Meta-Properties

The Meta-Properties dialog box lets you manage CAD metadata and user-defined properties.

To display this dialog box, click Manage Meta-Properties in the Properties pane toolbar.

The following topics are discussed:

General Information

Meta-properties have a number of similarities with regular properties.

  • View and edit meta-properties in the Properties pane. CAD metadata and user-defined properties are listed under User properties.
  • Change meta-property values as needed in views or during animations.
  • Meta-property definitions and neutral values are stored in Composer .smgXml files. Meta-property values for views and animations are stored in .smgView and .smgSce files, respectively.

Create user-defined properties to add complementary information to products.

For metadata from customer systems, such as PLM environments, a Composer integration is required to extract the correct metadata. Create an XML file to describe your meta-properties (see Example XML Description below).

Creation of Meta-Properties

To create a meta-property, click . In the Create meta-property dialog box, type the property name and click OK.

Note: Meta-properties must have a "Meta." prefix. The prefix is added automatically when you create a meta-property from this dialog box. If you create XML to import meta-properties, ensure that the property names start with "Meta.".

Deletion of Meta-Properties

To delete a meta-property, click , select the meta-property to delete, click and then click Yes.

Warning: Deleting a meta-property removes the property from all actors.

Definition

Command Name Description
Name Shows the name of the meta-property you are creating, or an existing meta-property you selected by clicking .

Notes:

  • A meta-property name can only contain Latin alphanumeric characters.
  • You cannot modify the definition of existing meta-properties. When you select an existing meta-property, all fields are read-only.
  • For technical illustrations generated in the CGM format, and compliant with the S1000D 4.x standard, CGM_ApplicationStructureIdent, CGM_ApplicationStructureName, CGM_Id, and CGM_hotspotTitle specify the value used in the XML companion file for the corresponding attribute of the hotspot element. See Options Tab.
Label Specifies the name of the meta-property without the "Meta." prefix.

Note: The label corresponds to the text that is displayed in Composer wherever the meta-property is used (Properties pane, workshops, etc.). You can use non-Latin alphanumeric characters for this label.
Type Specifies the property data type, which determines the values you can assign the property. Select one of the following:
  • String
  • Bool (Boolean true or false)
  • Int (integer)
  • Float (floating point number)
  • Date
  • Color
Animatable Allows the meta-property to change during animations. The Properties pane marks properties that cannot be animated with .
Mergeable Specifies the property is mergeable. When cleared, Composer hides the property with merging actors with different property values.
Visible Displays the property in the Properties pane.
Unit (Available when Type is Int or Float.) Specifies the units for integer and floating-point properties.
Bounded (Available when Type is Int or Float.) Specifies minimum (Min) and maximum (Max) values for integer and floating-point properties.

Property

Command Name Description
Include the meta-property to the selection Adds the new meta-property to the selected actors.

Example XML Description

The following example shows meta-property definitions defined in a .smgXml file.

Note: Meta-property names must have a Meta. prefix.

<Server Type="PropertyDefinitions"> <MetaProperties> <Meta Name="Meta.Description" Type="String" DefaultLabel="Description" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> <Meta Name="Meta.PartNumber" Type="String" DefaultLabel="PartNumber" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> <Meta Name="Meta.Revision" Type="String" DefaultLabel="Revision" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> </MetaProperties> </Server> ...... ...... <Actor.Name Value="F0189-CAGE-E1.1"/> <Meta.PartNumber Value= "67725" /> <Meta.Revision Value=" 1.a "/>

You can also store Meta-property definitions in separate .smgMeta files to facilitate reuse. For example, a .smgXml file can reference a meta-property definition file: <Server Type="PropertyDefinitions" FileName="metas.smgMeta"/> where metas.smgMeta contains: <MetaProperties> <Meta Name="Meta.Description" Type="String" DefaultLabel="Description" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> <Meta Name="Meta.PartNumber" Type="String" DefaultLabel="PartNumber" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> <Meta Name="Meta.Revision" Type="String" DefaultLabel="Revision" Mergeable="1" AnimAble="1" VizAble="1" VizOrder="-1"/> </MetaProperties>

Note: The data-path mechanism is used to locate external meta-property files. See Data Paths.