Creating concrete classes from abstract ones

oliviercarrere

Hello,

I have a noobish question. How do you create concrete class from an abstract one?

I have to build a geodatabase from a data model ( PODS 7.0 ) using abstract classes. I have to create concrete classes by extending the abstracted one. I have a degree in programing so I understand what inheritance means but I don't have a clue of what the result should look like in Arcgis desktop/catalog and how to do that. I don't find any clear explanation/resource of what I have do to get my concrete class exactly as I should. 

The closest thing I know of to make a sort of inheritance is composite relationship but I do'nt really think that the good way to use this data model because that would extend a concrete class from a concrete class (as there is data in it). I'm not convinced 

TomDeWitte

Hello Oliver,

I am happy to help you out with your issues with implementing a data model in a geodatabase. One issue may be a matter of terminology.  In programming and some types of data modeling such as UML (Unified Modeling Language) the object oriented terms and ideas such as abstract classes, concrete classes, and inheritance are used.  But relational databases do not support these concepts. 

PODS 7 is a data model which is defined (modeled) using object oriented ideas.  So, the question is how to convert these object oriented data models into a relational database data model.  If I understand your question, this is what you are asking.  The answer is tools.

ArcCatalog provides a tool to import XML files into geodatabases.  I just tested one I have for PODS 7, and was successful in loading it into a file GDB using the core Esri import from XML workspace tool.

There are also 3rd party tools such as Enterprise Architect by Sparx Systems which provides tools to export UML data models to the XML workspace format that the previously mentioned ArcCatalog tool can import.

I hope this helps

Tom DeWitte

Technical Lead - Natural Gas, District Heating and Cooling Industries

Esri, Inc