To add a new Association node:

  1. Select an Entity in the Vocabulary tree view.
  2. Perform one of the following:
    • Right-click to display the pop-up menu and choose Add Association.
    • Choose Vocabulary > Add Association from the menubar.
    • Choose from the toolbar.
  3. Complete the Association window as shown in the following table:

    Property Value
    Source Entity Name An association relates two entities. Corticon Studio refers to one entity as the “source” and the other as the “target.” Choose the name of the supplier from the drop-down list, which includes the entity names already defined in this Vocabulary.
    Target Entity Name Choose the name of the second entity – the “target” entity – from the drop down list.
    Cardinality Radio Buttons Select the combination of radio buttons that describe the relationship you want between the two entities. The possible combinations are:
    One-To-Many. This is the default and is shown as 1>* in the properties. This means that a given instance of the supplier entity may be related to multiple instances of the target entity. Displays as:
    One-To-One. Shown as 1>1, it means that a given instance of the supplier entity may be related to a single instance of the target entity. Displays as:
    Many-To-One. Shown as *>1, it means that multiple instances of the supplier entity may be related to a single instance of the target entity. Displays as:
    Many-To-Many. Shown as *>*, it means that multiple instances of the supplier entity may be related to multiple instances of the target entity. Displays as:
    Mandatory. Also known as optionality. Select this box if at least one instance of the source or target MUST be present in data sent to the Corticon Server to be processed by rules using this Vocabulary.
    Role Names

    Role names are useful when two entities share more than one association. Custom role names can give each association a unique, descriptive name.

    Source-To-Target provides a name for the association from the perspective of the source entity.

    Target-To-Source provides a name for the association from the perspective of the target entity.
    Navigability

    Bidirectional. Select Bidirectional if you want the association to be traversable (visible) in both directions within the Vocabulary. This means that associations between two entities are visible from each entity in the Vocabulary tree view. This option provides the most flexibility when writing rules.

    Source Entity < Target Entity. Use this option to prevent the association from the Target entity to the Source entity from being displayed in the Vocabulary tree view. This option prevents a rule from being written using the scope Target_entity.source_entity.attribute.

    Source Entity < Target Entity. Use this option to prevent the association from the Source entity to the Target entity from being displayed in the Vocabulary tree view. This prevents a rule from being written using the scope Source_entity.target_entity.attribute.

    See the Rule Modeling Guide for more information on using associations in rule modeling.
    To edit an association, click on it in the Vocabulary, and then change the property values in the right panel, as illustrated: