Refreshing properties

Some column or calculation property values are derived from the property values of another column or calculation that they depend on. After a column or calculation property changes, you can batch-update the property values of its dependent columns and calculations.

Use the Refresh properties functionality to apply this type of updates. The following column or calculation properties can be affected by this update: Data type, Technical data type, Aggregate, and Usage.

For example, a data module contains a column that is named Target date with the Data type of Date. This column is used in multiple calculations and custom tables, such as views or unions. Later, the data type for this column is changed to Timestamp in the underlying schema. After the schema metadata is reloaded, the Target date data type is set to Timestamp. Columns and calculations that reference the newly updated Target date will still use its previous data type of Date until you update them by using the Refresh properties functionality. As a result, the metadata in the data module is synchronized with changes in the schema.

About this task

You can refresh the column and calculation properties in the whole data module, or in selected tables and folders. Also, individual columns and calculations can be refreshed.

If the data module is based on another data module, you need to refresh the properties of the source module first.

Procedure

  1. In the data module tree, select the item or items for which you want to refresh properties.

    You can select the data module itself, or select one or multiple tables, columns, calculations, or folders (outside of a table).

  2. Click the item (or items) context menu Vertical actions menu icon, and select Refresh properties.

    The refresh functionality determines which property values need to be updated within the selected scope, and then proceeds with the update. A message is displayed that informs whether the update was successful.