Properties Inheritance

Object references and column references are used to inherit Properties along these references.

The type of property inheritance is determined by the config.InheritanceType.InheritanceType:

Table 1. InheritanceType
InheritanceType InheritanceTypeDescription

0

No inheritance from predecessor

11

Inheritance from first (or all) predecessor, if current value is NULL

12

Inheritance from first (or all) predecessor, if current value is NULL or empty ('')

13

Inheritance from first (or all) predecessor, forced, only when source is not empty

14

Inheritance from first (or all) predecessor, forced without exception (dangerous!)

Global InheritanceType are defined in config.Parameter - U

Inheritance parameters
Select
    Parameter_name
  , sub_Parameter
  , Parameter_desciption
  , Parameter_default_value
  , Parameter_value
  , Parameter_value__result_nvarchar
  , Parameter_value__result_int
From
    config.Parameter
Where
    Parameter_name Like 'Inheritance%'
Order By
    Parameter_name
  , sub_Parameter;
properties 01

sub_parameter corresponds to the property_name. If a value has been defined for a property_name, then this value applies, otherwise the value with sub_Parameter = '' applies.

Inheritance_StringAggSeparatorSql_column

if NULL then only one source is used for inheritance; if not NULL then STRING_AGG( expression, separator ) is used to aggregate all sources. Content is interpreted as TSQL. Good values are 'CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)' or '';''

Inheritance_StringAggSeparatorSql_object

if NULL then only one source is used for inheritance; if not NULL then STRING_AGG( expression, separator ) is used to aggregate all sources. Content is interpreted as TSQL. Good values are 'CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)' or '';''

InheritanceDefinition_column

CONCAT arguments to be used with some specific values in [config].[InheritanceType], for example: '[RepoObject_name],CHAR(13),CHAR(10),EineNochZuDefinierendeFunktion('MS_Description')'

InheritanceDefinition_object

CONCAT arguments to be used with some specific values in [config].[InheritanceType], for example: '[RepoObject_name],CHAR(13),CHAR(10),EineNochZuDefinierendeFunktion('MS_Description')'

InheritanceType_column

TINYINT; InheritanceType for column: possible values in [config].[InheritanceType]

InheritanceType_object

TINYINT; InheritanceType for object: possible values in [config].[InheritanceType]

Example 1. Property ReferencedObjectList

  • sub_Parameter = ReferencedObjectList

    • Parameter_name = Inheritance_StringAggSeparatorSql_object

      • resulting value =
        CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)

      • The value is not NULL. (the value is not so good visible in the screenshot, it looks like an empty string):
        STRING_AGG( expression, CHAR(13)+CHAR(10) ) is used to aggregate all sources

    • Parameter_name = InheritanceDefinition_object

      • resulting value =
        '* ' + referenced.[RepoObject_fullname]

      • the expression for STRING_AGG is defined
        STRING_AGG( '* ' + referenced.[RepoObject_fullname], CHAR(13)+CHAR(10) ) is used to aggregate all sources.
        in other words: all referenced objects are used to create a list containing one referenced objects per line

    • Parameter_name = InheritanceType_object

      • resulting value =
        14

      • The value (the list of referenced objects) will be recalculated every time

Example 2. Property MS_Description

  • sub_Parameter = MS_Description

    • Parameter_name = InheritanceDefinition_column

      • resulting value =
        CAST(COALESCE(referencing.[Repo_definition], property.fs_get_RepoObjectColumnProperty_nvarchar(referenced.[RepoObjectColumn_guid], 'MS_Description')) AS NVARCHAR(4000))

      • if the current column (referencing) has any value in [Repo_definition], then this value is used. [Repo_definition] normally contains the calculation of a calculated column.
        Otherwise, the value of the 'MS_Description' property is inherited from the first referenced column.
        only the first referenced column is used, because the default value for Inheritance_StringAggSeparatorSql_column is NULL.
        In other words: "Use the calculation’s definition of the current column, if it is a calculation, otherwise inherit the description from the first referenced column."

    • Parameter_name = InheritanceType_column

      • resulting value =
        12

      • The property will only be calculated, if current value is NULL or empty ('')

for ('InheritanceType_column', 'MS_Description') Set Parameter_value = 12, to enable inheritance for column descriptions.

It is possible to overwrite inheritance instructions for individual objects or columns, using:

The inheritance is done with these procedures

They are called by repo.usp_main - P