This page is for application designers and data modellers working on an ERD. It explains how to edit the properties of tables and their attributes.

Editing a Table

To change table details:

1. In the ERD, to open a table's properties:
   • either click on the table header bar
   • or in the table header bar, click  More Options and select  Edit.
2. PhixFlow opens the table properties; see Table for details about the options.

Editing Attributes

To change attribute details:

1. In an ERD:
   • in the table, click an attribute listed in the table
   • alternatively, open the table properties. In the Attributes section, double-click on an attribute name.
2. PhixFlow opens the attribute properties; see Attribute for details about the options.

Things you might want to edit for an attribute:

• Change the attribute name
  Update the Basic Settings → Name field and click  Apply and Close to save.
  
  

• Change the data type
  You may need to do this if there is a change in the data or the wrong type was initially applied.
  Click the Basic Settings → Type field drop-down and select a type from the list; see Understanding Data Types.

  You can only change the data type for an attribute when it contains no data. If your attribute already contains data, see Clearing and Loading Data in an ERD.

• Adding an expression
  In an attribute you can add a script that affects the attribute data using the Basic Settings → Expression field; see Expressions and PhixScripts, Expression Basics and Functions. You can:

  • check data in the attribute, for example to validate a value is present

  • process data, for example, to convert values to uppercase

  • populate an attribute with data, for example to set a fixed string value