Comparing Text Field, Label, Note, Table, Report, Item, Item Type, and Item Sets

Following table gives a comparison of different OpenBuildings Designer features. This will help you in understanding and deciding which feature to use for a particular task.

	Text field	Label	Note	Table	Report	Item	Item type	Item set
Definition	A feature that allows annotations to display properties of elements or objects. Properties of attached Items are also accessible.	A cell with optional leader(s) to point to an area of interest.	Text with one or more leaders to point to an area of interest.	An annotation that displays a grid of boxes that can contain text.	A method to extract and present data from a DGN file in tabular format, based on custom properties or sheet index.	An instance of an item type attached to an object or element.	A user defined set of properties used to describe an object or an element.	A feature that allows you to group elements based on their properties.
Additional information	A feature common to several types of annotations. Text fields are available in Text, Notes, Labels, and Tables. You can upgrade tags to text containing fields.	An annotation that does not define properties. Can be placed with relative association.	An annotation that does not define properties. Can be place with relative association.	An annotation that does not define properties.	Does not define properties.	Once attached to an object, the properties of the item type become properties of the object itself, with their own independent values.	Defines non-graphical properties which can be attached to an object or element. You can upgrade tag set definitions to item types.	Is a type of Named Group.
Purpose	Derive content from object properties.	Place annotations.	Place annotations.	Render tabular information in a model.	Report on design data in tabular format.	Attach custom properties to objects and elements.	Define custom properties.	Group items.
Usage	Display a property value as an annotation. Available in Text, Notes, Labels and Tables.			Content can be created manually, generated from a report, or imported from an excel workbook or a .csv file.	May be displayed as a table or exported to Excel for further processing.	May be used as data source for generating reports or creating text fields.	Defines a structure that will be used to create Items.	Visually manipulate selected sets of items. Identify and review the items that meet certain selection criteria.
Application Example		Door or Route label.	Street name or Room name.		Generating a report to know how many pipes with a diameter greater than or equal to 5 exist in a model.		Doors or Manholes.	If you want to show all elements marked for late delivery, you can specify a certain color for these elements. You can then query to select just these elements.

Note: The Properties dialog, item sets, reports, fields, and display rules, all work on "properties," and all properties are treated equally. You can create your own properties in the Item Types dialog and attach them to elements or objects using the Attach Item tool. These properties can then be used by other systems.