Version of this post: 0.3
The first document tries to give a representation of the Flex Family meta-model.
the second one gives an exemple of implemation of a specific Data Model.
It’s basic at this stage, and I’ll document more in depth, especially for the mapping between meta-model and a Custom model to be implemented.
A clear understanding of Flex Family is important in data Modeling, especially, the metamodel is useful to give ideas on relationship cardinality between entities
The document can be used as a base for a skills transfert to a partner, for instance, or in the context of a workshop with a customer.
A Flex Family allows implementing a functional domain. We can say that, given a Conceptual model to be implemented, we’ll use the Flex Family Maker which allows as many entities as needed through the concept of Asset and Parent Asset.
Physically, we must be aware that numerous relationnal tables can be generated during this process in the underlying database.
Rules that can be deduced from the model
- A flex family can have one or more Parent Definition Asset Type.
- A Definition Asset Type is a container for Parent Asset Type and Asset Type
- The different Parent dDefinitions are visible in the scope of a Parent definition Type
- A Parent Asset Type is a Container for Asset Type
- We can define multiple Asset type inside a parent Asset Type
- An asset type is in the scope of one and only one Parent Asset Type
- It’s possible to create multiple Definition Asset Type within a Parent definition Asset Type
- A Definition Asset (Created with start menu) is attached to one and only one Definition Asset Type
- An Asset Type is in the scope of one and only one Parent Asset Type
Other observations
- A Definition Asset (created with a start menu) acts as a subtype for an Asset Type
- The scope of a Definition Asset is the Parent Definition Type. That means that a given Definition Asset will not be usable for an Asset Type defined in an other Parent Definition Type of the same Flex Family.
- A Parent Asset Type acts as scope of valid values for a parent during contribution
- A Parent asset instance is created in contribution mode.
- An Asset instance is created in contribution mode. If some parents are defined in the choosed Definition Asset, then the values proposed (in a drop Box for instance) will be in the scope of the Parent Asset Type owner of the given Asset Type . It can be a way to implement a filter for allowed values of parents. (Note: a sample will be given later)
- Each new object (Parent Definition Asset Type, Definition Asset Type, Asset Type, Parent Asset Type, Definition Asset Type) results in the creation of 9 to 11 tables
