# Metadata properties reference
This section contains the metadata properties reference.
## Out-of-the-box properties
The table below shows the properties that are provided with Pentaho Metadata Editor. Localized properties are indicated with an asterisk ( \* ) character.
| ID | Description | Category | Values |
| --------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Name**\* | This property describes the display name for the business object. | **General** | Alphanumeric |
| **Description**\* | A descriptive text entry describing the business object. | **General** | Alphanumeric |
| **Comments**\* | Additional comments regarding the business object. | **General** | Alphanumeric |
| **Security Information** | Security rules for granting/restricting access to the business object. | **General** | Determined by security widget; see [Metadata security](/pba-metadata-editor/metadata-security-pentaho-metadata-editor-cp.md). |
| **Font** | The font properties to apply to this business object. | **Formatting** | Determined by selections in the font dialog box. |
| **Color of Text** | The foreground or text color for the business object. | **Formatting** | Determined by selections in the color dialog box. |
| **Text Alignment** | The text alignment for the business object. | **Formatting** | **Left**, **Right**, **Centered**, **Justified** |
| **Color of Background** | The background color for the business object. | **Formatting** | Determined by selections in the color dialog box |
| **Relative Size** | This property is normally associated with business tables and is used to calculate join paths. The sum of all table relative sizes in a path are calculated when deciding on a multi-table join and the multi-table join with the smallest summed value is used for the join path. | **Formatting** | Numeric |
| **Aggregation Rule** | Determines the method of aggregating the data from this business object. | **Model Descriptors** | **None**, **Sum**, **Count**, **Distinct Count**, **Minimum**, **Maximum** |
| **Data Type** | Data type for this business object. | **Model Descriptors** | **Unknown**, **String**, **Date**, **Boolean**, **Numeric**, **Binary**, **Image**, **URL**, and **Length** and **Precision** (Integers) |
| **Field Type** | The type or relationship purpose this field serves. | **Model Descriptors** | **Other**, **Dimension** ,**Fact**, **Key**, **Attribute** |
| **Table Type** | Table type is used to automatically determine relationship types with other tables. For instance, if a **Fact** table is joined with a **Dimension** table, this is normally an **N to 1** relationship. | **Model Descriptors** | **Other**, **Dimension**, **Fact** |
| **Formula** | This property allows you to create a calculation defining the business object. See [Pentaho metadata formulas](/pba-metadata-editor/pentaho-metadata-formulas-pentaho-metadata-editor-cp.md) for more information. | **Calculation** | Alphanumeric |
| **Is the Formula Exact?** | Determines whether the formula entered in the Value field in the Formula section is parsed by the Metadata Editor or if it is sent exactly as entered to the database:
- When this check box is selected, then the formula is sent to the database exactly as entered for processing.
- When this check box is cleared, then the formula is parsed as a metadata formula.
| **Calculation** | Boolean |
| **Column Width** | The width of the column as represented for display. | **Miscellaneous** | **Pixels**, **Percent of Page Width**, **Inches**, **Centimeters**, **Points**, and Integer |
| **Hidden For the User?** | Hides the object from being displayed in the **Business View** of the model. | **Miscellaneous** | Boolean |
| **Mask for Number or Date** | The format mask to use when the data for this object is displayed. For dates, the format follows the date/time patterns for a Java [SimpleDateFormat](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/SimpleDateFormat.html) format mask. For numbers, the pattern should follow the Java [DecimalFormat](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/text/DecimalFormat.html) format mask. | **Miscellaneous** | Alphanumeric |
| **Target Schema** | Defines the database schema to use when querying the business object. | **Miscellaneous** | Alphanumeric |
| **Target Table** | Defines the physical database table from which the business object is defined. | **Miscellaneous** | Alphanumeric |
## Custom properties
You can define any number of custom properties. You must give your property an **ID** to set its type.
* String
* Date
* Numeric Value
* Color
* Font
* Type of Field
* Type of Aggregation
* Boolean
* Field Data Type
* Localized String
* Type of Table
* URL
* Metadata Security
* Text Alignment
* Column Width
* Data Constraints
* Optional Aggregations
### Custom table joins
You can also use a custom property to create table joins in Metadata Editor. To do this, you must define the custom property as **path\_build\_method** with a valid value. The following table defines the valid values for custom table joins:
| Value | Description |
| ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **ALL** | Use all tables and joins. |
| **ANY\_RELEVANT** | Use all joins that lead to any used table even if there is more than one path. |
| **CLASSIC** | Use the old generation method. |
| **FIRST\_SHORT** | Returns the first path that only contains no duplicate joins between tables. |
| **LOWEST\_SCORE** | Returns a path that chooses all joins that will create the smallest score based on the estimated size of a table. |
| **SHORTEST** | (Default) Returns a path connecting every required table with the smallest number of joins. |
The generator defaults to **SHORTEST** if the property is not found in the model.
If this is determined to be too risky, then a Boolean value can be toggled in SqlGenerator or SQLGenerator to **preferClassicShortestPath** when set to **true**. Both classes will use **CLASSIC** if no setting is found in the model.
## Required properties per business object
The table below contains the required properties for given business objects. Required properties cannot be deleted.
| **ID** | Physical Table | Physical Column | Business Category | **Business Model** |
| --------------------------- | -------------- | --------------- | ----------------- | ------------------ |
| **Name** | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| **Description** | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| **Security Information** | Not required | Not required | Required | Required |
| **Table Type** | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| **Relative Size** | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| **Formula** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Field Type** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Data Type** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Aggregation Rule** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Is the Formula Exact?** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Hidden for the User?** | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
| **Font** | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| **Mask for Number or Date** | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| **Color of Text** | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| **Color of Background** | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
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