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This topic is contained in the PDXpert help file: select Contents from the application's Help menu.

Custom attributes

Changes to the type's custom attributes cannot be undone. If you delete a custom attribute from a type collection member, all items based on that type will lose that custom attribute. Consider making a backup of your database before adding or removing custom attributes.

Everyone except the administrator should exit the PDXpert application while a type's custom attribute list is changed. The administrator should close all open part, document and change records.

Purpose

Custom attributes are useful for specifying unique data about your product design. You can define an unlimited number of custom attributes for any item type, and those attributes will then be attached to instances of that item.

A custom attribute is always associated with an item, not a specific revision. It can be modified by the current item trustee, any analyst, and any Product Team member regardless of the current revision's release state.

The document, part and change form windows let users provide a value for any custom attributes that you have defined in the collection's member.

Where used

Documents, parts, change forms

Data fields

Sort
This determines the order in which the custom attribute is displayed on the item (left to right, from top to bottom). You can have duplicate values, or gaps in the sequence.
Scheme
The scheme determines the data type of the custom attribute value, as well as whether there's a unit of measure displayed. There are 3 principal schemes: UOM, data type and collection.
A custom attribute's scheme can never be changed.
The UOM scheme is used for numeric values with units of measure. For example, a specific part type (such as Machine Screw) defines a custom attribute (for example, Length) with a unit of measure (say, cm). As users create specific Machine Screw parts, they can supply the actual Length numeric value and unit of measure.
The Data: schemes specify a value with a particular format and data-entry method. On the item window:
  • Data:Boolean becomes a checkbox
  • Data:Date provides a calendar dropdown control
  • Data:Float allows a numeric value with fractional component
  • Data:Integer permits whole numbers only
  • Data:Money is similar to a Float, but also displays a member of the Currencies collection
  • Data:String is normal text (alphabetic, numeric, punctuation and symbol characters)
  • Data:URI is a universal resource identifier, prefixed with ftp://, http://, file:// or similar
The Collection schemes specify that users can select a member of the selected collection. For example, selecting the Languages scheme will allow users to assign the value of English, French or other active member of the Languages collection.
Name
This is the name of the custom attribute, which is displayed as the control's label on the item.
The strings _#_, _##_ and _###_ are reserved and cannot be used for custom attribute names. Avoid using HK as the first two letters in your name to prevent conflicts with PDXpert's "housekeeping" columns (HK1, HK2, ...).
See the Setup suggestions, below, for important information about naming your custom attributes.
Description or purpose
This describes the custom attribute's purpose. On the item, it's displayed as a floating hint to the user.
It's often useful to indicate what range of values, or subset of collection members, might be expected. For example, instead of using "Enter the maximum power" it might be better to say "Enter the maximum power (1W to 50kW)".
Value
Although a default value is not required, you can elect to offer one to the user. If you do not specify a default value, then the item's value will also be blank or, if it's a numeric data type, zero.
Modifying the default Value on a previously-created custom attribute does not affect existing items using that custom attribute.
Default unit of measure
Units of measure are associated with the UOM and Data:Money schemes. A unit of measure can also be a currency, such as USD or JPY. If you do not select a unit of measure in the item type (for example, your data is text), then the item record's custom attribute unit of measure is also blank.
Modifying the Default unit of measure on a previously-created custom attribute is possible but not recommended. Existing items already using that custom attribute will not be updated to the new value.

Setup suggestions

When a new custom attribute definition is added to an item type, all existing items of that type are updated to include the new custom attribute. The default value, if any, of the new custom attribute will be applied to each item.

If a custom attribute definition is deleted from the item type collection member, all items of that type lose that custom attribute.

An item's custom attribute is added or deleted regardless of its release status. Users will see these additions or deletions the next time an item of that type is opened.

Consider limiting the length of the custom attribute Name to less than 30 characters

Special considerations for ODBC views

Custom attribute names appear as column headers in the SQL view accessible via ODBC. If you intend to access custom attributes via ODBC, you may want to take into account how the SQL Server database will work with your custom attribute's name.

Almost any character (including the space character) can be used in the custom attribute name. However, limiting your character set will make ODBC queries simpler to write. Consider using the definition of a SQL Server regular identifier, which:

  • begins only with letter characters defined by Unicode Standard 3.2 (which includes A-Z and a-z), @ and #
  • limits subsequent characters to Unicode letters, 0-9, _, $, @ and #
  • is not a Transact-SQL reserved word: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189822.aspx

Refer to this Microsoft SQL Server help topic for naming guidance: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175874.aspx

If you assign a name that duplicates a system-assigned item name, such as Number or Type, then your assignments are prefixed in the view with an underscore (like _Number or _Type).

Refer to the help topics under Contents > How to report, import & export > Viewing & exporting via ODBC for related information.

2050

Help topics describe the most current PDXpert PLM software release, and may differ from earlier releases.