Property (Create Change Request)

Properties are characteristics of classes. For systems describing products, Properties can be viewed as the most fundamental structural element. With the help of Classification Classes products are divided into certain categories of similar products, the product groups. These product groups can be unambiguously described by Properties (e.g. material, color, article number). The sum of all Properties of a subgroup is called an Application Class. 

The workspace area for the management of Properties can be accessed via menu Conten manager → Properties.

Figure 1: Content Manager Property

First of all, the user can change the language of the content by navigating the mouse to the button "en" which is left to search field. Various languages can be selected.

Figure 1: Language of Content

In the field Enter query it is possible to type in the ID or the preferred name of the Property.

By clicking on "advanced search" (under search field), there are several search options available.

Figure 2: Advanced search field

The search options are explained via mouse over in the CDP. By clicking on the Search button without entering name or ID in the search field, all Properties are displayed in the list view below. 

Figure 3: List of Properties

The user can select between the tabs Classes [number of existent Properties] and Change requests [number of Change requests]. Note: Number of Change requests is only displayed after clicking on the tab.

On the far-right side, the option to display up to 100 entries is available. Here the Excel icon allows to directly export in an Excel file the entries that are displayed on the page:

Figure 4: Display Entries

The 'Change Text' function should be used to correct spelling mistakes or improve the fields definition/preferred name/source of definition. However, if the changes are significant enough to modify the entire concept of the property, please create a new property and use the 'Replace Property' CR instead.

• NOTE: Textual changes include changes of the class type and of the number of digits (INTEGER, REAL), as well as the number of characters (STRING). Apart from that, no other changes are possible for a property.
• The following changes trigger a creation of a new Property that replaces/substitutes the original property
  • Change of the data type
  • Change of the quantity/unit

In the search overview, where all available Property as well as Change Requests are displayed, users have the possibility to change the content language (in which Property will be displayed) and search for specific Properties (structure elements or change requests). To create a CR for changing the textual information, select a property in the list by clicking on it.

Figure 5: List of all available Property and CRs related to Property

This Change Text Dialog will open:

Figure 6: Change Text Dialog

Fill in the fields with the new text and then press button “Save”.

Attention: The fields Preferred Name and Reason are mandatory fields!!!

Result: CR for changing the textual information of Property will be saved and may be retrieved for further editing/submittal under menu entry My Change Request.

In order to create a Change Request (CR) for a new Property proceed as follows:

After selecting Property under Content Manager, users can directly select the option “Create”.

Figure 7: Option "Create"

The system will display the Create dialog:

Figure 8: Create Property Dialog

Mandatory fields are:

• Property data type
• Preferred name
• Definition
• Reason

Fill in the fields and press “Save”. The new Property will be created.

A Property can be deleted from the ECLASS dictionary and all assignments to classes will be deleted automatically.

After selecting Property under Content Manager, the user has to select a specific Property he/she would like to remove. After this the user has to hover above the “Remove” icon and will have two options to choose from: “Delete (CR)” and “Hard-delete”.

Figure 9: Remove options

User selects a Property from the list – the system displays the Remove Property Dialog:

Figure 10: Delete Property Dialog

Enter reason for removal and press button “Save”.

The hard delete function gives the user the opportunity to remove structural elements that were created incorrectly or by mistake in Alpha and Beta versions.

In order to hard-delete a Property, the user needs to select the element in the corresponding list or tree view. Then he needs to open the drop-down of “Remove” button in toolbar and select option “Hard-delete”.

Note: If the user tries to “hard-delete” an element in the PROD release, the following ERROR message will be displayed.

Figure 11: ERROR message

In order to replace a Property proceed as follows:

1. Search and select the Property to be replaced
2. Select menu entry Replace Property

Figure 12: Select "replace property"

3. In the next window the system provides the possibility to select the scope of the property replacement. Therefore, users have the possibility to replace a targeted Property selected int the context of a Class (local) or to replace the Property in all its usages (global, dictionary wise). For this, a dialog containing selection options local replacement and global replacement has been implemented.

Figure 13: Selecting Type of replacement

Global replacement serves to indicate that the replacement of the Property is accomplished in all classes.

When local replacement is selected, the system displays the list of Classes where selected Property is used. The user selects the class where the replacement is applied.

The dialog also contains distinctive selection options “successor”. The user needs to choose type consistency: “Hard type”, “Weak type” or “No consistency”.

Figure 14: Select Type consistency

Hard consistency:

Only replacements are allowed when the data type and/or the unit of replacing and to be replaced PR is the same. Example:

P1 – “Temperature”/Real (measure)/°C

P2 – “Operating Temperature”/Real (measure)/F

Weak Type Consistency:

Only replacements are allowed when the data type of replacing and to be replaced PR is the same (the unit can be different). Example:

P1 – “Temperature”/Real (measure)/°C

P2 –  “Operating Temperature”/Real (measure)/F
 

Examples of No Type Consistency

Select if the data type of replacing and to be replaced PR is the NOT same

P1 – “Temperature”/String

P2 – “Operating Temperature”/ Real (measure)/F

When a Property is replaced, the system creates structures update information (i.e. predecessor and successor relationships, with / without date type change.

4.  Subsequently the user has to click on the button “Continue” to select replacing Property

Figure 15: Select replacing Property

5. Enter reason for replacing the Property and press button "Save".

Figure 16: Dialog replace Property

Result: Change Request for replace Property will be saved and is displayed under menu entry “my change request”.

In order to create a new Property that is similar to an existing one, a Property can be cloned. This helps create Properties faster. In order to change request (CR) for a new cloned property (PR) proceed as follows:

1. Browse and search through existing properties to choose which Property shall be cloned, i.e. shall serve as the basis for the new Property
2. Select menu entry “clone”

Figure 17: Selecting Property to clone

3. Change the displayed information of the existing Property in fields of Clone Property dialog in order to create the clone and press "Save".

Figure 18: Dialog Clone Property

4. Fill in all mandatory fields and - depending on choice of data type - more relevant fields such as quantity and unit.

One or many Synonym(s) can be assigned to a Property (new or existing). In order to create a Change Request (CR) to assign a Synonym to a Property (PR) proceed as follows:

1. Browse and search through which Property to assign a Synonym to and then select “Assign synonym..”

Figure 19: Select Property to assign a Synonym to

2.  Click on “search”. Then browse and search through existing and new Synonyms (as CR) to select the Synonym(s) that shall be assigned to the Property. If only one Synonym is chosen, simply click on the select-button. If many Synonyms are chosen mark them first and then click on select:

Figure 20: Select Synonym

3. Fill in the reason for the Change Request and press "Save".

Figure 21: Dialog Assign Synonym

Result: Change Requests for assign synonym will be saved and may be retrieved for further editing/submittal under menu entry “My change request”.

A value list is assigned to a Property (new or existing). In order to create a change request (CR) to assign a value list (VL) to a property (PR) proceed as follows:

1. Select the Property that needs a Value List to be assigned and click on "assign Value List" in toolbar.

Figure 22: Select Value List

2. Select the Value List to be assigned and click on "Select".

Figure 23: Select Value List

3. Type in a reason in the next dialog and press "Save" button.

Figure 24: Dialog Assign Value List

Note 1: A Property condition is only necessary when modeling a Cardinality!

Note 2: Assigning a condition is only possible for dependent Properties.

Proceed as follows to assign a condition:

1. Select a Property of type “Reference” that is dependent
2. Click on “Assign condition” in toolbar.

Figure 25: Select Property to assign Condition

3. In the next dialog, select a condition Property for the dependent Property. This conditional Property has the role of controlling Property in cardinality.

Figure 26: Select condition Property

4. Type in a reason and save.

An existing Value List is withdrawn from an existing Property. In order to create a Change Request to withdraw a Value List from a Property proceed as follows:

1. Select the Property where the Value List shall be withdrawn from and select “Withdraw Value List.

Figure 27: Select Withdraw Value List in toolbar

2. Select the Synonym to be withdrawn and press "Select"

Figure 28: Select Synonym

3. type in a reason and save.

In order to create a Change Request to add a Property to a Block proceed as follows:

1. Select a Property and click on “Add to block”.

Figure 32: Select Add to Block

2. Select a Block and click on "Select"

Figure 33: Select Block

3. Fill in the reason and select "Save"

Figure 34: Dialog Add to Block

Result: Change Request add to block will be saved under menu entry "My change request".

In order to create a Change Request to add a Property to an Application Class proceed as follows:

1. Select a Property and click on “Add to Application Class”

Figure 35: Select Add to Application Class

2. Click on search and choose an Application Class, then click on "Select"

Figure 36: Select Application Class

3. Fill in the reason and select "Save"

Figure 37: Dialog Add to Application Class

In order to create a Change Request to add a Property to an Aspect proceed as follows:

1. Select a Property and click on “Add to Aspect”

Figure 38: Select Add to Aspect

2. Click on search and select an Aspect, then click on "Select"

Figure 39: Select Aspect

3. Fill in the reason and select "Save"

Figure 40: Dialog Add to Aspect

• ECLASS ContentDevelopmentPlatform

• Classification Class (Create Change Request)

• Application Class (Create Change Request)

• Aspect (Create Change Request)

• Block (Create Change Request)

• Value List (Help Page)

• Value (Create Change Request)

• Synonym (Create Change Request)

• Using the Content Development Platform