or another group to a group, choose Add Assignment to Group . Select the attribute or attribute group that you want to add and choose Choose.

To remove an attribute that is no longer required in a group or to delete a selected group, choose Remove.
Choose Next to move to the next step in the roadmap.
More information: Defining Node Relationships

Editing Existing Nodes

Choose the node in question to edit its properties.
Change the properties described in the Creating Nodes section above and choose Continue.