Datagroup column inheritance in the IUIE

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Overview

In IUIE, datagroup column definitions can inherit from another datagroup column. This makes it easy to maintain duplicate column instances in multiple datagroups from a single (parent) column definition. A column can inherit:

  • Label
  • Data Type
  • E-mail address indicator
  • Date Display Format
  • Size
  • Description

A column's Sequence Number, Technical Name, and Nullability are specific to each instance of the column, and cannot be inherited. Also, the parent column may have a different Technical Name from the child column. For example, a column named STU_PRSN_ID may be defined to inherit from a column named PRSN_UNIV_ID.

TEST vs. PROD column inheritance

If a datagroup has a PROD status, its columns can only inherit their definitions from the PROD version of their parent column's datagroup. Columns of TEST datagroups can inherit from:

  • The TEST version of the parent column's datagroup, if a TEST version of the parent's datagroup exists
  • The PROD version of the parent column's datagroup, if a TEST version of the parent's datagroup does not exist

You can set column inheritance by:

Set or view the parent column of a datagroup column

To set the parent column of a datagroup column:

  1. Search for or navigate to the datagroup of the column you want to inherit from.
  2. From the Manage tab on the catalog, click Edit Publishing Details.
  3. In the Edit Publishing Details menu, click Columns.
  4. Scroll to the desired column, and then click the Edit Column action icon.
  5. Check inherit. Parent "Datagroup/Column" input boxes will appear, and inherited attributes will be disabled.
  6. To proceed, either:
    • Enter the technical names of the parent datagroup/column from which to inherit the current column. From the Edit Column page, click Save.
    • Click View Related Columns, and then select the parent column from which to inherit. This will display a list of Related Column Definitions. (This method works only if the desired parent column has the same technical name as the child, or is related through some other inheritance relationship.)
      1. Click the radio button for the column definition you would like, and then click Select.
      2. If multiple columns match the selected definition, a list of match columns will appear. Click the radio button next to the column you would like as the parent column, and then click Select. From the Edit Column page, click Save.

        If only one column matches the definition you selected, you will be returned to the Edit Column page with the selected parent Datagroup/Column name filled in.

Note:
You may return to the Edit Column page to verify that the changes were applied, and that the inherited attributes (label, date format, datatype, length, email-addr-indicator, and description) of the parent column were applied to the child column.

Set or view the child columns of a datagroup column

This method only works if the parent and child columns have the same technical name, or are related through another column inheritance relationship.

To set the child columns of a datagroup column:

  1. Search for or navigate to the datagroup of the column for which you want to define child columns.
  2. From the Manage tab on the catalog, click Edit Publishing Details.
  3. In the Edit Publishing Details menu, click Columns.
  4. Scroll to the desired column, and then click Set/View Inheritance.
  5. Check the boxes for the columns you want to be inherited.
  6. Click Update.

You can verify the inheritance by returning to the "Set/View Inheritance" page.

This is document avwq in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2021-09-20 16:42:20.