Creating, Enhancing, and Editing Synonyms Using Modeling View

How to:

Reference:

The Synonym Editor Modeling View tab allows you to create, enhance, and edit synonyms graphically. You can also use this view to create a single view of multiple data sources.


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Procedure: How to Create Synonyms Using Modeling View
  1. Right-click an application directory, select New, and then Synonym via Synonym Editor.
  2. Click the Modeling View tab.
  3. Right-click the new synonym in the workspace and select Insert.

  4. Add segments through one of the four methods listed.
  5. Optionally, you can double-click the arrowed lines between tables to open the Join Properties dialog box and determine how the tables are linked.

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Procedure: How to Enhance Synonyms Using the Modeling View

Use the Modeling View to enhance a synonym by adding a segment.

  1. Open the synonym in the Synonym Editor by double-clicking it from the navigation pane.
  2. Click the Modeling View tab.
  3. Right-click a segment in the workspace and select Insert.
  4. Add segments through one of the methods listed:
    • Reference to existing synonym adds a segment to the existing synonym as a reference to another synonym. Only the name of the synonym is added. If the referenced synonym is changed, the new version is used.
    • Copy of Existing Synonym adds an existing synonym as a segment to the current synonym. If the copied synonym is changed, the current synonym does not reflect the changes.
    • Segment via Metadata import enables you to add segments by using the Create Synonym tool. This tool creates a synonym and includes it as a segment in the synonym from which the tool was launched.
    • Segment Manually enables you to add segments manually to the current synonym.

      Note: You would only use this approach if you are coding a new synonym by hand, as you would for a FOCUS data source.

  5. Optionally, you can double-click the arrowed lines between tables to open the Join Properties dialog box and determine how the tables are linked.

    Tip: You may also right-click a file icon and select Join Properties from the context menu.

    In addition, when creating a cluster join, there are two additional options for linking tables. Join All (default) is shown by a double arrow and Join Unique is shown as a single arrow.

    Join options are not available for FOCUS files.


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Procedure: How to Edit Synonyms Using the Modeling View

To edit synonyms using Modeling View:

  1. Open the synonym in the Synonym Editor by double-clicking it from the navigation pane.

    The Synonym Editor opens.

  2. Click the Modeling View tab.
  3. Right-click a segment and select Insert.

    A context menu appears, providing options for adding segments.

    Note: Options for adding segments are also available from the icons above the workspace.

    To add a segment from an existing synonym:

    1. Select Copy of Segment From Existing Synonym from the context menu.

      The Select Synonym dialog box opens.

    2. Click a synonym and click Select.

      The segment is added to the synonym.

    To add a reference to a segment from an existing synonym:

    1. Select Reference to a segment from an existing synonym.
    2. Select an application directory and a synonym and click Select.

      The reference is added to the synonym.

    To add a segment via metadata import:

    1. Select Add Segment via Metadata import from the context menu.

      This method enables you to launch the Create Synonym tool, create a synonym, and incorporate it as a new segment in the synonym from which you initiate the import.

      The Create Synonym dialog box opens.

    2. Create a synonym.

      The segment is added to the synonym.

    To add a segment manually:

    1. Select Add Segment Manually.

      The segment is added to the Modeling View and a default field is created, using a default name, SEG.

    2. Right-click the segment and select Properties.

      The Segment Properties dialog box opens.

    3. Edit the segment properties, if needed, and click OK.
    4. Switch to the tree view to add or change attributes for the new segment(s).


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Reference: How to Select a Synonym

When using Insert and the options of Reference to Existing Synonym or Copy of Existing Synonym, an Insert dialog box opens.

Type the name of the synonym you want to select, or click the Find button to search. For more information, see Select Synonym Dialog Box for more information.


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Reference: Modeling View - Segment Context Menu

When you right-click the title bar of a segment in the Synonym Editor Modeling View tab, the following context menu appears.

Context menu

The context menu has the following options:

Collapse Segment

Changes the view from a file icon to a table view, which enables you to see columns, sample data, and sample data parent keys.

Tip: You may also double-click a file icon to open the table view. Double-click the table to close the table view, or click the X button from the toggle toolbar to close.

Join Properties

Provides access to the Join Properties window.

Join options are not available for FOCUS files. This option is not available for the top segment in a synonym.

Data Profiling

Provides the data characteristics for the columns of a synonym.

Sample Data

Shows a sample of the data associated with the synonym.

Sample Data with parent key

Displays sample data for the selected segment joined to the parent segment.

Insert

Has the following options:

  • Reference to Segment from Existing Synonym adds a segment to the existing synonym as a reference to another synonym. Only the name of the synonym is added. If the referenced synonym is changed the new version is used.
  • Copy of Segment from Existing Synonym enables you to add an existing synonym as a segment to the current synonym.
  • Segment via Metadata Import enables you to create a new synonym through the Create Synonym tool and add it to the current synonym.
  • Segment Manually adds a segment to the current synonym, that must by coded manually.
Delete

Deletes the segment.

Rename

Enables you to rename the segment.


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