About Attribute Groups

An attribute group refers to a set of simulation attributes. Attribute groups allow users to create new simulation processes, activities, templates, and documents with predefined attributes.

You can only create and delete attribute groups with the Author role. In addition, only an Author can add attributes to or remove attributes from an attribute group. Process Composer does not provide any default attribute groups.

A methods developer with the Author role can create an attribute group that a simulation analyst with a Contributor role can apply to simulation processes, simulation activities, templates, or documents. After creating the attribute group, the Author adds attributes to the group. For example, the Author could create an attribute group for a simulation called Thermal Load and add Minimum Temperature and Maximum Temperature attributes.

When you create an attribute group, you must specify its type. If you select a specific type, such as simulation process or simulation document, the attribute group can be used only with that type of object. If you select * (Any), the attribute group can be used with any type of object.

Note: You can assign attribute groups only to documents created by Process Composer.

You can assign attribute groups to a simulation process, simulation activity, or template when it is being created. Alternatively, you can assign attribute groups to an existing simulation process, simulation activity, or template. You can assign attribute groups to a document only after the document has been created.

When you assign an attribute group to a simulation object (simulation process, simulation activity, template, or document), you are creating an instance of the attribute group within that simulation object; the values of the attributes within the attributes group are independent of other instances of the attribute group. You cannot assign an attribute group to a simulation object if another attribute group has already been assigned to the object containing an attribute that is also in the attribute group you are trying to assign.

If an attribute group is assigned to two objects, and you try to change the value of the attribute group on one object, the value does not change for the attribute group assigned to the original object. Each individual attribute group assignment has its own values, and are independent from other attribute groups.

The lifecycle states of an attribute group are Development, Released, and Obsolete. The following rules apply to these lifecycle states:

  • The Leader can edit an attribute group only in the Development state.
  • The attribute group must be in the Released state to be included in a simulation process, simulation activity, or template that is being created.
  • The Leader cannot demote the state from Released to Development if the attribute group is used in a simulation process, simulation activity, simulation template, or simulation document.

You can use attribute groups and the attributes they contain to search for simulation objects. You can search for multiple attribute groups by entering the attribute groups in a semicolon-delimited list. However, if any of the attribute groups share a common attribute, the search results are invalid.