Descriptions and annotations are a convenient way to add comments to objects and workspace diagrams.
This can be helpful if you need to share the project designing or if you just want to have a clear idea of what each object is here for and give you a means of checking you achieved your goal.
Depending on what you are explaining and on where you want the explanation to appear, you can add either descriptions or annotations.
- Descriptions are linked to a specific object and can appear in diagrams where the object is displayed but also in the Local Object Library.
- Annotations are just independent sticky notes that only appear in diagrams.
Using Descriptions with Objects
A description is associated with a particular object. You can enter it by displaying the object properties dialog.
It will appear in the Local Object Library list.
When a repository object is imported and exported, the description is also imported or exported.
A data flow designer determines when to show object descriptions on the diagrams based on a system-level setting and an object-level setting. Both settings need to be activated to view the description for a particular object.
Note
Requirements for Displaying Descriptions in Diagrams
- A description has been entered into the properties of the object
- The description is enabled on the properties of that object
- The global View Enabled Object Descriptions option is enabled
Note
Using Annotations in diagrams
An annotation is a sticky-note-like object in the workspace. An annotation is associated with the object diagram where it appears.
When a job, work flow, or data flow is imported or exported, and includes annotations, the associated annotations are also imported or exported.
Let me show you how to add descriptions and annotations:
