Object Types main window

This topic describes the areas and options of the Object Types main window in the Administration Console.

About the main window

The Object Types main window contains the following areas:

Menu area Contains the toolbar to carry out various tasks, such as create, copy, or delete object types.
Navigation area Displays a list of all the object types in the product for the selected object class: item, request, baseline, design part, or project.
Content area Displays details about the selected object type, or a summary of all object types for the product.

For a description of the Administration Console main window, see Administration Console user interface.

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Object Types menu area toolbar

The Object Types menu area contains the toolbar with buttons for creating and managing object types:

Button Description
Create a new object type.
Create an object type by copying the details from the selected object type.
Delete one or more selected object types.
Copy the attributes and/or their attribute rules from another object type.

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Object Types navigation area

The Object Types navigation pane lists mail events in the base database, grouped by object class.

In the navigation pane, you can perform the following operations:

  • To view a list of all types for an object class, select the object class from the list: Request Types, Item Types, Baseline Types, Design Part Categories, Project Types.

  • To view information about a specific object type, select the object type under its object class.

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Object Types content area

The Object Types content pane displays information about the object type selected in the navigation pane.

When you select the top-level icon for an object class in the navigation pane, you can:

  • View a list of all types for the selected object in the product, with associated descriptions and lifecycle details. You can sort the list by clicking the column headings. To select all types on the page, click Select All .

  • Select an object type and edit it.

  • Display the list of object types as an HTML page to print or save.

  • Display the list of object types as comma-separated values to save as a text file.

When you select any object type, the content pane displays the following tabs:

Tab Description
General

Displays basic details for the object type, such as the name, description, and associated lifecycle.

For item, request, and project types, displays a list of enabled and disabled options.

You can edit the description and the options.

For details about these options, see General details of object types.

Attributes

Displays information about the attributes assigned to the object type:

  • Type. The type of attribute: SS = single field, single value. SM = single field, multivalue. MM = multifield, multivalue.

  • Grouped by. The name of the block attribute with which this attribute is associated, if any.

  • Prompt. The field label which is displayed for the attribute.

  • Data Type. The format: char (character), date, or number.

  • Length. The length that is displayed for the attribute.

  • Max Length. The maximum number of characters the attribute can contain.

  • Is Sensitive. Indicates whether the attribute is sensitive. If the attribute is sensitive, users are required to provide their password when they attempt to update it.

  • Valid Set. The valid set assigned to this attribute, if any.

You can manage attributes:

  • Assign a single-field or multifield attribute to the object type.

  • Edit an attribute.

  • Unassign an attribute from the object type.

Lifecycle

Displays lifecycle details and the lifecycle flow diagram of the normal states in the lifecycle.

Lifecycle details include:

  • Lifecycle name and description.

  • The graphic file associated with the lifecycle, if any.

  • The object types assigned to the lifecycle.

You can assign a lifecycle to the object type and edit the lifecycle details, including its transitions and states.

For item types, these additional tabs are displayed:

Tab Description
Relationship Names

Displays details for all relationships between items and other items in the base database.

You can add new item relationship names and modify or remove existing ones.

Valid Relationships

Displays details for all possible valid relationships between the selected item type and other item types:

  • Direction. Indicates whether the selected item type is the Parent or Child in the relationship with the listed item type.

  • Product. The product to which the item type belongs.

  • Type. The item type.

  • Relationship Name. The name of the relationship.

  • Inherit Parent. Indicates whether a new revision of the child item inherits all the parent relationships associated with the base revision it is created from.

  • Inherit Child. Indicates whether a new revision of the parent item inherits all the child relationships associated with the base revision it is created from.

You can add, modify, or delete valid item relationships.

Item Library

Displays details for the item library that applies to the item type:

  • Host Name. The name that identifies the network node where the item library is located.

  • Directory. The path to the folder on the host node where the library is located.

  • Delta Storage. Indicates whether the items are stored using the native Version Manager delta library storage scheme.

  • Protection. The required protection level of the folders which hold the Dimensions CM libraries.

  • Default. Indicates whether this is the product's default library.

You have the options for adding, editing, and deleting specific libraries. If the default library is not set, you can add it, and change or delete it.

Templates

Displays details for the templates defined for items in the current product:

  • Revision number.

  • The user who created the template and when.

  • The user who last imported the template and when.

  • Whether this is the default template.

You can create, export/import, and delete templates, and change the default template.

CM Rules

Displays information about the Change Management rules for the selected item type:

  • CM rules enabled. Indicates whether the CM rules are enabled for this item type.

  • Require request for new item. Indicates whether a new item of this type can be created only when in response to a valid request.

  • Require request when check out at or beyond this state. The first lifecycle state at which a request is required for checking out a new item revision.

  • Require Request when action at or beyond this state. The first lifecycle state at which a request is required for the item to be actioned.

  • Require that item must be at or beyond this state before permit closing of associated request. The minimum state an item must reach before requests related to it as in response to can be closed.

You can edit CM rules.

The Lifecycle section displays a diagram of the normal states in the lifecycle associated with the item type.

For request types, these additional tabs are displayed:

Tab Description
Relationship Names

Displays details for all relationships types between requests and other requests in the product. Specifies the class of relationship, Information or Dependent.

You can add, modify, or delete request relationship names.

Valid Relationships

Displays details for all valid relationships between the selected request type and other item or request types:

  • Direction. Indicates whether the selected request type is the Parent or Child in the relationship with the listed request or item type.
  • Class. The object class, Request or Item.

  • Product. The product to which the item or request type belongs.

  • Type. The item or request type.

  • Min Status Attribute. Indicates whether Dimensions CM automatically tracks and records the minimum status of the request types related to the selected request type. Specifies the attribute to contain the recorded Minimum Status.

  • Max Status Attribute. Indicates whether Dimensions CM automatically tracks and records the maximum status of the request types related to the selected request type. Specifies the attribute to contain the recorded Maximum Status.

You can add, modify, or delete valid request relationships.

Prime Mappings

Displays details for the request types that have mapped attributes.

You can create, edit, or delete attribute mappings.

Templates

Displays details for the templates defined for requests in the product:

  • Revision number.

  • The user who created the template and when.

  • The user who last imported the template and when.

  • Whether this is the default template.

You can create, export/import, and delete templates, and change the default template.

CM Rules

Displays information about the Change Management rules for the selected request type:

  • CM rules enabled. Indicates whether the CM rules are enabled for this request type.

  • Analysis Phase starts with state. The first lifecycle state in the Analysis phase.

  • Work phase starts with state. The first lifecycle state in the Work phase.

  • Frozen phase starts with state. The first lifecycle state in the Frozen phase.

  • Minimum state of child before permit parent to close. For child request types, specifies the minimum lifecycle state at which this child request must be before the parent request may be closed.

  • Allow request to be closed with affected item revisions. Specifies whether requests can be closed/actioned to a Frozen phase without having an in response to item relationship.

You can edit CM rules and view their phase usage.

The Lifecycle section displays a diagram of the normal states in the lifecycle associated with the request type.

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See also: