14.1.1.1. Add New Attribute

In the Attribute subtab, users can define the properties of the newly created attribute as well as manage the structure of the Entity Tree.

*An attribute is a characteristic or property of an entity that describes its features or qualities. For example, “color” is an attribute of “hair”, indicating its hue or shade. To facilitate data storage and management, attributes are stored as table fields in the database. Each attribute can be linked to a corresponding form control.

This subtab is divided into two key components:

1. Attribute Properties

In this section of the tab, users can define the properties of the attribute.

• Name: This is a text field that allows users to input the name of the attribute. It is a mandatory field.
  • There are the following rules determining the validity of names:
    • A valid name can contain letters, numbers, and the underscore symbol. It cannot, however, contain spaces or other special characters.
    • An attribute must have a unique name. It cannot have the same name as another attribute within the entity.
• Title: This is a text field that allows users to input the title of the attribute. It is a mandatory field.
  • The title inputted in this field will be used as the display title for the attribute.
  • Unlike with names, there are no rules determining the validity of titles.
• Description: This is a multi-line text field that allows users to input a description for the attribute.
• Attribute Type: This is a radio button that allows users to select only one option from a set of mutually exclusive options. It is a mandatory field. Users can choose to create either a data attribute or a reference attribute.
  • If the Data Field option is selected, it will enable the Data Field tab.
    

    **Data attributes are used to store simple, self-contained values that are unique to the entity.

  • If the Reference option is selected, it will enable the Reference tab.
    

    **Reference attributes are used to create more complex relationships between entities. By creating a reference attribute linking to another entity, users can establish a relationship between different entities.

• Data Field: In this tab, users can define the properties of the data attribute.
  
  • Data Type: This field allows users to choose the data type of the attribute from a dropdown menu. The selected data type will determine the SQL field type of the attribute in the database.
    • Attributes are linked to form controls according to their data type.
      • For more information on form controls and their compatible data types, click here.
  • Size: This field allows users to set the size of the attribute.
    • Depending on the attribute selected, this field may be enabled or disabled.
  • Precision: This field allows users to set the precision of the attribute.
    • This field is only enabled for the Decimal and Numeric data type options.
      

      **Precision refers to the number of digits after the decimal point.

• Reference: In this tab, users can define the properties of the reference attribute.
  
  • Entity: This field automatically displays the referenced entity.
    • For an entity to appear in this field, users must first make their selection.
  • : This button allows users to remove the selected entity and field.
  • : This button allows users to select the entity and field.
    • If clicked, it will display the Select Reference window, where users can choose an application or system entity and select a specific field or attribute within it.
      
      • Select or Cancel: To select an entity and field, click on the Select button. To cancel the selection and exit the window, click on the Cancel button.
  • Field: This space automatically displays the referenced field within the entity.
    • For a field to appear in this space, users must first make their selection.
  • Cascade (Master-Detail): This is a checkbox which, if selected, allows changes made to the referencing entity to automatically apply to the referenced entity in a master-detail relationship.
    

    **If this checkbox is selected, any changes made to the referencing entity (the “master” or “parent”) will be automatically applied to the referenced entity (the “detail” or “child”). This means that if you delete the referencing entity, all the referenced entities that are dependent on it will also be deleted.

    • Cascade (Master-Detail): Example

      • To better understand the concept of cascading, consider the following example:
        • Assume that there are two entities: ‘customer’ and ‘order’.
          • Each customer can have multiple orders, and the relationship between the customer and the order is one-to-many, established using a connecting entity.
        • If the Cascade (Master-Detail) checkbox is selected for the reference attribute, deleting a customer entity will also result in the deletion of all the orders associated with that customer.
          • This is because an order without a customer is meaningless, and hence, it’s logical to delete all the orders associated with a customer when the customer entity is removed.
        
        

  • Prevent Deletion of Master Entity: This is a checkbox which, if selected, allows users to prevent the deletion of a master entity that has at least one child entity associated with it.
    

    **If this checkbox is selected, an attempt to delete a master entity that has at least one child entity associated with it will be automatically prevented by the system. This helps to maintain data integrity and prevent accidental deletion of important data.

    • Preventing Deletion of Master Entity: Example

      • To better understand the concept of preventing the deletion of the master entity, consider the following example:
        • Assume that there are two entities: ‘student’ and ‘course’.
          • Each student can take multiple courses, and the relationship between the student and the course is one-to-many, established using a connecting entity.
          • If a student is deleted, it may be undesirable to also delete the associated course.
        • If a user attempts to delete a student who is associated with at least one course, selecting the Prevent Deletion of Master Entity checkbox for the reference attribute will prevent the deletion of the student entity.
          
          • Instead, the system will throw an error to inform the user that the student entity cannot be deleted as it has at least one associated course.
        
        

• Show as Column in Task List: In this section, users can customize the display of attributes as columns in the task list of the web application.
  • Hide: This option allows users to remove the attribute from the list of columns.
  • Hidden By Default: This option allows users to hide the attribute from the list of columns by default.
    • Users can then choose whether to display the column by manually adding it.
  • Show By Default: This option allows users to display the attribute as a column by default in the list of columns.
    • Users can then choose whether to hide the column by manually removing it.
      

      **For more information on how to customize the columns in the task list of the DBP web application, click here.

• Read Only: This is a checkbox which, if selected, allows users to ensure that the system will not update or overwrite any data stored in that attribute.
  

  **This option is particularly useful when the value of the field is already defined in the database and should not be modified by users. For example, the value of the attribute may be automatically set by a trigger or an external tool.

• Defines Field: This is a checkbox which, if selected, allows users to designate the attribute as a defining or differentiating factor for the entity. This means that the attribute is considered a critical component of the entity and is necessary for its definition.
  • For example, in the case of a Book entity, the Name and Author attributes may be considered defining factors, and so both would have the Defines Field checkbox selected.
    

    **When this checkbox is selected, the attribute will be displayed in the Entity Definition column of the Audit Trail form.

• Track Changes: This is a checkbox which, if selected, enables changes to be tracked for the attribute.
  • In the example, changes to the Author attribute of the Book entity could be tracked by selecting the Track Changes checkbox.
    

    **When this checkbox is selected, any modifications made to the attribute will be recorded in the audit trail, with the old value and new value both displayed in the Old Value and New Value columns of the form.

*Selecting either the Defines Field or Track Changes checkbox will create an audit trail for the attribute. Each checkbox, however, impacts how the attribute is recorded in the DBP web application. For more information on the Audit Trail form, click here.

!To finalize the configuration of the attribute, select the Save Changes option from the menu bar. To cancel, select the Cancel Changes option.

2. Attribute Menu

In this section of the tab, users can manage attributes.

• Add New Attribute: This button allows users to add a new attribute.
• Copy Attribute: This button allows users to copy the selected attribute.
  • To paste the attribute, users will need to select the Paste Attribute button in the Entity tab.
    • If selected, a new attribute with all the properties of the original will be automatically created.
      • Users can then modify the properties of the duplicate attribute as needed.
        • By default, however, the name of the duplicate attribute will follow this format: OriginalName_1.
          

          !!Please ensure that the name of the duplicate attribute is unique and does not match any existing attribute name within the entity.

• Delete Attribute: This button allows users to delete the selected attribute.
  • If selected, users will be alerted of the action with a confirmation message.
    • To confirm the deletion, click on the Yes button. To cancel, click on the No button.