Advanced Data Modeling Tasks

The Advanced Data Modeling Tasks covers the following topics:

Logical Data Type Definitions

Every class property must have an appropriate logical data type so that you can specify how you want the property data to be stored in the database. CES provides many pre-defined logical data types.

This table details the logical data types:

Logical Data Type

Description

Restrict input for a given field

For example, if you define the input for a given property as a number, you will receive an error message if you enter non-numeric data for that property.

Define reusable data types for similar kind of properties

If you have assigned a logical data type definition for a class property, you can edit the information for that definition.

This task explains how to work with items in the Logical Data Type Definition window:

  1. In the Browser View, select the class for which a logical data type has been defined.

  2. From the menu bar. select Items > LDDs.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. In the Create/View UOMs  window, you can:

  • Insert a new item

  • Edit an existing item

  • Delete an item

  • Set Values for an item

This table describes the different options available in the Create/View UOMs window:

Option

Description

Inserting a new Item

To insert a new item:

  1. Select a row, and then click Insert. Specify relevant details for the item.

  2. Click Apply.

    OR
     

  3. Select a row.

  4. Double-click on a field name to display the Valid Values window.

  5. In the Valid Values window, select the required value, and then click OK.

    The item is inserted.

Editing an existing Item

To edit an existing item:

  1. Select a row.

  2. Double-click a field name to display the Valid Values window.

  3. In the Valid Values window, select the required value, and then click OK.

    The item is edited.

Deleting an Item

To delete an existing item:

  1. Select a row in the window, and then click Delete.

    The selected row is marked for deletion.

  2. Click Apply.

    The selected row is deleted.

Setting Values for an Item

Sometimes, it is helpful to use a part you have already located as the basis for another search. For example, if a part is discontinued, you need an equivalent part to update your design. The easiest way to find a replacement part is to use the properties of the original part in the search criteria. You can complete this task quickly by initializing the window with the properties of the original part.

To set values for an item in the window:

  1. From the results appearing in the window, select the item you need as a basis for a new search.

  2. Click Set Values.

    The values for the selected item are entered in the corresponding fields in the window.

  1. Click OK.

    The changes are committed to the database.

Formulae

You need to create formulae primarily for converting units of measurement. You can specify a complex expression or supply a multiplier, addend, and the order in which they need to be applied. The Unit Conversion Formulae refers to the formulae you create.

If you have already assigned a formula to a Unit Conversion Formula object, you can edit that formula.

This task explains how to edit a formula:

  1. In the Browser View, select the class for which the formula has been defined.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Formulae.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Formula tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Units of Measurement

The CES Data Modeler provides many pre-defined units of measurement. In most cases, you do not need to create additional units. However, if you cannot find an appropriate unit, you can create your own unit and edit it.

The CES Data Modeler can convert property values from one unit of measurement to another. For example, a value can be stored in one unit of measurement and displayed in another unit. If you create new units of measurement, for which you want the CES Data Modeler to perform a conversion, you need to provide the necessary conversion formulae.

This task explains how to edit a unit of measurement:

  1. In the Browser View, select the class for which the unit of measurement has been defined.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > UOMs.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Units of Measurement tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Class Aliases

Class Aliases are user-defined alternate labels (names) for existing class names. The Class Aliases class in CES helps you create alternative names for the Classes. An existing class can have more than one Class Alias, and a single Class Alias might refer to more than one class.

For example, you may try searching for lighting fixtures under the name "BULB" instead of the standard name "Lamp or Display Device". By associating aliases with existing class labels, you can search for existing classes using the familiar Class Alias name.

This task explains how to work with items in class alias:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Class Aliases.

    The Create/View UOMs Class window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Class Aliases tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Generic Reference Counting

Generic Referencing Counting (GRC) is a mechanism that provides an automatic way of counting the number of references made to an CES pointer object.

For example, you may need to keep track of the number of parts provided by a given manufacturer. The GRC creates a counter that counts the number of references made between the Parts class (source class) and the Manufacturer class (target class). This count gives you the total number of parts provided by the manufacturer.

This task explains how to work with items in Generic Reference Count:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Generic Ref Count.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Generic Reference Count tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Pattern to Property Map

The Pattern Valid Value defines a set of valid patterns for the values of a property. For example, a class property designed to hold an Internal Part Number, 100-7067-00, could be associated with a pattern defined as "999-9999-99". You can associate many patterns with a property.

For example, an internal part number pattern could be different for different manufacturers.

Patterns are defined in the Pattern Valid class. This defined pattern is then assigned to a class property by specifying a pointer to that property. This causes the value for that property to be validated against the pattern. Values that do not conform to the pattern are flagged as errors at the time of validation.

Many Pattern Valid Values can be associated with a single property. This allows many patterns to be legal for a single property. To reuse Pattern Valid Values, different class properties also point to the same PVV object. Thus, there is a many-to-many mapping between pattern objects and class properties. The Pattern To Property Map  mapping class establishes this mapping.

This task explains how to work with items in Pattern to Property Map:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. Select Items > Pattern To Property Map.

    The Create/View UOMs Class window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Pattern To Property Map tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Pattern Valid Values

The Pattern Valid Values help you define search criteria for specific variable patterns. You can define many values for a single variable depending on the Forms, Users, and User Groups. For example, to search all class names beginning with a double quote create a pattern variable value named Class and search for this pattern in the Class Label property of the Classes class. All class names beginning with Class are displayed in the Results window.

This task explains how to work with items in Pattern Valid Values:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Pattern Valid Values.

    The Create/View UOMs Class window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Pattern Valid Values tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Auto Sequences

It is often useful to create a property whose value is an automatically generated integer. For example, this can be used for an employee ID number or an Invoice number. The auto sequence generator in CES facilitates the creation of these properties. Each time you insert a new object, the auto sequence generator automatically increments the last assigned value.

For better control over the parameters defining the auto numbering sequence, you can define an object in the Auto Sequences class and then refer to that object in the Sequence Label field.

The Auto Sequences class defines a name (label) and parameters, such as the starting value, for your auto sequence generator.

This task explains how to work with items in Auto Sequences:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Auto Sequences.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Auto Sequences tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Pattern Variables

The Pattern Variable Values helps you to define a search criteria for specific variable patterns. You can define many values for a single variable depending on the Configurations, Users, and User Groups. For example, to search all class names starting with Class, create a pattern variable value named Class* and search for this pattern in Class Label property of the classes class. All class names beginning with Class are displayed in the Results View window.

This task explains how to work with items in Pattern Variables:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > Pattern Variable Value.

    The Create/View UOMs window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Pattern Variable Value tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.

Unit Conversion Formulae

By default, CES provides many units of measure. It also provides the conversion formulae necessary for users to convert values based on a new unit of measure. If you create new units of measurement, for which conversion is to be performed, you need to provide the necessary conversion formulae. You do this by creating formulae, and then entering the name of the formula as an object in the Unit Conversion Formulae class.

This task explains how to work with items in Unit Conversion Formulae:

  1. In the Browser View, select the required class.

  2. From the menu bar, select Items > UCFs.

    The
    Create/View UOMs
    window appears.

  3. For detailed procedures to work with the items displayed in the Unit Conversion Formulae tab of the Create/View UOMs window, see Create/View UOMs window.