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Chapter 2: The dTIMS CT Database
2.2 Attributes
In the previous section Perspectives were described as objects that are used to contain
groups of assets with similar characteristics. The next step in a database design is to define
the characteristics you want to describe within each Perspective. These characteristics are
called Attribute objects in dTIMS CT.
Attribute objects allow you to define the asset characteristics you want to store in each
Perspective. In the analogy where Perspectives are thought of as tables, Attributes can
represent the columns (fields) in each of the tables.
Table 12 to Table 42 in Appendix “A” list the attributes defined in each perspective listed in
Table 1.
Each Attribute table in Appendix “A” lists the Perspective to which the Attributes belong to,
the Attribute Name, a short description of the Attribute (as it appears in dTIMS CT) and the
Attribute Type.
Attributes • Attribute Type
Every attribute you create is assigned a specific data type, which determines the kind of data values
that can be entered into an attribute’s cell. Attribute Type is important when designing your database
because once you create an attribute in dTIMS CT you cannot change its type. It is important to note
that dTIMS CT displays data values for attribute types in the format that you have specified in your
Windows | Regional Settings. When you create an attribute, you will need to specify one of the
following data types:
Data Type Characteristics Benefit
Integer
• Referred to as the Short
Integer.
• Whole numbers
positive and negative and
• Space saving
• Good for storing small values
NJDOT Deighton dTIMS CT User Manual 27