Data entity metadata files

You define data entities through XML elements in the entity metadata definition files. The root element of an entity definition specifies the kind of entity and any attributes that apply. Subelements of the entity element define entity components, such as columns, or fields, and foreign keys.

Warning: Do not modify any of the base data entity definition files (those in the PolicyCenter/modules/configuration/config/metadata directory) by editing them directly. You can view these files in read-only mode in Guidewire Studio™ in the configuration > config > Metadata folder.

To better understand the syntax of entity metadata, it is sometimes helpful to look at the PolicyCenter data model and its metadata definition files. PolicyCenter uses separate metadata definition files for entity declarations and extensions to them.

The base metadata files are available in Studio in the following location: configuration > config > Metadata

The extension metadata files are available in Studio in the following location: configuration > config > Extensions

The file extensions of metadata definition files distinguish their type, purpose, and contents.

File type	Purpose	Contains	More information
.dti	Data Type Info	A single data type definition.	Data types
.eti	Entity Type Information	A single Guidewire or custom entity declaration. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the entity being declared.	XML root elements and related base PolicyCenter data object types
.eix	Entity Internal eXtension	A single Guidewire entity extension. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the Guidewire entity being extended.	Internal defintion; see .etx
.etx	Entity Type eXtension	A single Guidewire or custom entity extension. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the entity being extended.	<extension> elements and related data object types <viewEntityExtension> elements and related data object types
.tti	Typelist Type Info	A single Guidewire or custom typelist declaration. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the typelist being declared.	Working with typelists
.tix	Typelist Internal eXtension	A single Guidewire typelist extension. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the Guidewire typelist being extended.	Working with typelists
.ttx	Typelist Type eXtension	A single Guidewire or custom typelist extension. The name of the file corresponds to the name of the typelist being extended.	Working with typelists

The type of a metadata definition file determines what you can store and whether you can modify its contents.

File type	Location	Files are modifiable
.dti	configuration > config > datatypes	No
.eti	configuration > config > Extensions > Entity	Yes
.eti	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	No
.eix	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	No
.etx	configuration > config > Extensions > Entity	Yes
.tti	configuration > config > Extensions > Typelist	Yes
.tti	configuration > config > Metadata > Typelist	No
.tix	configuration > config > Metadata > Typelist	No
.ttx	configuration > config > Extensions > Typelist	Yes

The Metadata folder

The Studio Metadata folder contains the metadata definition files for entities that comprise the PolicyCenter data model.

A Metadata folder contains the following metadata definition file types:

Declaration files – Versions of metadata definition files with extensions *.eti and *.tti.
Internal extension files – Versions of metadata definition files with extensions *.eix or *.tix.

For an example, the PolicyCenter data model includes the following metadata definition files that collectively define the Address entity type.

File version	Metadata location	File purpose
Address.eti	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	Entity definition
Address.eix	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	Extension to the entity definition

At runtime, PolicyCenter merges the .eti and .eix versions of the Address definition file to create a complete Address entity type.

The Extensions folder

The configuration > config > Extensions folder contains your data model definitions that extend the PolicyCenter data model. PolicyCenter considers the base definitions in configuration > config > Metadata first, and then applies the definitions in the Extensions folder to them. This lets you create an entity extension that overrides any Guidewire entity extensions.

Note: You cannot extend an entity that is in an .eti declaration file in the Extensions > Entity Studio folder. In addition, you cannot extend an extension at all.

Example of `Activity` metadata and extension files

The PolicyCenter data model includes the following metadata definition files that collectively define the PolicyCenter Activity entity.

File	Location	Purpose
Activity.eti	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	Entity definition, not modifiable.
Activity.eix	configuration > config > Metadata > Entity	Entity extension, not modifiable.

To extend the PolicyCenter Activity entity, create the following extension file through Guidewire Studio.

File	Location	Purpose
Activity.etx	configuration > config > Extensions > Entity	Custom entity extension.

Warning: Use only Guidewire Studio to create data model definition files. Use of Studio assures that the files reside in the correct location.

Data entity metadata files

The Metadata folder

The Extensions folder

Example of Activity metadata and extension files

Example of `Activity` metadata and extension files