Relationship
Go Up to Conceptual Model Elements
Relationships can only be defined between common object types. For example two business entities can have a relationship, but a business entity and a subject area cannot.
You can set Relationship properties using the Property View. These properties include the following:
- You can add verb and inverse verb phrases which are then displayed in the Diagram View.
- You can set the optionality of the relationship.
- You can choose one of four different relationship types:
- Generic ( ). You can customize the end points using the Line Display Options in the Appearance tab of the Property View.
- Many-to-Many ()
- Many-to-One ()
- One-to-Many ()
- The selection you make is reflected on the beginning and ending indicator on the relationship.
- You can set line style, line width, and source/target decorator size for the Relationship in the Property View under the Appearance tab.
- You can also set global preferences for all the line display options in the Preferences.
The following diagram shows a one-to-many relationship with an optionality setting of Mandatory to Optional between two related Business Entities.
Setting the Optionality of a Relationship
Split-line notation appears when you set source/target optionality on a Conceptual Model relationship. The line display depends on the optionality selected for the relationship. The following options are available:
- Optional to Mandatory
- Mandatory to Optional
- Optional
- Mandatory
To set the optionality of a relationship
- 1 In the Diagram View, double-click the Relationship to open the Property View.
- OR
- 2 Select the Relationship Type from the drop down list and the Relationship display in the Diagram View changes to reflect the type chosen.
- 3 Select the Optionality from the drop-down list and the split-line notation displayed reflect the optionality chosen.
- 4 You can customize the end points using the Line Display Options in the Appearance tab of the Property View.