Glossary Editor

This dialog box is displayed if you click Tools, then Glossary Editor, and either specify a file name that does not exist (for example, my_terms.glossary) in a selected location to create a new glossary file, or select an existing glossary file for editing. (See also Naming Standard under Data Modeler.)

A glossary in Data Modeler is a set of accepted terms that may or must be used in the design. Glossaries are used by Design Rules to ensure that the model complies with your set naming standards or when engineering between the logical and relational models. You can create a new glossary from scratch, use existing glossaries, or generate a new glossary based on an existing logical model.

Do not modify glossary files (XML format) in an external text editor. Instead, create and modify glossaries using the glossary editor within Data Modeler.

Name: Name of the glossary. Example: Project XYZ glossary

Description: Brief description of the glossary.

Incomplete Modifiers: Controls whether all terms used in names do or do not need to be defined in the glossary. If this option is enabled, it is not mandatory that modifiers and qualifiers be defined in the glossary; as a consequence, name validation will succeed if name parts that are not in the glossary correspond to a modifier or qualifier in the name structure.

Case Sensitive: Controls whether name validation using this glossary will be case sensitive. For example, if this option is enabled, "Code" and "CODE" are considered different values.

Unique Abbreviations: Controls whether uniqueness of abbreviations is required. If this option is disabled, uniqueness is not required, thus allowing one abbreviation to be used for all forms of a single word. In this case, for example, ADMIN could be an abbreviation for Administrator, Administration, and Administrative (that is, three terms with the same abbreviation). Such definitions should be maintained carefully because name validation (and name translation) will return correct results only if all terms have the same classification settings. If this option is enabled, name validation will report non-unique abbreviations (alternate ones are also included) and words without abbreviations.

Separator and Sep. char.: Define a word separator for multi-word terms. Note that separator settings are checked when a glossary is loaded into the glossary editor; and if the separator is not a space character, a warning is displayed, and you can change the separator to a space.

Filter: Lets you display all glossary entries or restrict the display to entries that include a specified classification. ("Unclassified" shows only entries that have no classification.)

Words: To add a glossary entry, click the Add (+) icon and complete the information on the new line for the entry; to delete a glossary entry, select its entry and click the Remove (X) icon; to edit an entry, select its entry and modify the information.

Name (of entry): Glossary term associated with this entry.

Plural: Optional plural form of the associated entry (for example, AMOUNTS as the plural for AMOUNT). If a Plural value is specified, the singular and plural are considered the same during design rule validation and during transformation for entities and tables.

Abbreviation: Abbreviation for the glossary term.

Alt Abbreviation: Alternative abbreviation for the glossary term.

Prime, Class, Modifier, Qualifier: Specify as many classification types (prime word, class word, modifier, qualifier) as apply to the glossary entry. Name patterns can be defined for entities, attributes, tables, columns, and domains. A name pattern defines the structure of the name in the form of an unrestricted sequence of permitted word types and their optionality.

Prime: The prime word identifies the object or element being defined. Typically, these objects represent a person, place, thing, or event about which an organization wishes to maintain information. Prime words may act as primary search identifiers when querying a database system and provide a basic list of keywords for developing a general-to-specific classification scheme based on business usages. CUSTOMER in Customer Address is an example of a prime word.

Class: A class word is the most important noun in a data element name. Class words identify the use or purpose of a data element. Class words designate the type of information maintained about the object (prime word) of the data element name. ADDRESS in Customer Address is an example of a class word

Modifier: A modifier gives additional information about the class word or prime word. Modifiers may be adjectives or nouns. DELIVERY in Customer Delivery Address is an example of a modifier. Other modifier examples: ANNUAL, QUARTERLY, MOST, LEAST

Qualifier: A qualifier is a special kind of modifier that is used with a class word to further describe a characteristic of the class word within a domain of values, or to specify a type of information which can be attached to an object. Examples: FEET, METERS, SECONDS, WEEKS

Short Description: Short description of the entry.

Import: Lets you specify a glossary file and import its entries.

Export: Lets you export the glossary to a comma-separated values (CSV) file.

Save: Saves the current entries into the currently open glossary file.

Save As: Saves the current entries in a glossary file that you specify.