# DBColumn properties for report composer template

**URL:** <https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182>\
**Category:** General Questions/Discussions\
**Created:** [August 1, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182 "2012-08-01T22:34:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![imoraru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v2/letter/i/c77e96/32.png) [@imoraru](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/imoraru)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2012, 11:12am UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/1 "2012-08-02T11:12:32Z")

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I am using the report composer and building my own templates.  
Where can I find documentation for the properties available for various elements.  
In particular, what are the properties of DBColumn and what children does it have?  
Thanks,  
Ion

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**Author:** ![Rain](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/user_avatar/forums.visual-paradigm.com/rain/32/2309_2.png) [@Rain](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/Rain)\
**Post date:** [August 9, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/2 "2012-08-09T14:56:57Z")

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Hello Ion,

Thank you for your message and you can find out details about the report template at [http://www.visual-paradigm.com/support/documents/vpumluserguide/304\_reportgenera.html](http://www.visual-paradigm.com/support/documents/vpumluserguide/304_reportgenera.html)

Best regards,  
Rain Wong

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**Author:** ![Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v2/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@Anonymous](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/Anonymous)\
**Post date:** [August 14, 2012, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/3 "2012-08-14T09:46:53Z")

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I looked at the report template documentation. There is information about generic properties but nothing specific to DBColumn (like primary key, foreign key, etc.).  
Maybe I’m missing something. Could you point me to the appropriate section that documents DBColumn?  
Thanks,  
Ion

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**Author:** ![Jick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v2/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jick](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/Jick)\
**Post date:** [October 9, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/4 "2012-10-09T16:25:30Z")

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Hi Ion ,

You can check if the column is a primary key with:

To show the column type:

To show the length with scale:

Hope this helps. Feel free to post again if you need any more help.

Best regards,  
Jick Yeung

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**Author:** ![imoraru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v2/letter/i/c77e96/32.png) [@imoraru](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/imoraru)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 9:41am UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/5 "2012-11-02T09:41:17Z")

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Thanks, it works.  
Can you please tell me how I can determine if there is a foreign key on a column and which table and field is it referencing?  
TIA.  
Ion

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**Author:** ![Jick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v2/letter/j/ea666f/32.png) [@Jick](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/u/Jick)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://forums.visual-paradigm.com/t/dbcolumn-properties-for-report-composer-template/12182/6 "2012-11-08T16:06:35Z")

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Hi Ion,

You may use \<ForEach property=“foreignKeyConstraints” …\> to get the foreign key constraints (s) from a column.  
Foreign key constraint has 2 properties:  
refColumn (the opposite side’s Entity’s PK Column)  
foreignKey (the relationship)

For your case, you refColumn.  
So, use \<MetaModelElement property=“refColumn” …\> to get the column from the foreign key constraint.  
Then use \<ParentModel …\> to get the table of the column

Best regards,  
Jick Yeung