Attributes are used to store additional information about a survey asset. For example, you might want to store the names of the countries in which the survey asset questions should be used. Attributes can be used in a similar way to topics, but attributes differ from topics in that the attribute names and values are stored within the file as custom properties in the metadata. Unlike topic names, attribute names and values are included in the search when searching for files.

Attributes are not a standard feature of IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services, and should not be confused with the custom properties feature of IBM SPSS Collaboration and Deployment Services.

You define attributes by adding attribute definitions to the configuration file: see UNICOM Intelligence Question Repository configuration file. Attributes can be defined as either required or optional for new files. The sample configuration file installed with UNICOM Intelligence Question Repository contains definitions for several required attributes.

If you define a new, required attribute, you might be required to add that attribute to all existing files in the repository.

You specify attribute values when you use the Store Survey Asset into Repository Wizard (see Store Survey Asset into Repository Wizard) to store a survey asset to the repository. When you specify attributes, the custom properties are not added to the survey asset that you are storing. Instead, a separate .mdd file is created to store the custom properties. This additional file is added to the .mzd file together with the .mdd file that you are submitting. The .mdd file used to store custom properties is always called supplemental.mdd, and is added to the Indexing folder in the .mzd file.