Abstract Entity

SAMM supports defining abstract elements (entities and properties) and the concept of inheritance in order to make semantic information reusable. The editor allows to create abstract entities and properties and to declare relationships to inheritance via "extends". See Declaring Entities for more information about abstract entities and properties.

There are two different ways to create an abstract entity:

  • Use drag-and-drop from the Workspace sidebar.

  • Adjust an Entity in the extends field.

Use drag-and-drop from the Workspace sidebar

To add an abstract entity, proceed as follows:

  1. Open the Workspace sidebar.

  2. Drag the Abstract Entity element and drop it to the graph area canvas.

Drag and drop Abstract Entity

Adjust an Entity in the extends field

To select or create an abstract entity in the Edit field of an Entity, proceed as follows:

  1. Double-click the entity or abstract entity that should derive from another entity.

  2. Abstract entity can be created or selected in the "extends" field.

Extends fiels Abstract Entity

Abstract Entities Example

For a new model that only has an Aspect so far:

  1. Create one Property by clicking twice on the Aspect’s Add icon Add icon.

  2. Create one Characteristic by clicking the Add icon Add icon.

  3. Create one Entity by clicking the bottom Add icon Add icon.

  4. Drag and drop an Abstract Entity from the sidebar.

  5. Connect the Abstract Entity with the Entity:

    1. Click the Entity,

    2. Then Ctrl+click the Abstract Entity,

    3. Then click the Connect icon Connect icon on the toolbar.

  6. Click the Format icon Format icon.

→ As a result you have connected the Abstract Entity with the Entity.

Connect Abstract Entity with Entity