Moving relationship between Packages

[brunob]

Hello,

In a PowerDesigner Conceptual data model, I have an issue when i move a relationship from one package to another.

Lets' say I have package 1 with entity 1 and PAckage 2 with entity 2
I defined a relationship between entity 1 and entity 2. It belongs to Package 1.

I later on want to move this relationship to another package, package 3.

Not only the relationship moved, but also the entity 1 is moving from package 1 to package 3.

Is there any way to change this behaviour ?

Thank you in advance.

[Ondrej_Divis · Accepted solution]

Hello Bruno,

as you can see from the screenshot attached, you can create all three shortcut-involved types of relationships in CDM (full-shortcut, shortcut-full, shortcut-shortcut). When you decide to move any relationship from one package to another, the relationship takes this "type" with it. So if you move Relationship_1 from my example, full Entity_1 will be MOVED to Package_3 and shortcut of Entity_2 will be COPIED to Package_3.

If you decide to move Relationship_3 to Package_3, relationship will be moved and both entity shortcuts will be copied (because both still have some other relationships in Package_1).

So the general conclusion is that moved relationship takes its objects with it and with respect to the type (full vs. shortcut) of both connected objects in the original package. Another conclusion is that all objects are MOVED if they DON`T HAVE other relationships in original package and are COPIED if they HAVE other relationships in original package.

If you want to change the type (full vs. shortcut) of attached objects you have to copy/move both attached entities (full or their shortcuts) to the target package then CREATE NEW relationship in target package and the delete the original relationship in original package. This is IMHO the only way how you can achieve desired behaviour.

HTH,

Ondrej

[brunob · Accepted solution]

Thanks Ondrej for clarifying the behavior.

I think I will use a dummy relationship in package 1, in order to copy entity 1 and not move it