Use this dialog box to create a new object class definition or edit an existing definition.
The new object class definition is added to the current object class definition file. Users can use these object class definitions to create objects that automatically have the properties you define in this dialog box.
Specifies the name for the object class. The name can include spaces, and is not case sensitive.
Specifies the description for the object class.
Specifies that this object class will be based on an existing object class definition. All of the settings for the base object class are automatically included in this object class definition, and if you modify the base class, the modifications are included in this object class definition. You can add additional settings to this object class definition.
To select a base class, the base class must have the same create method as the class you are defining.
Specifies that the current class can be used only as a base class. You will not be able to create an object using this object class.
The dialog box has the following tabs:
Applies To
Properties List
Class Settings
Feature Source Settings
Specifies the object types that may be tagged with this definition. Available object types are determined by the base class, if there is one, and the selected example objects.
Specifies the properties that will apply to all objects created with this object class. Available properties are based on the objects selected in the drawing, the base class, if one is selected, and the object types selected on the Applies To tab.
If no properties appear, select an object type on the Applies To tab.
Select a check box to include the property in the object class. Highlight a property to view or change its attribute values.
If this object class is based on another object class, you cannot clear a check box for a property that is assigned in the "based on" class.
Specifies the settings for each property.
To change the value for Type, Range, Default, Visible, or Read Only, click on the value.
For properties that you've created, set the data type. Specify Integer, Real, Text String, 3D Point, or Yes/No. For other properties, the type is set automatically and cannot be changed. (For information on creating a new property, see New Property below.)
Specify the allowable values for this property. This allowable range is used in the following situations:
In each case, the value for the property must fall within this range.
For many properties, such as color, lineweight, line type, plot style, and layer, you can select from a list of available values. To display the list, click on the value you want to change. Click [...] to display a dialog where you can specify the range.
When specifying the range values, keep these points in mind:
The default is used when an object has a value assigned that is out of the range. This can happen if the value is assigned before the object is classified or if the object is edited outside the Object Class tab. As soon as the object is selected when the Object Class tab is active, the value will be reset to the default.
When specifying the default for properties such as color, lineweight, line type, plot style, and layer, you can select from a list of available values. To display the list, click on the value you want to change. Click the down arrow to display a list of available value, or click [...] to see additional choices.
Specify whether the property should appear on the Object Class tab of the Properties palette. You may want to turn visibility off if you want a property set to a single value that users can't edit. In this case, set both the range and the default to the same value.
Controls whether the property of a classified object is editable on the Object Class tab. If this is set to Yes, the value is displayed in gray.
To view attribute settings for all selected properties, click Show List.
Displays the New Property dialog box, where you can add a new property to the Available Properties list.
The new property appears in the Properties palette and can be edited in the same way as other properties.
Displays the Classified Property List dialog box, which lists all the selected properties and their attribute settings. This is a convenient way to check your properties before you save the definition.
Displays the object class name in Map Explorer. When this option is cleared, this object class name is hidden in Map Explorer.
Selects the bitmap to use for this object class in Map Explorer.
Be sure the location you specify is available to everyone who will use this object class definition file. If you store the object class definition file on the network, store the bitmaps in the same location.
Displays the standard icon for the object class in Map Explorer. When this option is cleared, choose the icon to display.
Specifies the object to create when creating a new object in this object class. You can select only objects that are appropriate for the object type you selected on the Applies To tab.
Select None if you do not want to specify a create method for this object class. This is useful for base classes, where each subclass may specify a different create method.
In the Geometric Settings table, specify any additional parameters to set when creating objects in this object class.
Specify how to treat linked data when you add an object to a feature source.
When you add an object with linked data to a feature source, the data from the linked data source is copied to the feature source.
When you add an object with linked data to a feature source, the link is copied to the feature source.