A symbol represents a definition in the repository. The definition has properties. You can specify that definition properties and their values get displayed on a symbol. By default, the name of a symbol (which is a property of the symbol and its definition) is displayed. To specify that other properties of a symbol’s definition are displayable, you use the DISPLAY command in each property's declaration.
Example
The following example makes the property “My Property 1” displayable on the symbol; any text that you type in the property’s 20-character text box in the definition dialog is displayed on the face of the symbol.
Definition "My Definition" { Property "My Property 1" { EDIT TEXT LENGTH 20 DISPLAY { FORMAT String LEGEND "" } } }
After you specify certain properties of a symbol's definition as being displayable, those properties are provided in the Display Mode dialog for a symbol, where they can be turned on or off at any time. To access the Display Mode dialog, perform one of these actions:
•Select a symbol on a diagram, and then click View > Display Mode.
•Right-click a symbol, and then click Display Mode.
Rectangular symbol with properties displayed and not displayed
The figure below shows an entity symbol: the Before picture shows it with all displayable properties turned off; the After picture shows the Key Data and Non-Key Data turned on.
Line symbol with properties displayed and not displayed
You can also specify displayable properties for line symbols, as shown in the figure below.
