About Links and Relations

Relations, links and contexts play a prominent role in data management; they need to be described in detail.

Relation
A set of links that are specified between components within a product.
A relation consists of a combination of a pointing component (simple component), a pointed component (simple or complex component if the path to the instance is included), a role, and a category.
The relation is stored in the pointing component.
A relation can be oriented in any direction.
When relations pointing toward different attributes of the same component exist, one line or node per relation is created in the Edit Links and Relations dialog box.
An arrow mask indicates the relation orientation on component:
  • When the pointed impacts the pointing component: .
  • When the pointed is impacted by the pointing component: .
Set
The complex path for a relation towards a Port. Relations defined with the same Set are regrouped under the same node.
Context
The path to the pointing component.
Link
Both the object that connects the elements of the component involved in the link and the type of link.
Contextual relation
Both a relation and a context defined by the path to the pointing component.
Publication
When the pointed components are ports, ports of a same reference under a node that represents Ports are grouped.
A publication arrow mask is added to the reference icon: .
As relations pointing to a publication have a single link, the link and relation rows are merged in a single row and the link text layout displays: pointing -> pointed publication.
Important:
  • Although a relation is referenced in the database, a link object is not referenced.
  • Links and relations are automatically updated when an object is deleted.
  • The path to the components specifies a relation; the path to the elements underneath components specifies a link.
  • When an element that belongs to a component is deleted, the link is broken but the relation is not broken as the component is not deleted.

    Any change made to the component is reflected in the relation status marked as unsynchronized.

  • Relations are synchronized during a PLM Update.
  • You can turn off the synchronization of a relation for a geometrical import so that this relation is ignored during the PLM Update.

    The following symbol is displayed on the relation: .