second object, the associations are flipped. The first object's reverse association is the second object's forward association. The first object's forward association is the second object's reverse association.
If there is a BO level association between two business objects, a record level association with the same names may exist between two records created from the two business objects. The BO level association serves as a definition that allows the record level associations it defines to be created.
Record level associations are usually instances of BO level associations.
However, it is possible to have a record level association that is not defined by a BO level association.
Modules
A module is a collection of business objects. Every module has a name. Business objects with a similar structure or purpose are usually in the same module.
The IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform comes with a number of modules already defined. Here are some examples: v The Geography module contains business objects used to create records that represent different levels of political or geographic entities. The business objects defined in the Geography module include City, Country, State, and World
Region.
v The Document module contains business objects used to describe and manipulate documents and files. It contains business objects for describing individual documents, collections of documents, and file directories.
v
The Meeting module contains business objects used to describe a meeting or meetings.
Before you can define a business object, you must decide which module it will be in. You may decide to put some business objects into modules that are already defined in the IBM TRIRIGA Application Platform and some into new modules.
You must create a new module before you can put business objects in it.
Module organization
Use these rules to help you decide in which module to add a new business object: v
Business objects that contain some of the same fields should be in the same module.
v Business objects that can play the same role in the same business process should be in the same module.
v Business objects that have a similar business purpose should be in the same module.
Creating modules
Before you begin
Before you create a new module, you must decide on a name for the module.
Choose a name that describes the sort of business objects that will be in the module. For example, if the business objects in a new module will be used to create records that describe materials used in training courses, it would be reasonable to choose a name like cstTrainingMaterial. Do not choose a name like
X24.
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Once you have decided on the name of a new module, you can create the module.
Procedure
1.
To create a module, navigate to Tools > Builder Tools > Data Modeler. This makes the Data Modeler visible. The Data Modeler is organized into panels.
The name of the panel that first appears is Object Browser. Other panels that appear as needed are named Data Modeler, Property, Field List, and
Association List. You can rearrange and otherwise manage the panels using the procedures discussed in "Panel manipulation".
2.
The panel labeled Object Browser contains a list of modules. Normally the
Object Browser panel is collapsed so you cannot see what is in it. When you put the mouse pointer over the left-most part of the Object Browser panel where the words Object Browser are, it expands.
3.
If you click a closed folder icon next to module, a list of the business objects in the module appears under the module's name. Also the closed folder icon changes to an open folder icon.
4.
If you click an open folder icon next to a module, the list of business objects under the module's name disappears. Also, the open folder icon changes to a closed folder icon.
5.
In the menu bar at the top of the Data Modeler, there is a menu named New. In this menu, click the New Module menu item, which causes the Property panel to appear and look like the following figure. This allows you to specify the properties needed to create a new module.
Figure 4. Properties for a new module
These are the properties to specify:
Module Name
The value of this property is the name of the module. Naming conventions are described in "Naming conventions".
Hierarchy Module
This check box should be checked if the module is going to be a hierarchy module. Hierarchy modules are described in "Hierarchies". If you are not sure what a hierarchy module is, assume all modules you create are not hierarchy modules; leave this check box unchecked.
6.
Click the Save Module action near the top of the Data Modeler when you finish entering a new module's information. After you click the Save Module action, you are finished creating the module. You do not publish a module.
Chapter 2. Data modeling
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Modules are different from most other kinds of metadata in that they have no publish-revise cycle. The concept of a publish-revise cycle is discussed in
"Create-Publish-Revise cycle".
Deleting modules
Procedure
To delete a module, first delete any business objects created in the module. Then select the Delete Module action.
Changing module properties
Procedure
If you want to edit the properties of an existing module, click the name of the module in the Object Browser panel. Aside from the label at the top of the
Properties panel being Edit Module instead of Create Module, the experience of editing a module's properties is the same as creating a module.
Some of the other properties that display in the Module Properties panel are as follows. All of these properties are read-only.
v Modified Date shows the last time the module was revised.
v Modified By shows who last modified the module.
v Revision shows the current revision number of the module.
v All modules contain an identifier called an object label. Object Label shows the current object label for the module.
When you save a module by clicking Save Module, a revision is created for the module. To view a list of revisions to a module, select Tools > Builder Tools >
Data Modeler
. Select the module from the Object Browser and select the List All
Revisions
action.
You can compare two revisions of a module by selecting them and clicking
Compare
. The results display in the Comparison Result section. To view the results in a new window, click the button next to the Compare menu. You can also export the comparison results to a text file by clicking Export.
Addition of business objects to a module
At this point, you can create business objects in the new module. The first business object you must create in a module is the module's base business object. The base business object should have the same name as the module.
After you have created and published a module's base business object and specified the base business object's fields, you can create other business objects in the module. When you create another business object in a module, the new business object is created with a copy of the sections, fields, association definitions, and state transitions in the module's base business object. Once a business object is created, you are free to add, remove, or modify its sections, fields, association definitions, and state transitions. Changing the newly created business object in any way has no effect on the base business object or on any other business object.
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