Application Class

General Information

The workspace area for the management of Application Classes can be accessed via menu Application Class. Information on the graphical user interface and basic functionalities can be found on page Graphical User Interface and Basic Functions.

The workspace area for the management of Application Classes offers users different functionalities described in brief in the following table as well as in more detail in the next chapters.

Toolbar in Tabular View

Details Page

In order to view more details related to an Application Class, users may open the Application Class in view mode by clicking on it from the tabular view. Note: opening an Application Class in view mode is also possible from the tree view of Application Classes.

The details page of an Application Class is subdivided into different tabs. The visibility and order of the displayed tabs is configurable by users with configuration rights.

Furthermore, custom tabs can be created. The custom tabs allow customers to organize the standard and extended attributes as required by their business use cases.  

Tabs which do not contain any information are grayed out.

The following table gives an overview of the tabs available for an Application Class.

Export

Users may export all or a selection of Application Classes in one of the available export formats.

The following export formats are available:

→ from the tabular view of Application Classes

• DIN 4002

• Spec Sheet XLSX

→ from the tree view of Application Classes

• Spec Sheet XLSX

After defining the export options in the graphical user interface, the user may press the export button and the export will be started in the background. The exported file will be sent per e-mail to the specified e-mail address. 

Export Options DIN4002 Export Format

Through a redesign of the eptos export pages, the external appearance of the exports has now been fully adapted to the defined Usability Guidelines.

This has significantly improved the look and feel of these pages.

In a harmonized DIN 4002 Export dialog the user can save and load favorite dialog settings in tab “Selection of attributes” to access those settings faster instead of selecting them again for each new export.

Export Options Spec Sheet XLSX Export Format

File Format Specification of Export is available on page (6.2) (dicmgr user) Spec Sheet Excel Export (Version 1.1).

Note: in case the exported structure contains Elements that form a loop in the structure, the export detects this infinite loop and, instead of running endlessly, it considers the loop as a content error, highlights the export row in red and indicates to user the message that 'An infinite loop was detected'.

Create

This functionality allows users to create new Application Classes. The Create functionality has two options:

• Create: allows users to create new Application Classes in the hierarchy of Application Classes. An assignment of the newly created Application Class to a Classification Classes (if needed) is done in a later step.

• Create Application Class on CC: allows users to create new Application Classes directly assigned to a Classification Class. The system will create an Application Class in the hierarchy of Application Classes as well as an assignment to the selected Classification Class.

Since Application Classes are hierarchical structures, the first step when creating an Application Class is the selection of its placement in the hierarchy. The new Application Class can be placed on the first level in the hierarchy (in this case the root of Application Classes, i.e. the uppermost folder in the hierarchical view needs to be selected) or on a lower level (in this case a parent Application Class needs to be selected in the hierarchical view).

Note: if all Application Classes in a system are only of the first level, the system can be configured to set the root automatically. In this case, the step of the root selection from hierarchy is skipped and the Create graphical user interface will be displayed on pressing button Create.

After the placement of the Application Class was defined, the user may continue with filling in the attributes of the new Application Class in the Create graphical user interface displayed in the next step.

Mandatory attributes are marked with an asterisk. Non-editable attributes are displayed as read-only. Translatable fields are marked with a country flag.

Note: Application Class(es) have an optional attribute “Class default commercial unit”. This is automatically used by the system in Item Manager on an Item created on this Application Class, as a default setting for Unit attribute of Item for “Basic unit of measure“, tab Basic.

When the work is finished, the user may save the new Application Class as Change Request (using button Save) or directly as structure element (using button Save and Release).

Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

Change Text

This functionality allows users to edit the textual attributes of an Application Class. Mandatory attributes are marked with an asterisk. Non-editable attributes are displayed as read-only. Translatable attributes are marked with a country flag.

When the work is finished, the user may save the changed Application Class as Change Request (using button Save) or directly as structure element (using button Save and Release). 

Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective.  

Delete 

This functionality allows users to delete existing Application Classes.

Note: on deletion, the Application Class will be marked as deprecated, meaning that it is withdrawn from further usage. Deprecated elements are displayed grayed out in the system and they cannot be worked on or used anymore. 

On pressing the Delete button, the system displays the details page of the Application Class selected for deletion. User may check the attributes/relations of the Application Class before proceeding with the deletion. 

The user may confirm the deletion by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the deletion of the Application Class will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the deletion of the Application Class will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the Application Class is immediately withdrawn from further usage and is displayed as inactive within a given release (grayed out). 

Copy

This functionality allows users to create assignments of Application Classes to Classification Classes by means of copy and paste. 

The user may select an Application Class in the tabular view or in the tree view and press button Copy. In the tabular view or tree view of Classification Classes, the user may select a Classification Class where the copied Application Class should be assigned.

Note: The Paste button will appear only if the copied element type is compatible with the selected item (i.e. only if the selected Classification Class allows an assignation of the copied Application Class).

On pressing the Paste button, the system will lead to the Assign Application Class page where user may confirm the assignment by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the assignment of the copied Application Class to the selected Classification Class will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the assignment of the copied Application Class to the selected Classification Class will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the Application Class is immediately connected to the Classification Class.

Clone

This functionality allows users to create new Application Classes using an existing Application Class as master copy. 

The starting point of a clone-action is an existing Application Class. After selection of the Application Class to be used as master copy and pressing button Clone, the system displays the Create graphical user interface, enriched with information copied from the master copy:

• the attributes of the new Application Class are pre-filled with information from the master copy

• the assigned elements (Properties, Block References, Aspects) of the master copy are available in the Create graphical user interface and the user can manage them (remove unneeded elements, add new elements) already in this step

When the work is finished, the user may save the new Application Class as Change Request (using button Save) or directly as structure element (using button Save and Release).

Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

Move 

This functionality allows users to move an Application Class, i.e. to change its parent class. The parent class of an Application Class can be another Application Class or the root of Application Classes.
The feature is available both under list view and tree view.
After the selection of the new parent class, the system displays the move Application Class graphical user interface.
The user may confirm the movement (parent change) by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the movement of the Application Class will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the movement of the Application Class will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the Application Class is immediately moved under its new parent. 

Reactivate

This functionality allows users to reactivate (i.e. to make them available for usage within a certain release) the following elements:

• a deprecated Application Class

• a deprecated assignment of an Aspect to the selected Application Class

• an deprecated assignment of a Property to the selected Application Class

The options in the drop-down button are active only if the selected Application Class meets certain conditions:

• Application Class → the selected Application Class is deprecated

• Aspect assignment → the selected Application Class has at least one deprecated Aspect assignment

• Property assignment → the selected Application Class has at least one deprecated Property assignment

Reactivate Application Class

In order to reactivate a deprecated Application Class, the user needs to select a deprecated Application Class in the tabular view or tree view and press button Reactivate / Application Class.

The system displays the Reactivate graphical user interface, which consists of the detailed view of the selected Application Class. Therefore, user can first check the detailed information of the Application Class before confirming the reactivation by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the reactivation of the Application Class will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the reactivation of the selected Application Class will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the Application Class is immediately activated and can be used.

Reactivate Aspect Assignment

In order to reactivate deprecated Aspect assignments for a specific Application Class, user has to first select the Application Class in the tabular view or tree view and press button Reactivate / Aspect assignment.

Note: the button is active only if the selected Application Class has deprecated Aspect assignments.

In the next step, the system displays a list of Aspects having a deprecated assignment to the selected Application Class. The user can select one or more Aspects and then proceed with the reactivation. 

For the reactivation of Aspect assignments, the Reactivate graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the the details page of the Aspect to be reactivated (in case one single Aspect was selected for the reactivation of its assignment) or the list of Aspects to be reactivated (in case multiple Aspects were selected for the reactivation of their assignment).

The user may confirm the reactivation by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the reactivation of the Aspect assignments will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the reactivation of the Aspect assignments will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Aspects is immediately activated.

Reactivate Property Assignment

In order to reactivate deprecated Property assignments for a specific Application Class, user has to first select the Application Class in the tabular view or tree view and press button Reactivate / Property assignment.

Note: the button is active only if the selected Application Class has deprecated Property assignments.

In the next step, the system displays a list of Properties having a deprecated assignment to the selected Application Class. The user can select one or more Properties and then proceed with the reactivation. 

For the reactivation of Property assignments, the Reactivate graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the list of Properties to be reactivated.

The user may confirm the reactivation by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the reactivation of the Property assignments will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the reactivation of the Property assignments will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Properties is immediately activated.

Assign

The connection between Application Classes and their generic set of properties is called assignment. The properties forming the generic set can be:

• assigned directly to the Application Class

• grouped into Aspects and then assigned to the Application Class via the Aspect

• grouped in Blocks and then assigned to the Application Class via the Block. Note: the assignment of Blocks to Application Classes is done via Block References 

The Assign functionality (Button Assign) groups together all these three options.

Assign Aspect

This functionality allows users to assign one or more Aspects to a selected Application Class. 

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Aspect(s) to be assigned from the list of available Aspects. 

For the assignment of Aspects, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the the details page of the Aspect to be assigned (in case one single Aspect was selected from the list) or the list of Aspects to be assigned (in case multiple Aspects were selected from the list).

The user may confirm the assignment(s) by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the assignment of the Aspect(s) will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the assignment of the Aspect(s) will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Aspects is immediately available.

Assign Block Reference

This functionality allows users to assign one or more Block References to a selected Application Class. 

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Block References to be assigned from the tabular view of available Block References (tabular view filtered on Properties with datatype Reference). 

For the assignment of Block References, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the list of Block References to be assigned.

The user may confirm the assignment(s) by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the assignment of the Block References will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the assignment of the Block Reference(s) will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Block References is immediately available.

Assign Property

This functionality allows users to assign one or more Properties to a selected Application Class. 

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Properties to be assigned from the tabular view of available Properties. 

For the assignment of Properties, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the list of Properties to be assigned.

The user may confirm the assignment(s) by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the assignment of the Properties will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the assignment of the Properties will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Properties is immediately available.

Withdraw

The connection between Application Classes and their generic set of properties is called assignment. The properties forming the generic set can be:

• assigned directly to the Application Class

• grouped into Aspects and then assigned to the Application Class via the Aspect

• grouped in Blocks and then assigned to the Application Class via the Block. Note: the assignment of Blocks to Application Classes is done via Block References 

If the connection of an Application Class to a Property, Aspect or Block Reference is not needed anymore, the assignment can be deprecated using the Withdraw functionality.

The Withdraw functionality (Button Withdraw) groups together all these three options.

Withdraw Aspect

This functionality allows users to deprecate (withdraw from usage) the connection between Aspects and a specific Application Class. 

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Aspect(s) to be withdrawn from the list of the Aspects assigned to the selected Application Class. 

For the withdrawal of Aspects, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the the details page of the Aspect to be withdrawn (in case one single Aspect was selected from the list) or the list of Aspects to be withdrawn (in case multiple Aspects were selected from the list).

The user may confirm the withdrawal by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the withdrawal of the Aspect(s) will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the withdrawal of the Aspect(s) will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Aspects is immediately deprecated and displayed grayed out.

Withdraw Block Reference

This functionality allows users to deprecate (withdraw from usage) the connection between Block References and a specific Application Class. 

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Block Reference(s) to be withdrawn from the list of the Block References assigned to the selected Application Class. 

For the withdrawal of Block References, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the list of Block References to be withdrawn.

The user may confirm the withdrawal by pressing button Save or Save and Release. 

On Save, a Change Request for the withdrawal of the Block References(s) will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the withdrawal of the Block References(s) will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Block References is immediately deprecated and displayed grayed out.

Withdraw Property

This functionality allows users to deprecate (withdraw from usage) the connection between Properties and a specific Application Class.

System checks whether the Property user wants to unassign is in fact valuated in an Item created on the relevant Application Class.

If no Item valuation exists for the Application Class where the Property needs to be withdrawn from, it is possible to withdraw the Property from the Application Class even if there is an Item created on that Application Class.

The starting point of this functionality can be the tabular view or the tree view of Application Classes, where the user can select the Application Class. In the next step, the user can select the Properties to be withdrawn from the list of the Properties assigned to the selected Application Class.

For the withdrawal of Properties, the graphical user interface consists of the details page of the Application Class and the list of Properties to be withdrawn.

The user may confirm the withdrawal by pressing button Save or Save and Release.

On Save, a Change Request for the withdrawal of the Properties will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective.

On Save and Release, the Change Request for the withdrawal of the Properties will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the connection of the Application Classes to the Properties is immediately deprecated and displayed grayed out.

Create Range Constraint

This functionality is available in all classes lists (Application Classes, Blocks and Aspects). It allows users to define range (min/max) constraints for Integer (count) and Real (count) properties used within a Class. 

e.g. In case of cardinality structures used in the context of a specific Application Class, the customer wants to restrict the possible valuations of a block by defining a specific range (e.g. for a car, the number of doors can be for example minimum 2 and maximum 5). 

After pressing the button (Create Range Constraint), the system displays the tree view of classes. Starting point for the creation of range constraints is a Property with datatype Integer (count) and Real (count). 

After selection of the Property the system displays the Create Range Constraint graphical user interface which consists of:

• the details page of the selected Property

• the details page of the Class in which the selected property is used 

• field for entering the Minimum Value for the Property

• field for entering the Maximum Value for the Property

After filling in the desired minimum and maximum Value and entering a Reason, the user may confirm the entered value range via button Save or Save and Release.

On Save, Change Request of type New Range Constraint will be created. Change Requests usually undergo an approval process before they are released and become effective. 

On Save and Release, the Change Request of type New Range Constraint will be automatically executed (released). As a result, the minimum and maximum values are displayed in brackets beside the name of the Property.