Creating Interactive Reporting Database Connections with References to Metadata

Perform this procedure only if no Interactive Reporting database connection file provides access to metadata descriptions.

This topic demonstrates how to create a metadata database connection that uses Sample.oce, which is supplied with Interactive Reporting Studio. After you complete the procedure, you can create your own metadata database connections.

A metadata database connection enables you to use user-friendly names provided by the metadata database connection to build queries, charts, and pivots and to use the Metadata component with a dashboard.

To create a database connection with references to metadata:

Start Interactive Reporting Studio, and, on the Welcome dialog, click Cancel.
Select File, then New.
New File is displayed.
Select Sample.oce, and click OK.
On Log on, click OK.
A blank Interactive Reporting document is displayed.
Select Tools, then Connection, and then Modify.
Database Connection Wizard is displayed.
Select On the current connection, and click Next.
Below Custom, click Edit.
Metadata Definition is displayed.
1. On Tables, select Custom Definition.
2. Fill in the text boxes, and use these examples as a guide:
  *Physical Table Name: table_name
  Table Alias: business_name
  From: meta_data_tables
3. Select Columns, and select Custom Definition.
4. Fill in the text boxes, and use these examples as a guide:
  *Physical Column Name: column_name
  Column Alias: business_name
  Column Number: sequence
  *Column Type: data_type
  *Byte Length: length
  From: meta_data_columns
  Where: table_name=: TABLE
5. Configure the options on Joins, and select Custom.
6. Fill in the text boxes, and use these examples as a guide:
  *Primary Table: pkey_table_name
  *Primary Column: pkey_column_name
  *Foreign Table: fkey_table_name
  *Foreign Column: fkey_column_name
  From: meta_data_joins
7. On Remarks, select Table Remarks, and configure these entries:
  1. In Remarks Tabs, select Description.
  2. Enter Remarks SQL, and use these examples as a guide:
    Tab Name: Description
    Select: description
    From: meta_data_tables
    Where: (:TABLE = table_name or :TABALIAS = table_name)
  3. In Remarks Tabs, select Usage Notes.
  4. Enter Remarks SQL and use these examples as a guide:
    Tab Name: Usage Notes
    Select: usage_notes
    From: meta_data_tables
    Where: :TABLE = table_name
Click OK to return to the Database Connection Wizard, and click Finish.
A dialog box is displayed asking that the Interactive Reporting database connection file be saved.
Click Yes, and name the file.
Close the document without saving.
Create an Interactive Reporting document that uses the database connection just created.
Instead of the raw tables usually seen when using the original Sample.oce, a more user-friendly database view is available. The view excludes the list of metadata tables.