PrF UG inst add class type

Working with Instance Types

Protege-Frames User's Guide
Instances
Instances Tab
Class Browser at Instances Tab
Instance Browser
Instances Window
Instance Buttons
Instance Menu
Types Pane
Instance Editor
Standard Field Types
Fields with Multiple Cardinality
Boolean Fields
Class Fields
Float Fields
Instance Fields
Integer Fields
String Fields
Symbol Fields
Creating an Instance
Creating Multiple Instances
Displaying the Instance Editor
Setting the Display Slot
Showing Subclass Instances
Editing an Instance
Copying an Instance
Deleting an Instance
Finding an Instance
Changing an Instance's Class
Working with Instance Types
Instance Icons
Glossary, Editing Help

The Types pane, in the Instance Browser, allows you to add and remove types for an instance; that is, the classes for which the selected instance is a direct instance. Assigning multiple types to an instance allows you to build an instance which combines field characteristics from two or more classes.

Adding a Type

To add a class type to an instance:

1. At the Instances tab, select the class and instance you want. The classes where this instance is direct will be shown in the Types pane, at the bottom of the Instance Browser.

   

   Types pane

2. Click the Add Class () button at the top of the Types pane.

3. In the Select Classes dialog box, select the additional class(es) where this instance will be a direct instance and click OK.

   

   Select Classes dialog, "Columnist" selected

4. The class(es) are added to the direct superclasses of the instance. The Instance Editor will change to display multiple forms, one for each class type. Any shared fields will contain identical values. Editing a field value in one form edits the same field in all the forms where it appears.

   

   Instance Editor

Deleting a Type

For a multi-type instance, you can delete types. To do this:

1. At the Instances tab, select the class and instance you want. The classes where this instance is direct will be shown in the Types pane at the bottom of the Instance Browser.

2. Click the Delete Class () button at the top of the Types pane.

Configuring the Instance Editor

You can choose how to display multi-type instances in the Instance Editor. Forms can be displayed one below the other on a single screen, or they can be displayed in a tabbed format. To configure the display for multi-type instances:

1. Select Project | Configure from the menu.

2. To display forms in separate tabs, make sure that Use Tabbed Forms for Multi-type Instances is selected. To display forms one below another in a single window (the default), make sure this option is deselected.

   

   Configuration dialog, Options tab

3. If the current instance is multi-type, you may need to click on another instance and then back on this instance to see the change.

   

   Instance Editor, "Reporter" tab