Viewing linked data

Datasheets may include different types of links which can be used to navigate through the data in your database:

• Record links connect records to related records different tables, in the same or in a different database.  For example, a material data record in one table may include links to records in a table of producers, where data on companies that manufacture materials is stored.
• Data links connect individual attributes to attributes in other tables, allowing data values in one record to be linked to values in another record.

Record links

Record links allow a record in one table to be linked to related records. There are two types of record links in GRANTA MI:

• Direct links, which are static links from one record to one or more records in other tables or databases. The links are persistent, regardless of the state of the data in either the source or target record(s), and are stored in the database. For example, the Carbon Steel, AISI 1015, annealed record in the MaterialUniverse table includes over 90 direct links, to records in the ProcessUniverse, Producers, Reference, and Shape tables.  MI:Viewer users with sufficient privileges can add and remove direct record links; see Editing links.
• Smart record links are links that are created dynamically by comparing data values for key attributes, for example, a batch number or a Panel ID: when the specified attribute values match, the link is created. Smart record links are not stored in the database, but instead are created at the time you wish to view, them based on the current state of the database.  The criteria used to compare values for smart links are specified by the MI data administrator in MI:Admin. Smart record links can be viewed but not edited in MI:Viewer.

Record links in GRANTA MI are organized into Record Link Groups on the datasheet. Click to view an example  Record link groups are set up in MI:Admin and define the source and  target (destination) table for both direct and smart record links.

For Record Link Groups that contain only a small number of links, the linked records are listed on the datasheet; for groups containing a larger number of links, click Show All to view the list of linked records. Click on a linked record name to view its datasheet.  

Note: in version-controlled tables, only links to released records are listed in Read mode; in Edit mode, links to released, unreleased, and withdrawn records are also listed.

If the record link has a note, you can click View Note to show the note text, and Collapse Note to hide the text.

 Data links

An attribute may include data links to related records, as well as to attributes or meta-attributes in those records; the link target may be in the same table or in a different table. For instance, a mean value could be linked to the source values used to generate it.

Data values that are linked are identified on the datasheet with a link symbol ; you can click on the link symbol to display the link details.  Click to view an example

Data links may also include notes about the link; in Edit mode, this is indicated on the datasheet with a link message symbol which you can click on  to view the message. For example:

To be able to add a data link to an attribute in MI:Viewer, the attribute must be pre-configured to include a Data link group, configured in MI:Admin by the MI Administrator. The data link group defines the source (primary) attribute and the target attribute:

• The primary attribute is an attribute or a meta-attribute in the source record.  
• The target attribute may be an attribute or meta-attribute in the target record. The target attribute may be in the same table as the primary attribute, or in a different table.

Data links are valid in both directions — 'forward' and 'reverse', that is,  if value a is linked to value b, then value b is also linked to value a. Each direction of the link group, 'forward' and 'reverse', can be named: this is done in MI:Admin.