Tutorial Descriptor Dependencies

Tutorial - Enter descriptor dependencies 

In our final tutorial step we take a short look on the descriptor applicability rules. In out example we have two descriptors dealing with leaf properties, “Leaf color” and “Leaf length”. If you have chosen the categorical state “Cactus” for the descriptor “Plant growth type”, it usually does not make sense specifying leaf properties. You can enter such kind of descriptor dependencies in a formal way. 

Select edit mode projects from menu Edit->Projects , search for project “Tutorial” and open the “Descriptor applicabilities” tab (see points 1 to 3 in image above). Select the controlling descriptor “Plant type” (see point 4 in image above) and in the section “Controlling states” a list of the descriptor’s categorical states is displayed. Select the controlling state “Succulent” (see point 5 in image above) and then click on button to enter the first controlled descriptor (see point 6 in image above). This opens a selection window where you select descriptor “Leaf color”  (see point 7 in image above). Repeat the last step to insert descriptor “Leaf length” as second controlled descriptor. 

After that check that for the two dependent descriptors the applicability rule “inapplicable” is set (see point 1 in image below). Finally save all changes (see point 2 in image below). 

To try out the applicability rules,  select edit mode descriptions and search for the example plant (see points 1 and 2 in image below). Open the “Descriptor view” tab, expand the tree and select descriptor “Plant growth type” (see points 3 to 5 in image below). Click on button to show the “Categorial states”. Deselect state “Tree” and select state “Succulent” instead (see point 6 in image below). In the “Summary data” section the text color of the descriptors “Leaf color” and “Leaf length” changes to grey to indicate that the descriptor is not applicable. Since for that descriptors values have been specified, the backround color is changed to yellow to indicate that the applicability rules are broken (see point 7 in image below).

In the “Descriptor view” tab the “descriptor inapplicable” property is indicated by an “x” in column “!” of the descriptor list (see image below).