Define an attribute

An attribute is a single unit of data or fact. An attribute is of a particular data type: boolean, text, number, currency, date, time of day, or date and time. An attribute always belongs to a particular entity even if it is the global entity. Attributes form the building blocks of rules.

What do you want to do?

Add an attribute to a properties file

Check attribute entity levels

Add an attribute to a properties file

To add an attribute to a properties file:

  1. In Oracle Policy Modeling, double click the properties file in the Project Explorer to open it for editing.
  2. In the Entities tab, select the entity that the attribute belongs to.
  3. On the Attributes tab for that entity, right-click and select New Attribute...
  4. In the Data type drop-down list, select the type of attribute.
  5. In the Text field, enter the attribute text. NOTE: The text of the attribute should contain the name of the entity to which it belongs.
  6. Click OK to create your attribute.

NOTE: You can also add an attribute to a properties file from within Word (ie when you are writing your rules). See Create a new variable from within a Word document for more information.

Check attribute entity levels

After you have defined an entity, every attribute added to a Word document which contains the entity text will attach to that entity. Attributes which do not contain entity text are global.

For example, assume the attributes in the following table have been added to a Word document where "the household member" has been defined as an entity in the rulebase:

 

Attribute Text Entity Level Explanation
the household member is male the household member contains "the household member"
a household member is eligible global "a household member" does not match "the household member"
the former household member has left global "former" interrupts the attribute text
the household member’s annual income the household member adding extra letters or characters on the left or right hand side is ok
the date of birth of the household member the household member entity text may appear anywhere in the attribute text

 

Both boolean and non-boolean attributes can be defined to belong to an entity in this way.

Once you have compiled your rules, you can check that all attributes have been associated with the correct entity in the Build Model in Oracle Policy Modeling.

Attributes which are not within the scope of an entity are placed in the Global level. The list of global attributes are displayed in the right-hand pane:

 

 

To view a list of entity-level attributes, click on the entity name. The list of entity-level attributes will be displayed in the right-hand pane:

 

 

See also: