Step 4 - Full Feature Type Adaptation [Return to Introduction]

There are fundamentally two kinds of attributes associated with a Feature Type.  They are Required/Mandatory and Optional.  All of the Attributes included in the Gold and the Foundation of the SDSFIE are Required/Mandatory.  This means they may NOT be profiled out, or deleted from the Feature Type.  They will always be included as a part of the Feature Type.

To begin work on adapting attributes within a Feature Type, click the ‘Show Feature Attributes’ button.  The module will be resized to show the included Required/Mandatory attributes and the optional included attributes.  The Required/Mandatory cannot be removed (no check box).  However, the optional attributes can be ‘unchecked’ to profile them from the Feature Type.  It is important to remember that the determination of the Required/Mandatory versus Optional is based on the Parent (for all its attributes).  All locally added (Extended) attributes will be optional.

The function of the ‘Discard Changes’ button remains the same.  The ‘Update Included Attributes’ will add or removed attributes based on what is included in the checkboxes.  The ‘Collapse Attribute List’ button remains unchanged (the attributes disappear).  The ‘Edit Individual Attributes’ allows for modification of certain attributes within the entire attribute list.  Note also that the <Extend> button is activated.  Clicking it will allow for the addition of new attributes (this will be covered later).

Clicking the ‘Edit Individual Attribute’ button will display the module on the image below.

This module shows a list of all of the attributes (in alphabetical order) and the form where alterations in the attributes can be made.  To alter an attribute, simply click on the name in the list.

For SDSFIE 3.0, only the name may be modified.  The Data Type, Character Length (for strings), the definition, and the Constraint (enumeration) are fixed.  The Required/Mandatory checkbox is included as an indicator ONLY.

Here the Attribute Name may be changed, if permitted by the Service Lead.  Clicking ‘Save Changes to the Attribute’ will save the change and cause the form to disappear.

Attributes may be added to a Feature Type, again if permitted, by clicking the <Extend> button on the Toolbar.  

This will cause the module (below) to appear.  It looks very much the same as the Attribute modification module, simply for familiarity.

Adding an Attribute requires:

An Attribute Name – this must be unique within the Feature Type,

A Data Type from the drop down – the selections include numbers and character string (including “memo”)  Normal “String” data type requires a specified length to be applied to the field.

A Definition – as in the case of extended Feature Types, the definition is extremely important.  It is the interpretation of this definition by the “approver” that may decide if the adaptation is approved.  Vague or just plain silly definitions are NOT acceptable.  If you need to store the data, you should be able to define it.

A Constraint – in most cases this will be blank.  If an enumeration type is entered, a series of values will be required to be entered in a separate module.  

A ‘Required’ check box – this will not only apply to your Adaptation, but to all children derived from this adaptation.