Checking Out Repository Items

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Checking out write enables items previously added to the Repository, such a diagram, model, submodel, data model object, Data Dictionary, Data Dictionary object, and data source/target. The procedure to check out an item from the Repository is basically the same for all object types.

Note: Checking out an item that is already checked out synchronizes the local version of the item with the Repository version.

  1. Open a Repository diagram; a diagram that was previously added to the Repository.
  2. Click the item you want to check out or CTRL-click several items to check out more than one.
  3. Right-click and select Check Out.
    Depending on what you have selected; the check out option on the short menu may be Check Out Diagram, Check Out Model, Check Out Submodel, Check Out Object(s), Check Out Data Dictionary, Check Out Data Dictionary Object(s), Check Out Source/Target or Check Out Data Flow.
    Note: Checking out the Data Dictionary also checks out any Data Movement Rules defined on the Data Lineage tab.
  4. Complete the Repository Check Out dialog as required and then click OK to initiate the check out process.
    The following describe options that require additional explanation:
    • Synchronize with latest Repository diagram data: Lets you synchronize your diagram data with the Repository's diagram data. For example, if an item is in a different location or has a different background color in the Repository version than in your version, you can update your diagram with the information from the Repository. In general, the check out operation finishes more quickly if you do not select this option; select this option only if you want to retrieve the very latest version of the Objects from the Repository.
    • Check out Exclusively: If selected, lets you check out an item with exclusive rights. This restricts any other user from checking out the item while you have the item checked out. You are the only who modify the item and submit the data to the Repository.

When you check out an item exclusively, other users have read-only and/or 'Delayed Check Out' access while the objects are checked out. If submodel A and submodel B share an object and user A exclusively checks out submodel A, then user B would not be able to exclusively checkout submodel B.

Notes

  • If you check out a parent item that has a lot of relationships, the relationship-dependent items will also be checked out.
  • You cannot check out an item exclusively if another user has it checked out. You can find out who has an item checked out, by right-clicking the item, selecting Version History, and then clicking the CheckOut Status tab.
  • If you do not select check out exclusively, but attempt to add an object to a model, you will be prompted to check out the model exclusively.
  • Working locally, if you check an object out of the Repository, ER/Studio Data Architect saves a writable copy to your local machine. If you then disconnect from the Repository you can still make changes before checking back in your work. When you reconnect to the Repository, you will still have the objects checked out. For your changes to commit, you need to log in to the Repository and check in your changes.
  • Instead of checking out an entire diagram, you can get single object or multiple objects.
  • When you check out an object, object structural and Referential Integrity (RI) dependencies are also checked out. This means that you will get the latest versions of all dependencies as well.
  • The Repository Check Out operation is the same for diagrams and objects. The menu varies depending on what you select in the Data Model Explorer.
  • Multiple users can have the same object checked out simultaneously.
  • If your modeling team has fairly segregated tasks, then an exclusive check out is recommended. For example, you may have several submodels of a model that are being worked on by different modelers. If you check out the entire submodel exclusively, other users will be prevented from using elements of that submodel that are present in other submodels. For example, if submodel A and B share the object "PARTY", submodel B cannot be checked out exclusively if submodel A was checked out exclusively.
  • You can check out an entire diagram from the Repository. When you do so, the diagram data dictionary is also checked out.
  • Checking out at the diagram level is faster than checking out individual objects because ER/Studio does not have to process the selected objects to ensure that related objects are also selected for checkout. This would be most obvious during an unsynchronized checkout. It is also true for synchronized checkouts as well as checkins, but because those operations perform a get latest option as part of the process, the effect is less obvious.
  • You can check out an individual data dictionary object. If the data dictionary object is not bound to any attributes, you can check out or check in the data dictionary object without affecting the diagram. If the data dictionary object is bound to an attribute, and changes to the data dictionary object affect the attribute, then the attribute is marked for a delayed check out.

See Also