Model Browser

Display

The Model Browser displays information about a model metadata that has either been stored in a file locally or has been stored in the server database. The model metadata is displayed depending on the view that is chosen and on the Metadata Names and Computed Names flags in the View menu.

The following diagram shows an example of a model.

A view of a model in the model browser

In the above figure a primary key attribute is selected for viewing and its properties are displayed in the Attributes panel, in the right half of the window. Each object in the model browser possesses an icon that indicates the type. Here the view of the model is using the IDEF1X methodology. The object is an attribute. The datatype and relationships associated with this attribute are displayed when the tree for the attribute is expanded.

View

The model may be viewed using one of the several supported viewing formats, these formats correspond to the different modeling tools supported by the product:

• UML/IDEF1X - this is a view of the neutral metadata representation of Meta Integration Technology, Inc.,
• UML - a view of the model where object names correspond to the UML modeling standard,
• IDEF1X - a view of the model corresponding to the IDEF1X standard,
• RDBMS - a view of the model corresponding to a database schema,
• XML - a view of the model where object names correspond to the XML standard.

The Preferences window has a tab for the Model Browser allowing you to choose which default view you want to use when displaying a model.

This option is also located in the Model Browser menu, in the main menu bar, to dynamically change the view for this instance of the Model browser.

A view of a model in the model browser

Data Query Tool

The Data Query tool allows the querying of data associated with the model. This tool is available in each Model Browser window. It can be launched by either, selecting Data Query from the Model Browser menu in the menu bar, or while browsing a class (entity) or an attribute, by selecting the Query entry in the popup menu.

A view of the Data Query and the Model Browser.

With the Data Query tool, a where clause may be built in the Filter tab, using the where clause editor section of the Model Mapper.

A view of the Data Query and the Model Browser.

Before executing the query, a connection must be created. Connections are created or edited using either the New or Edit buttons in the Connections tab. A dialog box is displayed that allows you to enter the information that is needed to connect to the data store.

A view of the Data Query and the Model Browser.

The connection has a Name.

The tool provides several connection types:

• ODBC connection to query a RDBMS database:
  • The Data Query uses a ODBC Data Connector to connect to the data store.
    The Library parameter contains MIDBODBCconnector.
  • Location is the DSN to use to connect to the database.
  • Login is the username to use to connect to the database.
  • Password is the password to use to connect to the database.
• XML connection to query an XML file (if the model represents an XML Schema/DTD):
  • Library contains MIDBXMLConnector,
  • Location needs to be filled with the pathname of the XML file.
• Custom connection (for other data connectors):
  • Library contains the name of the data connector library,
  • The meaning of the other fields depends on the data connector.

After having created or selected the connection, the query may be executed by clicking on the icon. If no errors occurred, the result will appear inside the result view area under the Results tab. To sort a column left click on the column header, for ascending and shift + left click for descending.

The result of the query can be exported to Microsoft Excel by simply clicking on the icon.

To query attributes of a different class, simply drag and drop this class onto the Attributes area in the Filter tab and click on the icon again.