Creating Models › Creating a Physical Model › Columns › Table Column Editor › Define General Column Properties

Define General Column Properties

Use the General tab in the Table Column Editor to manage the domain, primary key, and logical or physical model display properties for the selected column.

To define general column properties

1. Right-click the column in the Model Explorer that you want to define and click Properties.

   The Table Column Editor opens.

2. Work with the following options:

   Physical Name

   Displays the physical column name. You can change the column name in this field using in-place editing.

   Domain Parent

   Displays the current parent domain. You can change the domain using the drop-down control.

   Physical Data Type

   Specifies the physical data type for the column. You can change the data type using the drop-down. The drop-down list contains the data types related to the current domain.

   Primary Key

   Lets you specify that the selected column is the primary key (PK) column. Select the check box to set this property.

   Physical Only

   Specifies to include the selected column in the physical model only. You can clear this check box to have a corresponding attribute for this column in the logical model. If you are working with a physical-only model and select this check box, when you derive a new logical-only model, the selected attributes will not appear in the new model.

3. Click the General tab and work with the following options:

   Domain Parent

   Lets you select a domain from the list to attach it to the selected column. The Domain Parent option contains a toolbar that includes the following options:

   

   Lets you specify to sort the list of domains alphabetically, in reverse alphabetical order, or by domain hierarchy.

   

   Restores inheritance from definition. If this column is a FK, the domain may be inherited or overridden to a different domain.

   

   Opens the Domain Editor in physical edit mode.

   Physical Name

   Displays the physical name. You can change the name in this field or click the Text Editor button to open a larger edit window.

   Physical Data Type

   Specifies the physical data type for the column. You can change the data type using the drop-down. The drop-down list contains the data types related to the current domain.

   Null Option

   Displays the column null option. You can change the null option using the drop-down control. You can also click the Inheritance button to either inherit or override the column's null option. This button changes to provide you with a visual cue of the current inheritance setting for the column null option.

4. Click Close.

   General properties are set and the Table Column Editor closes.