Guide to Editing Your Data Model -- RIB v. 3.0

Use of this guide assumes some familiarization with data models, especially those that are object oriented. At the minimum, the user should be familiar with the Basic Interoperability Data Model (BIDM), which serves as the default data model for RIB. For the purposes of this document, it is assumed that the Simplified BIDM data model was chosen as the data model for your repository. For more information, use the Help tab on the RIB administration interface.

1. Use the main RIB password, logon to the RIB administrator's management page in your web browser. Make sure that the left-hand menu box contains the following text: "Go to the administration page for" and make sure the right-hand menu box contains the name of the repository that you want to administrate.

2. Click on the Go button.

3. You should now be looking at the administrative interface for the repository you want to administrate (the name of the repository will appear in the upper left corner). Click on the tab labeled Repository Properties.

4. Select "Data Model Editor" in the Action menu list. Notice in the directory tree that appears that there are three sub-folders under the RigObject folder (Attributes, Relationships, Subclasses). The BIDM consists of four subclasses (Asset, Element, Library, and Organization), which are sub-folders under the Subclasses folder. However, since you selected the Simplified BIDM, only the Asset and Organization subclasses are available for editing.

6. The Asset subclass folder contains the attributes that describe the object (software, etc.) you are creating. Double-click the Asset folder, and then double-click the Attributes folder. Attributes are the fields (e.g., abstract, cost, etc.) that are contained in the data model to describe your object.

7. The domain sub-folder under the Attributes folder contains the hierarchical breakdown or classification scheme used by the data model. Double-click the Domain folder to modify its contents.

8. To begin editing the RIB default data model, open up the appropriate folder or subfolder and left-click the desired attribute or relationship you wish to edit.

9. To access the edit menu, right click on the selected attribute or relationship. A list of options will appear.

10. Description is a brief sentence that describes the attribute. Alternate name is the name of the "Attribute" as you want it to appear in the catalog. For example, entering "Price" in the Alternate name box for "Cost" will cause the "Cost" field to appear as "Price" in the catalog (the actual Attribute name will still be "Cost" in the data model). Status is whether the attribute is required or is optional. Display determines whether you want the attribute to appear in the catalog or not. Cardinality determines whether multiple instances of the attribute are allowed. For example, if the object you are describing has two or more unique identifiers, you might change the "UniqueID" attribute to "multiple". Data type is the type of input syntax allowed for the attribute (e.g., text, url, e-mail, etc.). See the appropriate folder from the Help tab for more information on Add a vocabulary term. The Delete this attribute choice is self-explanatory. Make the desired changes to the attributes.

11. Follow the same procedure for editing other parts of the data model.

12. To create a new attribute, right-click on the Attributes folder. To create a new subclass, right-click on the Subclasses folder, etc.

13. New attributes, relationships, and subclasses can be created but should be done with caution. Customizing a standardized data model like the BIDM restricts the interoperability of your repository unless the same modifications are made to the repository or repositories you wish to interoperate with. Also, the data model should be edited before creating any assets. Changing the data model while in the middle of creating an asset will cancel the new asset creation. Also, any changes to the data model once an asset or assets have already been created may also affect those assets created or modified prior to the data model change (e.g. deleting the Abstract attribute from the data model will result in the loss of the attribute field in all previously created assets).

14. After you have completed editing the data model, click the "Save" button. You will be asked to confirm your desire to save the data model.

15. Congratulations! You have successfully edited the data model.