Define Characteristics

The tab Define Characteristics is only available for projects. Once a characteristic is defined it can be attached to individual objects, by using the shortcut menu of such an object. Characteristics can be used in a search definition to find objects in the ITP/MDK Repository. Refer to the topic Labels and Characteristics in the Help of the search feature.

Define characteristics

In this pane the characteristics that are already defined are listed with the group, if any, they belong to. New characteristics can be added by clicking the button New…. Characteristics are free form in that you can enter any text you like (up to 49 characters). A defined characteristic can be edited by selecting it in the list and clicking Edit….

Characteristic group

Characteristics can be grouped. The list of already defined characteristic groups are listed in this pane. A Characteristic group can be added by clicking New group…. The button Edit group… allows you to add a new characteristic or to remove existing characteristics from a group.The value of a group is that you can determine that just one of the characteristics of a group can be attached to an object. This is done by setting the Only one characteristic of this group may be selected setting in a groups Edit window.

Note

If you want to keep the characteristics of a group but remove the group itself you will have to edit each of the characteristics you want to keep to remove them from the group before deleting the group.

Adding a new Characteristic to a group

To add a new characteristic to a group do the following:

Select the group you want to edit in the group list.
Click Edit group. A new window will pop up showing the name of the selected group and a list of the characteristics this group contains.
In this window click the button New. The window Create characteristic will pop up.
Enter a name for the new characteristic you want to add to the group in this window.
Leave the check box Is member of group checked. The name of the selected group is pre-selected in the drop-down box, leave as is.
Click Add.

Adding an existing characteristic to a group

If you want to add an existing characteristic to a group do the following:

Go to the tab Characteristics of a configuration window.
Click in the Characteristics list on this tab on the characteristic you want to add to a group.
Click Edit to open the window Edit characteristic.
In this window check Is member of group check box.
Select the group you want to add the characteristic to in the drop-down box.
Click OK.

Removing a characteristic from a group

A characteristic can be removed from a group with the following procedure.

Go to the tab Characteristics of a configuration window.
Select the group you want to remove the characteristic from in the groups list.
Click Edit group.
Select the characteristic you want to remove in the window that pops up.
Click Delete.

Only a single characteristic of this group may be selected setting

A group has one setting Only one characteristic of this group may be selected. This setting determines if just one characteristic from this group can be attached to any object. This setting when switched on will show up as radio buttons in objects configuration windows. When not switched on, check boxes will be shown.

Note that it is possible to switch this setting on for a group while some objects are already configured to use more than one characteristic from the group. If this happens the ITP/MDK Repository will alert you.

Boundaries on deleting characteristics or characteristic groups

When a Characteristic or a characteristic group is deleted the ITP/MDK Repository checks if it is in use. If the characteristic or any characteristic from a group is in use an error window will be shown. On this error window you can select to Show objects. This will open a new window showing the documents that use any of the characteristics you want to delete. You can locate a document in the ITP/MDK Repository's main window by right-clicking on a document and choosing Locate.