Attribute Data Types

Available data types to define an attribute are:

Type	Description
Bool	A boolean (True or False) value
Int	Integer number
Decimal	Decimal number value with defined precision
Real	Real (floating point) number
String	Text string
Time	A date, time, or date-time value
Interval	A time interval
Binary	Binary container, for example, an image, a file, etc.
Any	Can hold any data type. Similar to a Visual Basic variant.

When defining the attribute type by clicking the browse button next to the Type field, you can select any cataloged component in the Project Catalog as the defined type for the attribute you are declaring. This gives you the ability to typify an attribute within a BPM Object with any component defined in the Project Catalog, even another BPM Object. If it the attribute is typed after a different BPM Object, it is referred to as an Inner BPM Object. Find an example in the Inner BPM Object section below.

Required Fields When Defining an Attribute

The following table shows the required fields for defining an attribute:

Field	Description	Attribute type
Type	Domain type of data that the attribute contains.	Real & Virtual attributes.
Not null	The attribute may be assigned, or not, a null value.	Attribute must have write access.
Primary Key	Is the attribute part of the primary key of the BPM Object?	Attribute must have read access.
Time Precision	Only for Time attributes, you can choose the following: Timestamp: The entire date and time, Date only: The date, Time only: The time.	Date attributes.
Absolute	The value of a time attribute which is set as absolute is stored in GMT-0.
Maximum length	For String. The Maximum length field defines the maximum number of characters allowed for the attribute.	Real & Virtual attributes.
Default Value	For Int, Decimal, Real, String, Time and Interval types. Initial value that the attribute contains. A default value for a Bool type attribute is defined by selecting the True or False radio button.	Attribute must have write access.
Require Expression	The Require Expression field allows you to enter a Boolean expression to be checked as a precondition to the assignment of a value to the attribute. It can be built either by a simple, one line expression that evaluates an expression or by calling a method. This method must return a boolean type.	Attribute must have write access.
Check Expression	Check Expression defines integrity validation of the attribute within the BPM Object instance. It can be built either by a simple, one line expression that evaluates an expression or by calling a method. This method must return a boolean type.	Any attribute.
Valid Values	List of valid values that an attribute can be assigned. It can be built either by a hard-coded list of valid values that the attribute can contain or by a call to a method that returns a list (array) of valid values. This method must return an array of the same domain type as the attribute's type. The implementation allows you to show the actual value or its description. For further details, see section Valid Values on this page.	Any attribute