In order to enrich categories or their attributes, ReqSuite® RM offers the possibility to define own data types in the form of enumerations as well as to defined additional notations.

Data Types

While ReqSuite® RM supports standard data types such as TEXT (strings without formatting), RICHTEXT (strings with formatting), INTEGER (whole numbers), DOUBLE (floating point numbers), BOOLEAN (binary numbers) and DATETIME (dates), projects typically have a need for enumeration data types. For example, when the priority or type of a requirement needs to be specified, users should select from a predefined set of values instead of entering free text. When using an enumeration as a data type of a category’s attribute, the enumeration  window will show the attributes in which the enumeration is used.

ReqSuite® RM supports two types of enumerations:

Static Enumerations

The possible values of static enumerations are predefined in the project template, for instance the values “can”, “should” and “shall” in an enumeration called “Priority” (see Figure 1). Additionally, colors and icons can be assigned to static enumerations.

Dynamic Enumerations

The possible values of dynamic enumerations are not defined in the project template but are created (as well as updated and deleted) dynamically at project runtime by the names of elements of a certain category.

An example might be an enumeration containing all components a requirement can be assigned to. Since components are typically developed during a project and normally cannot be predefined in a project template, the use of such a dynamic enumeration could allow users to select an appropriate component as an attribute of a requirement.

Dynamic enumerations can also be used to indirectly maintain corresponding relationships between elements in a project (of course, only if a corresponding relationship type is configured). In the example mentioned, the selection of a component in the attribute of a requirement could lead to an automatic linking of this requirement with the component.

For both types of enumerations, a multiple selection option can be enabled, which allows the user to select more than one value in an attribute that has that enumeration as a data type.

Notations

Notations are graphical artifacts that can be specified in addition to the textual description of the elements of a category according to its input form. Even though images can be used within RICHTEXT attributes (mixed with descriptive text), notations provide the ability to manage, export and review such images separately and explicitly. In particular, notations can be used to visualize more precisely not only the details of a single element, but also the interaction of all elements of a category.

In ReqSuite® RM, notations are basically just placeholders for inserting images in common web formats (.jpg or .png). However, by naming them uniquely (e.g., “Use Case Diagram”), they provide users with an orientation in which form and syntax the corresponding images should be uploaded. In addition, by specifying the notations’ property “Diagram type”, an automatic creation of images in form of a model diagram by connected modeling tools such as Enterprise Architect can be enabled.