Object types
Contenta objects located under the Configuration object can be data or container objects or objects that are a combination of both.
This topic describes the types of objects that can be located under a Configuration. Know that there are other objects in the database that are never stored under the Configuration such as a Desktop or a Workpool. Those objects are located under the sysadmin's desktop and are described separately.
Some characteristics of the different types of objects that may be under the Configuration are:
- Data objects are the smallest bits of information segments. They are sometimes called MRUs or minimal revisable units. Data objects are the text and graphics in your publications.
- Container objects organize Contenta objects to make it easier to navigate and manage the data. Container objects contain other Contenta objects. That is, other data container objects or data objects.
- Hybrid and Compound objects are both data and container objects. They are used to organize Contenta objects but can also contain text and/or graphics. They are part of the hierarchy as a container object but may also contain data. For example, a CompoundDoc object contains not only the data objects below it, but it can contain data of its own. When you open a compound (parent) object for editing or viewing, all child objects are concatenated and opened together in a single editing or viewing session.
- Project objects are containers that have a unique characteristic which allows you to designate a workflow for its child objects. This allows for the project containers to be sent from user desktop to desktop. The project's child objects are those that need to be authored, revised, or reviewed.
Contenta allows your sysadmin to customize the objects for different uses including:
- creating new objects based on the traditional Contenta objects
- modifying the object containment rules for the objects
- modify the property sheet for the objects including adding select lists