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Model Editor

Overview​

The Data Model Editor in Qodly enables you to create and modify the model for your application. A model describes how data will be accessed and stored in structures called "datastore classes".

Key Features​

ORDA Concepts​

In Qodly, each datastore class can have attributes that store or calculate data, or refer to data in other datastore classes (relation attributes). You can also create functions to interact with the data in your model, following the ORDA concepts.

Permissions​

The model view includes permissions, allowing you to assign access rights at any level of the model (datastore, dataclass, attributes, and functions).

Accessing the Model Editor​

You can access your current project's model in the Model Editor by clicking on the in your project's sidebar.

note

You can also open your model as a JSON file.

Default State​

By default in blank applications, the model does not contain any default dataclasses; you have to create the datastore classes.

Model Editor Components​

The Data Model Editor is composed of several areas, including a workspace, a toolbar with a contextual menu, a miniature overview area, an outline, and a properties area.

Workspace​

In the workspace, you create a datastore model for your Qodly project. A datastore model is made up of one or more datastore classes containing attributes and functions. You can also create relation attributes, which are links between datastore classes. Below is an example datastore model for a simple structure of employees and companies:

You can identify the currently selected datastore class by its highlighted border in the workspace. In the example, the Employee datastore class is selected. The panel color of datastore classes can be customized, and you can move a datastore class in the workspace by selecting and dragging it.

Toolbar​

The toolbar at the top of your workspace contains the following buttons:

Fit view​

Clicking on the on the icon will fit the entire model into the workspace area.

Zoom setting​

The zoom setting controls the percentage of zoom in your workspace area. You can also use the mouse wheel to modify the zoom setting.

tip

Resizing the view is achievable not only through the "Zoom setting" but also through your trackpad or mouse wheel.

Reload​

The Reload button in the model tab's contextual menu reloads the model definition from the server. This is useful when you modify model functions or properties in different browser windows.

Miniature Overview Area​

The Miniature Overview Area allows you to view an overview of your model at a smaller scale. This feature is especially useful when you have a large number of datastore classes and want to quickly visualize them.

Outline​

On the left side of the model editor, the Outline lists all datastore classes and datastore functions (i.e. functions defined at the cs.DataStore class level) in your model:

You can use the Search area to dynamically reduce the list of displayed datastore classes and datastore functions by entering characters.

You can expand a dataclass name to display its attributes:

You can select the datastore class in the workspace by clicking on it in the list. From this area, you can execute any of the following actions for a specific datastore class:

  • alt-text Fit to view: Shows a fitted view of the selected datastore class in your workspace area.
  • alt-text Import from CSV: Allows you to import data from a CSV file into this dataclass.
  • alt-text Remove: Deletes the dataclass from the project.
info

Removing a dataclass from the model does not remove its associated functions.

Properties Area​

The Properties area displays the properties for the selected element: datastore class, attribute, or function.

Model JSON Representation​

In Qodly Studio, the model possesses a JSON representation that is useful for troubleshooting or copying/pasting selected parts.

This representation can be accessed through a text editor by selecting the Model in the Explorer and choosing Open With a Text Editor.
json

Dissection​

The model is opened in JSON format in the text editor:

In this JSON structure:

  • toJSON: Indicates whether the JSON representation is enabled (true) or not (false). When set to true, the model can be serialized to JSON.

  • extraProperties : Contains additional properties not part of the primary model structure, such as viewport properties like zoom level and coordinates.

  • dataClasses : An array containing definitions for each data class in the model. Each data class definition includes:
    • name : The display name of the data class.
    • className : The actual class name used internally.
    • collectionName : The name of the collection associated with this data class.
    • scope : The visibility scope of the data class (public, private, etc.).
    • attributes : An array containing detailed definitions of each attribute of the data class.
    • extraProperties : Additional properties specific to this data class, such as position and panel color for visualization purposes.

  • attributes: Within the attributes array, each attribute definition includes:
    • name : The name of the attribute.
    • kind : The kind of attribute (storage, relatedEntity, etc.).
    • type : The data type of the attribute (long, string, date, etc.).
    • scope : The visibility scope of the attribute (public, private, etc.).
    • indexKind : The index type for the attribute (auto, manual, etc.).
    • unique : Indicates whether the attribute values must be unique (true or false).
    • not_null : Indicates whether the attribute values cannot be null (true or false).
    • autosequence : Indicates whether the attribute should auto-increment (true or false).
    • primKey : Indicates whether the attribute is the primary key (true or false).

Syntax Check​

The syntax check feature identifies and corrects syntax errors and formatting issues within the JSON representation. Errors are highlighted and accompanied by descriptive messages that help pinpoint the exact problem. Below are some common examples of syntax errors that can be detected:

  • Expected comma: This error typically occurs when a comma , is absent between key-value pairs in an object or elements in an array.
  • Expected closing brace: This error occurs when the parser anticipates a closing curly brace } to conclude an object but does not find it.
  • Value expected: This error arises when an object key is succeeded by a colon, but the corresponding value is missing, indicating an incomplete JSON representation.
  • Colon expected: This error suggests that a colon : is required to separate the key and value in an object, but it is missing from the code.
  • Unexpected end of string json: This error is triggered when the parser encounters the end of a string without coming across a closing double quote ", indicating an unfinished string value or when the opening double quote is missing at the beginning of the string.
danger

Editing the model through the JSON code must be done with care since data model integrity rules are not checked in the Text Editor. In particular, you must pay attention to naming rules, or renaming issues.