Creating branch values

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The Branch data type is a system-defined enumerated list of values. You can define your own values for this enumeration in the Data Type tab. The branch data type values that you define are available to users in the tree view when they create and modify streams and baselines.

Before you begin

You must have the Configuration Lead role or higher, or Create and modify type definitions privilege for the project area.

About this task

Customize the branch data type by defining values that your team needs to distinguish variant configurations from each other. For example, add branch attribute values to mark the purpose or intent of variant global configurations, such as a Branch attribute with values of US, Japan, and France.

Procedure

  1. Open the Manage Type Definitions page. Click Administration Shows the Administration icon > Manage Type Definitions, and click the Data Types tab.

    You must work in a project area or the Manage Type Definitions option is not available from the Administration icon.

  2. Select Branch.
  3. In the Values table, click Add Value.
  4. Create a branch attribute value.

    To modify a value, click the pencil icon to edit the label, enumeration URI, or value. To remove a value, click the X. Learn about adopting changes made to values after they were added to a global configuration in Adopting changes to attribute and link labels or values.

    Shows where to add a branch value in the Data Types tabShows where to edit a branch value in the Data Types tab

    • Label denotes the label that users see when they set an attribute for a global configuration. The following image shows the labels for US, Japan, and France that users see when they set a branch value for a global configuration in the tree view.

      Shows Branch values of US, Japan, and France in tree view

    • Value is optional. It defines an integer rdf:value in the property definition for an enumerated attribute that might appear in an OSLC resource shape for a global configuration or component.

      If order is important, create the values in the order that you want them displayed or sort the values into the correct order later by using the up and down arrow buttons, which are in the first image.

    • URI provides a consistent URI across project areas. If you do not provide a URI, the system provides a URI that is specific to your project area only and that is not equivalent to the URI for a similar branch value in any other project area, such as a Requirements Management, Quality Management, or Design Management project area. Project-specific URIs make querying and reporting across project areas very difficult. Give enumeration members the same URI in different project areas so that they are equivalent for reporting purposes.

      Example

      A Branch data type has member values of US (rdfs:label of US) with URI http://example.com/enumerated/US, Japan (rdfs:label of Japan) with URI http://example.com/enumerated/Japan, and France (rdfs:label of France) with URI http://example.com/enumerated/France.

      See Linked Data Web (enumerated data types) for detailed information.

What to do next

Tell your team that the new branch attribute values are available for streams and baselines.