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Querying and Managing Repository Metadata

You can query for objects in the repository using the Query Repository tool. If you query using the All Types option, a list appears that contains the exposed object types in the repository. The list does not contain objects such as aggregate rules, logical source folders, privilege packages, and other objects that are considered internal objects.

You can use repository queries to help manage the repository metadata in the following ways:

  • Examine and update the internal structure of the repository. For example, you can query a repository for objects in the repository based on name, type (such as Catalog, Complex Join, Key, and LDAP Server), or on a combination of name and type. You can then edit or delete objects that appear in the Results list. You can also create new objects, and view parent hierarchies.
  • Query a repository and view reports that show such items as all tables mapped to a logical source, all references to a particular physical column, content filters for logical sources, initialization blocks, and security and user permissions.

    For example, you might want to run a report prior to making any physical changes in a database that might affect the repository. You can save the report to a file in comma-separated value (CSV) or tab-delimited format.

  • You can save a query to run again in the future or save the query results to an external file. When you save to an external file, the encoding options are ANSI, Unicode, and UTF-8.

To query a repository

  1. Open the Administration Tool, and then open your repository.
  2. In the repository, right-click any object and choose Display Related > [type of object on which you want to search].
  3. In the Query Repository dialog box, the type of object is prefilled.
  4. In the Query Repository dialog box, complete the query information using Table 20 as a guide.

    Table 20 contains a description of most fields and buttons in the Query Repository dialog box.

  5. Click Query.

    You can view the results, save the results to an external file, or make changes and overwrite the existing query or save as a new query.

To save a query results to an external file

  1. After running the query, in the Query Repository dialog box, click Save.
  2. In the Save As dialog box, type a name, choose a type of file and an Encoding value.
  3. To add additional columns of information to the results, click Add Columns.
  4. In the Select information to add to the report dialog box, select the columns you want from the list.
  5. You can re-order the columns by selecting a checked column and clicking Up or Down.
  6. Click OK
  7. In the Save as dialog box, select a Save as type.
  8. Click Save.

To save a query to run it again later

  1. After running the query, in the Query Repository dialog box, click Save Query As.
  2. In the Save Query As dialog box, type a name for the query and click Save.
  3. In the Query Repository dialog box, click Close.

To delete a saved query

  1. Open the Administration Tool, and then open your repository.
  2. From the Tools menu, choose Query Repository.
  3. In the Query Repository dialog box, click Saved Queries.
  4. In the Saved Queries dialog box, scroll to the right or maximize the dialog box.
  5. Click the delete button for the query that you wish to delete, and then click Close.

To run a saved query

  1. Open the Administration Tool, and then open your repository.
  2. From the Tools menu, choose Query Repository.
  3. In the Query Repository dialog box, click Saved Queries.
  4. In the Saved Queries dialog box, select the row that contains the query you wish to run, and then click Select.
  5. In the Query Repository dialog box, click Query.

    You can view the results, save the results to an external file, or make changes and overwrite the existing query or save as a new query.

Table 20. Query Repository Fields and Some Buttons
Field or Button
Description

Delete

After executing a query, use this button to delete an object in the list of query results.

Edit

After executing a query, use this button to edit an object in the list of query results. Not all repository objects can be edited from the results list. For example privilege objects and user database sign-on objects. If an object cannot be edited from the results list, the Edit button will not be available.

Filter

Use this button to create or edit a filter for your query. After you create a filter, the filter criteria appear in the text box on the left of the button. For more information, refer to Constructing a Filter for Query Results.

GoTo

After executing a query, use this button to go to the object in the Administration Tool view of the repository.

Mark

After executing a query, use this button to mark the selected objects. To unmark an object click the button again. You can mark objects to make them easier to visually identify as you develop metadata.

Name

Allows a search by object name. You can use an asterisk ( * ) wildcard character to specify any characters. The wildcard character can represent the first or last characters in the search string. Searches are not case sensitive.

New

Use to request a new query.

Parent

After executing a query, use this button to view the parent hierarchy of an object. If the object does not have a parent, a message appears.

In the Parent Hierarchy dialog box, you can edit or delete objects. However, if you delete an object, any child objects of the selected object will also be deleted.

Query

Use this button when you are ready to submit your query.

Save Query As

Opens a dialog box in which you can save a query and select or delete a previously saved query. Available only after you have created a query.

Saved Queries

Opens a dialog box in which you can type a new name for the query or browse existing saved queries. This button is only available if you have previously saved queries.

Set Icon

After executing a query, use this button to select a different icon for an object. To change the icon back to this original icon, use this button and select Remove associated icon. You can set special icons for objects to make it easier to visually identify them as having common characteristics. You may, for example, want to pick a special icon to identify columns that will be used only by a certain user group.

Show Qualified Name

Use this check box to display the fully qualified name of the object(s) found by the query.

For example, if you query for logical tables, the default value in the Name list is the table name. However, if you select the Show Qualified Names check box, the value in the Name list changes to businessmodelname.logicaltablename.columnname.

Type

Select a type from the drop-down list to narrow your search to a particular type of object.

To create a new object

  1. From the Administration Tool menu bar, choose Tools > Query Repository.
  2. In the Query Repository dialog box, in the Type drop-down list, select the type of object you want to create.
  3. Click New.

    The dialog boxes that appear depend on the object type that you select. For more information refer to the section of this documentation that pertains to creating that object.

  
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