Variability
Method content variability allows elements in one content package to modify or reuse
elements in other content packages without directly modifying the original content.
Variability provides a mechanism for making changes to the published web site
while keeping the components separate and optional.
Variability allows you to customize configurations which use method content and processes
that you do not own and cannot directly modify.
When content packages are upgraded you can import them and reapply the customizations
you made earlier in a single step without having to go through each element.
Variability generally affects two characteristics of a method element:
its attributes and its relationships with other content elements.
If an element supports variability
the specification is shown at the bottom of the element's description view.
There are three factors to be considered when using variability:
- Attributes: element data types such as Main Description.
- Incoming Associations: associations from other elements.
The associated element may have one or more references to the subject element.
- Outgoing Associations: associations to other elements.
The subject element many have one or more references to the associated element.
See Variability Associations for
a complete list of supported associations for each type of element.
Variability Type
Variability type describes how one element affects another through variability associations.
The four types of variability associations are listed here:
- Not Applicable - The element is a base element and does not affect
another element through variability.
This is the default value of an element's variability type.
- Contributes -
A contributing element adds to the base element.
The base appears in the published Web site but the contributing element does not.
In and out relationships from the contributing element are added to the base.
Text from the contributing element is appended to corresponding base sections.
- Replaces -
A replacing element replaces parts of the base element.
The replacer appears in the published Web site but the base element does not.
Out relationships in the replacer are left untouched, the base's are ignored.
In relationships from the base are added to the replacer.
Text in the replacer is left untouched, the base's text is ignored.
- Extend -
An extending element inherits characteristics of the base element.
Both the extender and the base appear in the published Web site.
Out relationships from the base are added to the extender.
In relationships in the extender are left untouched, the base's are ignored.
Text is added from the base if the extender has not value defined for the given section.
Related Concepts