Create and Manage Attributes

Ribbon

Design > Element > Features > Attributes (Features window)

(Click on an attribute) Design > Element > Features > Features Dialog ('Attributes' dialog)

Context Menu

These options display the 'Attribute' dialog

• Right-click on the attribute in the Browser window | Properties | Properties
• Right-click on the attribute in a diagram | View Properties

These options display the Features window:

• Right-click element in Browser window or diagram | Features | Attributes or

• Right-click attribute in Browser window | Properties | All Features

Keyboard Shortcuts

These options display the Features window when you click on an element in the Browser window or a diagram:

• F9  or
• Ctrl+5

This option displays the Features window when you click on an attribute in the Browser window or a diagram:

• Ctrl+5

This option displays the 'Attribute' dialog when you click on an attribute in the Browser window or a diagram:

• F9

Other

In the Browser window, double-click on an attribute to display the parent element on a diagram.

Name

If you want to change the attribute name, click on the field and overtype it with the new name.

Type

Defaults to 'int'. To change this, overtype the field or click on the drop-down arrow and click on:

• The required type or
• '<none>' for no type, or
• 'Select Type' and browse for the appropriate attribute classifier (you can add a new one if there are no classifiers that suit)

The type can be defined by the code language (data type) or by a classifier element; when you click on the drop-down arrow, the set of values in the list provides the data types, and the 'Select Type' browser provides the possible classifiers.

To add new code language data types that can be displayed in this list, see the Data Types topic.

Scope

Define the attribute as Public, Protected, Private or Package; if necessary, click on the drop-down arrow and select a different scope.

Stereotype

(Optional) Define one or more stereotypes for the attribute; either:

• Type a stereotype name, or
• Click on the button and select the stereotype from the 'Stereotypes for <object name>' dialog

Alias

(Optional) Type an alternative name or reference for the attribute.

Initial Value

(Optional) Either:

• Type in a simple initial value, or
• Click on the button and construct a more complex value on the Default Initial Value window

Add New

Add a new attribute to the list, with default values in the dialog fields.

Shortcut: Ctrl+N

Copy as New

Copy a selected attribute as a new attribute. Provide a new name for the attribute and click on the OK button.

Shortcut: Ctrl+C

Properties Window

Display the Properties window, showing the details for the selected attribute and enabling you to add more-advanced properties and Constraints.

Qualifiers

Add Qualifiers to the selected attribute. The 'Qualifiers' dialog displays.

Restore Sort Order

If you have used the column header arrows to reorganize the sequence in which the attributes are displayed, click on this option to redisplay them in the default sequence (alphabetical by name).

Move up

Move the selected attribute one row up the list.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Up Arrow

Move down

Move the selected attribute one row down the list.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Down Arrow

Field Chooser

Display the 'Field Chooser' dialog, which contains any column headings not currently applied to the page.

Drag a column heading from the 'Field Chooser' into the preferred position in the row of column headings. You can also drag the column headings into a different sequence.

To return a column heading to the 'Field Chooser', drag it out of the heading row.

Enable Group Box

Show or hide the Group Box, in which you reorganize the list sequence of the attributes according to one or more characteristics.

Toggle Filter Bar

Show or hide the Filter Bar, in which you type text strings that the data in the corresponding column must match in order to be listed.

Delete

Immediately delete the selected attribute from the element.

Shortcut: Ctrl+Del