Concepts: properties
Properties are the individual values that describe an object. Many properties
are created by the system when an object is created.
Some of the behaviors of properties are:
- They are based on a property
template which you create by running
the Property Template wizard. You can then assign the new property to
one or more classes where they become properties of that class and consequently
become properties of instances of that class.
- When assigned to a document class, new documents (including each new document
version) based on that class each inherit the property and each document version
could potentially be assigned different values for that property. In other
words, a property of the class does not hold a single value that would automatically
apply to all members of a version series.
- They hold values. For example, a Customer Name property might have the value
"John Smith."
- They must be of a certain data type.
For example, an integer type property can only hold a value that is an integer.
- They are either system (or built-in) properties: defined in the database
schema by Content Engine's installation program; or are custom
properties: created after installation by the system administrator, by an
application, or (depending on the exposed features of the application) by
end-users. Enterprise Manager displays system and custom properties differently.
See Feature AddOns for more information about the custom properties which are added or modified
by AddOns.
- They can be marked as "hidden", thereby providing a hint to an
application like Workplace not to display the property to end-users. In Enterprise Manager, a "hidden" property will not be listed along
with other properties until you specifically ask the user interface to display
those properties marked as hidden.
- You can also create association
properties so that two properties in two different classes are associated
in some defined way.
- You can specify whether a value is required or optional.
- Some properties are editable, while some that are required by the system
are not.
- Normally, setting or modifying a property requires some access right to
the object to which the property belongs. However, properties contain a modification
access mask which you can optionally use to assign additional security
to individual properties. See Property modification access for more information.
- You can view or modify
an object's properties by using the property's property sheet.
Enterprise Manager gives you full administrative control over properties
(create, delete, assign).