Creating Mappings (Evaluation Guide)

Go Up to Session 4: Creating a Conceptual Model Diagram (Evaluation Guide)

A Mapping defines the transformation/association/semantic link between model layers. For example: Subject Area -> Conceptual Model -> Logical Data Model -> Physical Data Model. In an Entity/Relationship data model, we would say that a logical entity is “mapped” to a physical table when a Logical Model is forward engineered to create a physical model. Similarly, a Subject Area can be mapped to one or many Business Entities or Conceptual Diagrams.

An example of how objects are mapped from the Conceptual to Physical layers is shown in the following graphic:

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You can map a Subject Area to one or more Conceptual Model diagrams. In this portion of the session we are going to create another Conceptual diagram and map the Shipping Process Subject Area in our first diagram to the newly created diagram.

1 In the Model View tree, right-click the model node labeled ”Sales” and select New>Diagram.

2 Name the new diagram “Sales Components Part Two”, leave the default location of “Sales” and click OK.

3 Place two entities in this diagram and name them “Products” and “Shipping”

4 In the Diagram View area, click the tab labeled “Sales Components” and right-click in the “Sales” Subject Area.

5 Select Create Mapping from the shortcut menu and the Create Mappings dialog opens.

6 Select “Sales Components Part Two” and the two entities “Products” and Shipping and click OK.

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7 You can view the results of your diagram mapping several ways: via the shortcut menu of the Subject Area, via the shortcut menu in the diagram, or in the Property View of the subject area.

• Right-click in the Sales Subject Area in the first diagram and select Diagram Mappings from the shortcut menu. The pull-right displays the diagram you just mapped.
• Double-click the Sales Subject Area to open the Property View and click the Mappings tab.

Notice that the two entities “Account” and “Customer” are also showing as mapped. This is because once you place entities in a subject area; they are automatically mapped to that subject area. The “Products” and “Shipping” entities are mapped as well because they are on the “Sales Components Part Two diagram.”