Creating custom entity and link types

When you are using schema-aligned import specifications, you can create your own custom entity and link types to help model data that is not supported in your schema.

About this task

Usually the chart items you create as part of the import process, are governed by your charting scheme. Sometimes the values of the incoming data that you want to import might not have a type defined in your schema. For example, you want to import data about dog thefts that includes "dog owners", "breeders", and a "purchased from" link, however you cannot find suitable types to use from your existing schema. You can create new custom types so that your import design more closely represents your data. You can also use custom types that you, or other analysts, have created and saved in charts and import specifications. Custom types do not have to be created as part of the import process. For more information about creating custom types from the palette, see Custom types.

Procedure

  • To create a new custom entity type:
    1. In the import design, click an entity or Add New Entity.
    2. Below the table next to the import design, click the New Custom Type... option.
      The New Custom Type dialog box opens.
    3. Type a name for your new custom entity type in the Name field.
      Name is not the label displayed on the chart, it is the identifier for the new custom entity type.
    4. Click Select in the Icon box. From the Choose Icon box, select a suitable icon for your custom type. You can add your own custom icons to the folder. For more information, see Custom icons. 
      If you do not select an icon, your custom type has the default icon shown.
    5. Click OK.
      You cannot edit the name or icon of a custom type once you click OK. If you want to change the name or icon, you need to delete the custom type on the chart and create another. Alternatively, you could use Duplication as an easy way to create new types, and carry over custom properties you have already created.
  • To create a new custom link type:
    1. In the import design, click a link or Add New Link.
    2. Below the table next to the import design, click the New Custom Type option.
      The New Custom Type dialog box opens.
    3. Type a name for your new custom link type in the Name field.
      Name is not the label displayed on the chart, it is the identifier for the new custom link type.
    4. Select the default summarization for your custom link from the options Single, Directed or Multiple.
      If you select link summarization of Single or Directed, the link label is the number of records of the type that the link contains. This is shown as <record count> in the import design. If you create custom properties on the link type and choose to include the properties in the label, the label is visible in the record inspector after you run the import.

Results

Your custom entity and link types are available to use in your import and can be saved as part of the import specification. New types created as part of import designs are saved to the Custom palette. For more information about managing custom types from the palette, see Managing custom types.
Note:
Records of custom types cannot be uploaded to the Information Store or used as seeds for External Searches in i2 Connect.