Link Properties

Select the add a new or edit the existing link operations on the Links tab.

Enter name and unique identifier of the link. Only Latin letters, numbers and underscores are allowed; spaces are not allowed.

In the drop-down list select the attribute, by which the dictionary is linked to another dictionary. The list contains only the attributes, which are not yet used in links. The attribute to be bound should have integer type. If the linked attribute is not an integer, it will be prompted to change attribute data type.

In the drop-down list select the dictionary to be linked with by the system attribute with the KEY identifier. The following groups become available after dictionary selection: Group of Elements, Show Field as Value, and View Format. If the selected dictionary is parametric, the dialog box appearance changes.

To quickly search for a dictionary, use the search string.

To reset the selected dictionary selection, click the Clear button.

The drop-down list contains all groups of elements of the dictionary selected in the Dictionary box. The [All Elements] option is selected by default. If the dictionary has no groups of elements, the list includes only the [All elements] option.

If the [All Elements] option is selected, on creating or editing an MDM dictionary element, for which you create the link, the value of linked attribute shows all elements of the dictionary, with which the link is established.

If a group is selected, on creating or editing a dictionary element the value of the linked attribute will display only the elements included in the specified group.

In the drop-down list select attribute of the linked dictionary, which values will be displayed as values for the linked attribute of the current dictionary. Values of the Name attribute are used by default.

Select view format of linking attribute value in the drop-down list. The following display formats are available: Key, Value, Key(Value). The Key(Value) format is displayed by default.

When this checkbox is selected, the linked elements in the current dictionary are deleted if they have been deleted in the linked dictionary.

Id the selected dictionary is parametric, the tree of parameters of linked dictionary is displayed:

The tree of parameters is used to link attributes of the current dictionary to parameters of the linked dictionary or to set a static value.

NOTE. If a parameter identifier and its type match with the data of a parameter of an edited dictionary attribute, mapping will be made automatically.

Creating a Binding

Web application Desktop application

In the Parameters drop-down list select the parameter, by which a link is set between attributes of the current MDM dictionary and parameters of the linked dictionary.

NOTE. The Value Selection Algorithm drop-down list is available if the attribute that can have multiple values is linked.

To edit binding:

In the web application click the Edit button located in the Dictionary column next to the added link.
In the desktop application double-click the binding.

The Binding Parameters dialog box opens, the same as on creating a binding.

To delete the selected binding in the desktop application, press the DELETE key.

Expression Editor

Formulas can be set up using the expression editor:

The expression editor in the desktop application is uniform for all platform tools and objects. Description of the uniform expression editor is given in the Creating Formulas and Expressions document.
The expression editor in the web application differs depending on the configured tool or object.

The expression editor dialog box for setting static value of binding in the web application:

Operands, arithmetic operations, functions, numbers, comparison characters and round brackets can be used in a formula. There are some features of use:

All element types, except for numbers, can be inserted both using the keyboard or special panels.
Numbers are inserted only using the keyboard.

Operands are displayed on the expression editor's operands panel:

MDM dictionary parameters are used as operands.

To insert an operand to the formula area, execute one of the operations:

Using the operands panel:

Select the operand and click the Insert into Formula button.
Double-click the operand.
Drag the operand to the formula area.

Using the formula area:

Enter the operand name in the formula area.
Click in the formula area in the place where the operand should be put, press CTRL+SHIFT and select the required operand on the pop-up panel.

To quickly search for an operand, start typing partial or full name of the operand in the search string. After executing the operation the operands panel displays the operands, which names satisfy search conditions.

To set up displaying of the operands list, use items in the drop-down menu of the Display Settings button:

Name. Default value. Only operand names are displayed.
Identifier. Only operand identifiers are displayed.
Name and Identifier. Operand names and identifiers are displayed in the format: <name> (<identifier>).

To hide the operands panel, click the Hide Operands Panel button. To show the panel, click the Show Operands Panel button.

Functions and statements are displayed on the functions and statements panel on corresponding tabs:

To insert a function or statement to the formula area, execute one of the operations:

Using the functions and statements panel:

Select a function or statement. The panel with description opens:

Click the Insert into Formula button.

Double-click the function or statement.
Drag the function or statement to the formula area.

Using the formula area:

Enter a function or statement in the formula area.
Click in the formula area where the function or statement should be inserted, press CTRL+SHIFT and select the required function or statement on the pop-up panel.

To quickly search for a function or statement, start typing partial or full name of the function or statement in the search string. After executing the operation the functions and statements panel displays the functions or statements, which names satisfy search conditions.

To hide the functions and statements panel, click the Hide Functions and Statements Panel button. To display the panel, click the Show Functions and Statements Panel button.