Default Values Tab
On the Default Values tab, you can specify a default value for the attribute to be used during object creation. Default attribute values are not required. For attributes derived from another type, default values can be set only on the source type. A message similar to the following displays on the Default Values tab of derived attributes directing you to the source type:
| Use Default buttons are not supported for cascading attributes. |
Local attributes can have a single default value, while global attributes can have multiple default values specified. Default values are not required, so an attribute could have no default value specified, or have its default value removed.
To set or change the default values for an attribute, select Edit from the Actions menu on the type information page to enter edit mode. When finished, click Done to save your changes and return to view mode; click Save to save your changes and remain in edit mode.
| The system validates default value entries against the data type of the attribute, and throws a warning message if invalid or incompatible text is entered. The entry must be fixed before the changes can be saved. |
Default Values by Data Type
The data type of the attribute determines the style of entry field for the attribute:
• Boolean—Select Yes, No, or blank (no default value) from the list.
• Date & Time—Enter a date in the format YYYY-MM-DD, or click the calendar icon
to select a date from the calendar.
• Hyperlink—Enter a URL and optional label in the format URL (optional label). For example, www.mysite.com (My Site).
If a label is specified, that label is displayed as hyperlinked text in the user interface. If no label is specified, the URL is displayed as the hyperlink in the user interface. No validation is performed to ensure that the value entered is a properly formatted URL.
• Integer Number—Enter a default integer value. Characters allowed are:
◦ numbers
◦ thousand separators— by locale; in English, a comma ( , )
◦ negative character—by locale, in English, a minus sign ( - )
• Real Number—Enter a real number default value. Characters allowed are:
◦ numbers
◦ thousand separators— by locale; in English, a comma ( , )
◦ decimal separator— by locale; in English, a period ( . )
◦ exponent character—by locale, in English, a capital E
◦ negative character—by locale, in English, a minus sign ( - )
• Real Number with Units—Enter a real number default value. Characters allowed are the same as the Real Number data type, with the addition of units. The valid units are determined by the Quantity of Measure for the attribute, and are displayed next to the text entry field.
If you enter a value in compatible units, Windchill automatically converts the value when you save. For example, if the unit for the attribute is kg, and you enter a value of 1000 mg, Windchill automatically converts the value to 0.001 when you save. If you enter a value in incompatible or invalid units, a warning message appears. The entry must be corrected before you can save.
• String—Enter a default value in the text entry field.
Not all data types support default values; certain attributes are not defined to support default values. This is indicated by a message when the Default Values tab for the attribute is viewed. The following data types do not support default values: Object Reference.
Multiple Default Values on Global Attributes
Global attributes support multiple default values.
To enter a default value for a global attribute, enter or select the default value as appropriate for the attribute data type, and click the add another default icon
. The default value is added to the table below the entry field. Repeat to add more default values. To delete a default value entry from the table, select the entry and click the delete icon
.
There is no sorting or reordering of multiple default value entries. Entries cannot be edited directly, only deleted and reentered.
| When multiple default values are specified for a global attribute, and the Default Value Display Mode property for the attribute is set to Display a Default Value Button, only one value is displayed when the Use Default button is clicked. If a Single-Valuedconstraint is applied to a global attribute: • No default value is used for the attribute when a new object is created, even if one or more default values are defined. • If the Default Value Display Mode property is set to Display a Default Value Button, no button is displayed. |
Default Value Inheritance
On subtypes, default values for attributes can be inherited from a parent type. This behavior is determined by selecting one of the following on the Default Values tab for the attribute:
• Use inherited value—select this option to use the default value inherited from the attribute on the parent type. The inherited value is displayed, grayed-out, in the text field.
• Add a new value—select this option to specify a unique default value or values for this attribute. To revert to the inherited value, if any, select the Use inherited value option.
Default Value and Enumerated Value List or Legal Value List
For an attribute supported by an Enumerated Value List or Legal Value List, the default value must be available in the list. If the value set as the default value for an attribute is removed from the Enumerated Value List or Legal Value List, following behavior is observed:
• When the existing object is opened in the edit mode, the default value appears in the list, but cannot be saved unless the selection of the default value is cleared.
• When a new object is created, the removed default value will not be available in the list for selection.
| Only a single default value can be assigned to an attribute that is used in a cascading attribute rule. Use of multiple default values is not supported for cascading attributes. |
