2.6.2 Modifying existing property types
The Property Tool works similarly to other metamodeling tools.
For example, to view specifications of a property type, press the Open
toolbar button and then select the property type you want to view from the
dialog. You can also open a Property Tool on a specific type by double-clicking
that type in another metamodeling tool or the Types Browser.
Property types have limited modification possibilities.
Their type name can be changed afterwards, and list members can be added and
removed from lists, but otherwise the property types cannot be changed much.
For example, modifying the data type
could lead to some instances of the property being strings, and others being
collections of objects. Similarly, changing the data type or widget will
invalidate any existing custom property dialogs for non-property types that use
this property. Default property dialogs will adjust automatically, but you must
change others yourself: see Section
3.
However, it is possible to change the data type of the
property if there are no instances of that property type, and no non-property
types using it with custom property dialogs. Whilst MetaEdit+ will check and
warn you if there are any such instances or types loaded, it cannot check
instances or types in unopened projects, or instances that have not yet been
loaded. You are therefore responsible for knowing whether such instances or
types
exist.