The Entity Data Form

The Entity Data form is used to create and manage the logical and physical schemata of all the entities in an application. You can also define and manage relations and links between entities, and type relations, in the sublists. The Entity Data form provides a complete overview of the data model, which makes it the most important tool for defining models.


In the Entity Data form you can:


Sublists

Table Fields
Link-1/Link-2
Refine Relation/Aggregate Relation
Type Relation
View Condition


Fields and functions in the header form

Entity Name name of the entity
Table/View name of the entity's database table
Object Type entity's representation (Table or View)
Default List entity's default list
Default Form entity's default form
Object Titel entity's title
Comments comments on the entity record

Create Table/View creates the master table or view for the database
Delete Table/View deletes the master table or view in the database
Create List creates the entity's default list
Create Form creates the entity's default form
Entity Access opens the entity's access privileges form

Name

Name of the entity

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
type, entry string, entry required
max. no. of characters 20
selection tool no
multilingual field no

The entity name can be modified after the record has been saved, but not if the database tables or the default list or form have already been created. In this case, these objects must be deleted first.

Table/View

Name of the table or view in the database

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
master attribute for table (T_TABLE)
type, entry string, no special characters, entry required
max. no. of characters 13
selection tool no
multilingual field no

After editing the entity record, you first need to create the table fields for master attribute or view fields. Then you can physically create the table or view in the database.

Object Type

How the entity is displayed in the database

attribute master attribute for table (T_TABLE)
type, entry string, entry required
max. no. of characters 1
selection tool menu with existing object types
multilingual field no

You can enter one of the following options:

T
as DataView table

F
as a foreign table

V
as DataView view

W
as a foreign view

More information: -> Table formats, -> Views

Default List

Name of the entity's default list

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
type, entry string, specification optional
max. no. of characters 20
selection tool menu with existing lists and forms
multilingual field no
hyperlink opens marked list in an own form

The default list can only be created when you already have a table or view for the entity in the database. The list contains the entity's master attribute fields. The default list record and its field assignment can then be found in the Mask Data form, and can be used as a template for other lists.

Note! Once a default list has been created, it cannot be overwritten. You first need to delete it from the Mask Data form.

Default Form

Name of the entity's default form

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
type, entry string, specification optional
max. no. of characters 20
selection tool menu with existing lists and forms
multilingual field no
Hyperlink opens marked form in an own form

You can create the default form as soon as the entity has a table or view in the database. The form contains the master attribute fields for the entity in a standard layout. The default form and its field assignment can then be found in the Mask Data form, and can be used as a template for other forms.

Note! Once a default form has been created, it cannot be overwritten by creating a new one. You first need to delete it from the Mask Data form.

Object Title

The entity's title

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
type, entry string, specification optional
max. no. of characters 20
selection tool no
multilingual field yes

The title is used in error messages.

Note! You should always give your objects a title. If you don't, error messages will only contain the object's key, and you won't be able to find the object in a Search mask.

Comments

Comments on the entity record

attribute master attribute for entity (T_ENTITY)
type, entry string, specification optional
max. no. of characters 255
selection tool no
multilingual field no

Create Table/View

Creates or modifies the master table or view in the database, according to the entity's Type.

Before creating the master table or view, you first need to create the table fields for master attribute or view fields in the Table Fields sublist.

Attention! Do not use Create Table/View while the application is running. Always ensure that no other users are using the tables first.

DataView automatically checks to see if this table exists, and creates one if necessary. If it exists, DataView will adjust it, either directly in the database (for minor modifications) or by starting an Export/Import with the binary loader (for major modifications). Before starting the loader, it makes a security check.

Minor modifications:
expand fields, add fields, alter indices and Non-Zero flags

Major modifications:
downsize fields, alter field types, delete fields (this may not constitute a major modification in all databases)

If the loader is used, DataView automatically does the following (you can follow the process in the Messages Console):

If DataView is unable to create the new table because of definition errors, the loader file remains in the tmp folder. After correcting the definitions, the function can be called again.

Note! When altering (setting) the Non-Zero flag (to zero), ensure that there are entries for every possible user record in the modified table column. Otherwise DataView will be unable to load the loader file into the new table.

Note! DataView always uses the binary loader, even if the ASCII loader is selected in the LOADER default.

If you modify definitions for views as opposed to tables, Create Table/View will not modify the view in the database, but delete it completely and create a new view.

More information: -> Deleting or modifying model objects

Delete Table/View

Deletes the master table or view in the database.

Attention! Do not use Delete Table/View while the application is running. Always ensure that no other users are using the tables first.

When a master table or view is deleted, the repository retains all the entity's descriptive data.

More information: -> Deleting or modifying model objects

Create List

Creates the default list for the master table or view

You can create the default list as soon as the entity has a master table or view.

The default list holds the fields for the master table or view. The default list record and its field assignment can be found in the Mask Data form, and can be used as a template for other lists.

Note! Once a default list has been created, it cannot be overwritten by creating a new one. You first need to delete it from the Mask Data form.

Create Form

Creates the default form for the master table or view

You can create the default form as soon as the entity has a master table or view.

The default form contains the fields for the master table. The default form record can be found in the Mask Data form, and can be used as a template for other forms.

Note! Once a default form has been created, it cannot be overwritten by creating a new one. You first need to delete it from the Mask Data form.

Entity Access (menu only)

Opens the form for modifying access privileges (extends the standard Access function).

This function extends the scope of the standard Access function. Access privileges apply not only to the entity object, but also to all lists and forms which refer to it (i.e. every mask which the application calls with userexits such as iwf_lis_ent, iwf_frm_ent, iwf_lis_typ,...). For example, users with access to the masks may only edit records in them if they have also been granted access to the entity object.

More information: -> Access to records