Lists of Values (LOV)

Lists of values (LOVs) are used in common property dialog box and Structure Editor property fields to ensure consistent data input into a database. The list entries are created either by referencing existing data or by entering customized data for your managed site. Once created, the List of Values is implemented throughout the user interface by attaching the List of Values to one or more Teamcenter properties. Using Lists of Values helps you improve productivity and helps prevent incorrect user entries.

Process for implementing Lists of Values

Lists of Values are managed through BMIDE and then deployed to the Teamcenter database. Regardless of the version of Teamcenter you are running, all Lists of Values are implemented using a similar process:

Create a List of Values

When you create a new List of Values, you create a new object that references existing data in Teamcenter (for example, group names) or contains some custom data (a range of serial numbers) that you want to store in the List of Values.
Attach the List of Values

You must attach the List of Values to the appropriate property in order for the List of Values to display in the user interface. Attaching the List of Values to a property type links it to any input box where that data is entered. A list with the selected values is then displayed in the user interface.

Note:

Value types

There are five value types you can use to construct Lists of Values. Each List of Values can contain only one of the following value types. Value types cannot be mixed in the same List of Values.

Value	Definition
Integer	Whole number.
Double	Double-precision floating point decimal number.
Char	Single ASCII character.
String	String of ASCII characters.
Date	Date and time (uses the Regional and Language Options Settings in Control Panel).

Usage types

Each List of Values must be assigned one of three usage types:

Symbol	Type	Description
	Exhaustive	Defines all possible entries. Exhaustive lists prevent you from specifying a value that is not contained in the exhaustive list of values.
	Suggestive	Provides a suggested list of choices. However, you can enter a value not contained in the list. For example, a suggestive list of values can be used to show commonly used description strings as with a Material Library. You can select one of the suggested description strings from the List of Values or enter another user-defined string.
	Range	Indicates that the choice falls within a range of numeric values. You are prevented from specifying a value not contained within the range. For example, a range List of Values can be used to construct a small consecutive list of serial numbers.

Note:

When you create a List of Values, you must exit and restart the application to see an updated list. The Lists of Values are evaluated once per session.

Implementation of usage types

The LOV usage types can be implemented using basic, filtering, cascading (also known as hierarchical), and interdependent lists.

A Filter LOV is based on an existing LOV definition. You have the option to hide values. Filter LOV's can be of any LOV usage type (Exhaustive, Suggestive or Range) and they can be used with a Cascading or Interdependent LOV's.

A Cascading LOV (also known as hierarchical) is a list of values whose values contain other lists of values. Cascading LOV's can be Exhaustive, Suggestive or Range and have multiple entries per level, and be multiple levels deep. The only entry that is written into the property in the database is the end-point (leaf node) value.

Interdependent LOV's keep track of every entry you pick (a roadmap) and can be Exhaustive or Suggestive. The root note determines the structure's LOV usage type. For example, if the root node is Exhaustive, but a child is Suggestive, the entire group of properties is Exhaustive. User defined values are not inserted into the structure. Determine your selections by working from left to right in the common property dialog box.

Note:

All dependent properties must be mapped.

Symbol	Type	Example
	Cascading Exhaustive	A list of states that contains a comprehensive list of cities to choose from. Only the city you choose is entered into the property.
	Cascading Suggestive	A list of cities that contain a partial list of zip codes related to each city. You can enter zip codes that are not in the list. Only the zip code you choose is entered into the property value.
	Interdependent Exhaustive	A list of cities where your choice determines the state that is displayed as your next choice. The selections you make are entered into the property value. The end-point (leaf node) value may not be unique. Example: Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville, Texas
	Interdependent Suggestive	A list of cities where your choice determines the state that is displayed as your next choice and you need to be able to enter a user-defined value. Each entry you choose is entered into the property value.

Balanced and unbalanced Lists of Values

Parent-child relationships can be created between Lists of Values. These relationships can be balanced or unbalanced. In a balanced List of Values, each level of the List of Values displays a related set of values. For example, the first level of the List of Values could display state values, the second levels show city values, and the third levels show zip code values.

In an unbalanced List of Values, each level of the List of Values does not have related sets of values. For example, the first level shows related values such as states. In one set the second level shows cities, and in the other set the second level shows zip codes.

Note:

Unbalanced Lists of Values are not supported in Teamcenter Unified Architecture or Teamcenter Engineering.

Interacting with Lists of Values

You interact with Lists of Values when you define properties on common property dialog boxes where lists of values have been defined by a Teamcenter administrator. Two examples of dialog boxes where you see LOVs are the New Document dialog box and the Upload dialog box.

In Structure Editor and Add to Teamcenter - Interactive, you interact with Lists of Values through the source and target window panes.

Basic and cascading LOV's are shown in the common property dialog box in a single column, a supported LOV type, and a LOV usage type of Exhaustive, Suggestive, or Range. A Cascading LOV displays the Select Cascading LOV dialog box to define the property.

Your interaction with various types of Lists of Values differs. The symbol associated with each type acts as a visual cue to aid you in knowing what behavior to expect.

Symbol	Type	Interaction
	Exhaustive	Click a cell in the common property dialog box and begin typing. Your cursor moves to the word you specify. Double–clicking the cell displays the list of values. You are limited to choosing from the list.
	Suggestive	Click the cell in the common property dialog box and begin typing. Your cursor does not advance to an entry matching your input. Instead, your text is entered into the cell and your new user-defined entry is added to the bottom of the existing list of entries for the current session. Double–clicking the cell displays the suggested list of values. When a user-defined value is entered, it is validated against the List of Values type definition (ie. integer, string, etc.). You can select one of the suggested description strings from the List of Values or enter another user-defined string.
	Range	Your choice falls within a range of numeric values. The entry is expected to follow the example where lower limit<=value<=upper limit You are prevented from specifying a value not contained within the range.
	Cascading Exhaustive	Clicking the cell in a common property dialog box selects the cell for copying or pasting an entry. Double-clicking the cell displays the Select Cascading LOV dialog box. The cascading structure on the dialog box is collapsed, showing only the first level. The current selection is unset. You navigate to find the value and make your selection. The User Defined Value field cannot be selected.
	Cascading Suggestive	Clicking the cell in a common property dialog box selects the cell for copying or pasting an entry. Double-clicking the cell displays the Select Cascading LOV dialog box. The cascading structure on the dialog box is collapsed, showing only the first level. The current selection is unset. You can choose from the list of values or enter a user defined value. The user Defined Value field can be used to type your desired value.

List of Values with Property Description attachments

Lists of Values with Property Description attachments capture both the selected value and its defined description in separate properties. Property description attachments can be used with Exhaustive and Suggestive LOV's.

A basic or cascading LOV with a property description attachment displays two columns on the common property dialog box where one column is master and the other is dependent. The master property is shown in the left column in the common property dialog box, and the dependent property is shown in the right column. If either of the columns move, both columns move to maintain their relationship. When the master property is defined through input from the user, the dependent property is empty.

Interdependent LOVs with property description attachments are represented on the common property dialog boxes by a master column and a group of dependent columns, a supported LOV type and an LOV usage type of Exhaustive or Suggestive. The root note is writable and the dependent columns are read-only.

Lists of Values with descriptions

You can also integrate descriptions with Lists of Values so that a row in the list includes both the value and its corresponding description in a single column. This capability assists users who could benefit from a description to choose an appropriate value from a list. When you select the row from a list, only the value is captured in the property.

In this implementation, the List of Values uses the character defined by the Teamcenter preference LOV_value_Desc_separator to separate the value (real name) from the description (displayable name) in the display. For example:
<value> <separator> <description>

If no description exists, only the value is displayed in the row.

Use the three Teamcenter preferences that impact Lists of Values to determine the behavior of value/description pairs:

Preference	Default	Description
LOV_hide_desc	True	Determines whether side-by-side LOV value and corresponding description are displayed.
LOV_value_desc_separator	, (comma)	Defines the character used to separate the value from the description in a List of Values.
LOV_user_id_display	0 (User)	Specifies how the User ID is displayed within an LOV.

The preferences are described in more detail in the Teamcenter Integration for QY CAD (SEEC) Guide for Users and Administrators.

Copy a partial QY CAD structure

Select Cascading LOV dialog box