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Reference

Exploring the Object Model Using an Object Model Diagram

The APM object model defines:
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The types of business objects in the system (such as assets and work orders)
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What properties the objects have
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How the objects are related to each other
Object model diagrams allow you to explore the APM systems and classes and provide a graphical representation of their relationships to each other. If you will be customizing the system or creating reports, table configurations, or performance indicators, you can use model diagrams to learn about the classes and relationships that you are working with. The diagrams can also be copied into other applications or printed for a hard copy reference.
For an introduction to Object Model Diagrams, see Object Model Diagram Overview.
You must be logged in with APM administrator rights in order to access the Customization Center view and object model diagrams.
This topic demonstrates how:
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To Create an Object Model Diagram
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To Create a Custom Class From Within an Object Model Diagram
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To Show and Hide Relationships
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To Rearrange and Resize Objects
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To Delete Objects
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To Add a Note to an Object Model Diagram
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To Copy and Print an Object Model Diagram

To Create an Object Model Diagram

You can build an object model diagram from scratch, or you can use one of the several object model diagrams provided with APM, as a basis for a diagram. Although the APM-supplied diagrams are read-only, you can right-click the diagram and select Copy to create a custom diagram based on the original. APM-supplied diagrams are found on the Object Model Diagrams, APM tab of the Customization Center.
This topic describes how to build an object model diagram from scratch.
1.
From the Enterprise, select the Customization Center view and then the Object Model Diagrams tab.
2.
Select the Custom tab. This tab lists all custom object model diagrams in the enterprise.
3.
Click New. The diagram’s Properties dialog appears.
4.
Enter a name for the diagram and then click OK. The Diagram window appears.
5.
Click to add a class to the diagram. The Show Class dialog appears.
Tip: You can also right-click a blank area of the diagram and select Show Class.
Note: The CustomerData system includes all custom classes created in APM.
6.
Select a system from the list. All APM classes for the selected system are available. For example, the MaintenanceManagement system includes classes relating to asset maintenance:
7.
Select a class from the list and click OK. The class appears on the diagram. For example:
8.
Right-click the class and select Relationships, then Show, and then select a relationship from the list. For example, select the Site relationship. The relationship is displayed on the diagram:
Tip: You can also click the chevron icon in the relationship box to expand it and display the type of relationship. For example:
Tip: From a class, you can expand its components and then expand the Relationships header to display all relationships in the class. For some classes, the list of relationships are extensive, therefore after all necessary relationships are displayed on the diagram, you can right-click Relationships in the class box and choose Only Show Drawn Relationships to toggle the list from showing all to only drawn relationships. For example:
Tip: For more information about relationships types and what they mean, see Relationship Types.
9.
Right-click the class header and select Show Inherited Members to show attributes, relationships, methods, and views that are inherited from the base class. These members appear in green. For example:
10.
To show a class and its connection to its base class, right-click the class header and select Show Base. The base class is displayed on the diagram with a green, dotted arrow joining the class to its base class. For example:
Tip: You can toggle displaying the base class connection by right-clicking the class and selecting Show Base. Likewise, you can toggle displaying the class from which a class was derived, by right-clicking the class, selecting Show Derived, and selecting the class from the list.
11.
You can display the inverse relationship by selecting the relationship, and then selecting Show Inverse. The direction of the relationship connector is reversed. For example:
12.
Sometimes, objects in a class need to relate to other objects of the same class. For more information, see To Show and Hide Relationships.
13.
Double-click a class header to open its window in ObjectQuest. From here you can view information about an APM or custom class, and edit information for a custom class.
Tip: You can also right-click a class header and select Open.
14.
Repeat steps 5 to 13 for each class and relationship you want to add to the diagram.
Tip: As the number of objects on the diagram increases, you might want to adjust the objects to suit your preference. For more information, see To Rearrange and Resize Objects.
15.
When you are finished, close the Class window.
16.
When you are finished with your diagram, save and close it.
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To Create a Custom Class From Within an Object Model Diagram

Custom classes can be created directly from within an object model diagram, rather than through the ObjectQuest user interface. Note that the system must first be locked for customization before a custom class can be created from within the diagram. After the class is created, it is included in the diagram.
The following describes how to create a custom class from within an object model diagram.
1.
On the Customization Center view, select the Classes tab, and then click Lock for Customization.
2.
On the Customization Center view, select the Object Model Diagrams tab, and then double-click to open an object model diagram from the list.
3.
Make sure that editing is enabled.
4.
Right-click on a blank area of the diagram and select New Custom Class, and then select either From Scratch or Based on APM Class.
5.
If you selected Based on APM Class, select the class from the list and click OK.
6.
The New Class dialog appears. Complete the steps required to create a new custom class. For more information, see Adding a New Custom Class.
7.
When you are finished, click OK to save the class and close the New Class dialog. The class is saved to the CustomerData system and appears on the diagram.
8.
Repeat steps 4 to 7 for each new class.
9.
When you are finished, save and close the diagram.
10.
On the Customization view, Classes tab, click Unlock System.
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To Show and Hide Relationships

A relationship is hidden if the object has a relationship to another object within the same class. For example, if the asset is a component location. A relationship can also be hidden if a related object is displayed on the diagram yet the relationship has not been mapped on the diagram. For example, both the Asset and Site classes are displayed separately yet neither has “Show Relationship” selected to join it to the other object.
You can also hide a relationship on a diagram.
The following describes how to show and hide relationships in an object modeling diagram.
1.
Open the object model diagram.
2.
Make sure that editing is enabled.
3.
To show a hidden relationship, right-click the class header and select Relationships, then Show Hidden, then select a class from the list. For example:
4.
To hide a relationship from the diagram, right-click the relationship and select Hide. The relationship is hidden from the diagram.
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To Rearrange and Resize Objects

When objects are added to the object model diagram, they are placed automatically by the software. Because diagrams can include many objects, they might need to be rearranged to suit your preference.
The following describes how to move and resize objects in an object model diagram.
1.
Open the object model diagram.
2.
Make sure that editing is enabled.
3.
Select an object that you want to move. Green handles appear on each corner and mid-point. For example:
Tip: Multiple objects can be selected by clicking the first object, pressing and holding Shift, and then clicking the other objects.
4.
Drag the object to a new position and release. The object is moved.
Note: From time to time, connector lines might overlap. You can drag an object to a different location and the connector lines readjust automatically.
5.
To resize an object, select a handle on the selected object. The cursor changes into an arrow. For example:
6.
Drag the arrow in the direction that you want the change and release when you are finished. The object is resized.
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To Delete Objects

Objects can be removed from an object model diagram at any time. Deleted objects are only removed from the diagram and are not physically removed from the database.
The following describes how to remove objects from an object modeling diagram.
1.
Open the object model diagram.
2.
Make sure that editing is enabled.
3.
Select the object that you want to remove and press Delete. The object is removed from the diagram.

To Add a Note to an Object Model Diagram

You can add descriptive and explanatory notes to object model diagrams. These notes are not specifically attached to an object in the diagram, and therefore can be placed anywhere within the diagram.
The following describes how to add and remove a note from an object model diagram.
1.
Open the object model diagram.
2.
Make sure that editing is enabled.
3.
Click . A yellow box predefined with the words New Note appears.
Tip: You can also right-click a blank area of the diagram and select Create Note.
4.
Click in the box and replace its contents with your own text. For example:
Note: Notes are not directly connected to objects on the diagram, therefore it is recommended that the note be positioned near the object that it references.
Tip: You can resize the comment to view all of its contents. For more information, see To Rearrange and Resize Objects.
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To Copy and Print an Object Model Diagram

All or parts of an object model diagram can be copied to the Windows® clipboard so that it can be pasted into other applications. A diagram may also be printed to provide a hard copy reference.
1.
Open the object model diagram.
2.
Select the object(s) that you want to copy to the clipboard and then click . You can now paste the clipboard contents into another Windows® application.
Tip: If you do not select any objects in the diagram, all objects in the diagram are copied to the clipboard.
3.
Click to print the object model diagram. The Print dialog appears.
4.
Select the printer and settings and then click OK. The diagram is sent to the printer. For more information, see Printing Documents.
5.
When you are finished, close the diagram.