Release Notes

29.6 Importing and Exporting Metadata Using the Common Warehouse Metadata Interchange (CWMI)

29.6.1 Introduction

In addition to the existing support for tag language files, the Data Warehouse Center can now import and export metadata to and from XML files that conform to the Common Warehouse Metamodel (CWM) standard. Importing and exporting these CWM-compliant XML files is referred to as the Common Warehouse Metadata Interchange (CWMI).

You can import and export metadata from the following Data Warehouse Center objects:

• Warehouse sources
• Warehouse targets
• Subject areas, including processes, sources, targets, steps, and cascade relationships.
• User-defined programs

The CWMI import and export utility does not currently support certain kinds of metadata, including: schedules, warehouse schemas, users, and groups.

The Data Warehouse Center creates a log file that contains the results of the import and export processes. Typically, the log file is created in the x:\program files\sqllib\logging directory (where x: is the drive where you installed DB2), or the directory that you specified as the VWS_LOGGING environment variable. The log file is plain text; you can view it with any text editor.

29.6.2 Importing Metadata

You can import metadata either from within Data Warehouse Center, or from the command line.

New objects that are created through the import process are assigned to the default Data Warehouse Center security group. For more information, see "Updating security after importing" in these Release Notes.

If you are importing metadata about a step, multiple files can be associated with the step. Metadata about the step is stored in an XML file, but sometimes a step has associated data stored as BLOBs. The BLOB metadata has the same file name as the XML file, but it is in separate files that have numbered extensions. All of the related step files must be in the same directory when you import.

Updating steps when they are in test or production mode

A step must be in development mode before the Data Warehouse Center can update the step's metadata. If the step is in test or production mode, demote the step to development mode before importing the metadata:

1. Log on to the Data Warehouse Center.
2. Right-click the step that you want to demote, and click Mode.
3. Click Development.

The step is now in development mode. Change the step back to either test or production mode after you import the metadata.

Importing data from the Data Warehouse Center

You can import metadata from within the Data Warehouse Center:

1. Log on to the Data Warehouse Center.
2. In the left pane, click Warehouse.
3. Click Selected --> Import Metadata --> Interchange File...
4. In the Import Metadata window, specify the file name that contains the metadata that you want to import. You can either type the file name or browse for the file.
   • If you know the location, type the fully qualified path and file name that you want to import. Be sure to include the .xml file extension to specify that you want to import metadata in the XML format or the file will not be processed correctly.
   • To browse for your files:
     1. Click the ellipsis (...) push button.
     2. In the File window, change Files of type to XML.
     3. Go to the correct directory and select the file that you want to import.

        Note:

        The file must have an .xml extension.

     4. Click OK.
5. In the Import Metadata window, click OK to finish. The Progress window is displayed while the Data Warehouse Center imports the file.

Using the command line to import metadata

You can also use the command line to import metadata. Here is the import command syntax:

CWMImport XML_file dwcControlDB dwcUserId dwcPW [PREFIX = DWCtbschema]

29.6.3 Updating Your Metadata After Running the Import Utility

Updating security after importing

As a security measure, the Data Warehouse Center does not import or export passwords. You need to update the passwords on new objects as needed. For more details on import considerations, see the Data Warehouse Center Administration Guide, Chapter 12, "Exporting and importing Data Warehouse Center metadata."

When you import metadata, all of the objects are assigned to the default security group. You can change the groups who have access to the object:

1. Log on to the Data Warehouse Center.
2. Right-click on the folder that contains the object that you want to change.
3. Click Properties, and then click the Security tab.
4. Remove groups from the Selected warehouse groups list or add groups from Available warehouse groups list.
5. Click OK.

29.6.4 Exporting Metadata

You can export metadata either from within Data Warehouse Center, or from the command line.

Some steps have metadata that is stored as a BLOB. The BLOB metadata is exported to a separate file that has the same file name as the step's XML file, but with a numbered extension (.1, .2 and so on).

Exporting data from the Data Warehouse Center

You can export metadata from within the Data Warehouse Center:

1. Log on to the Data Warehouse Center.
2. In the left pane, click Warehouse.
3. Click Selected --> Export Metadata--> Interchange file.
4. In the Export Metadata window, specify the file name that will contain the exported metadata. You can either enter the file name or browse for the file:
   • If you know the fully qualified path and file name that you want to use, type it in the File name entry field. Be sure to include the .xml file extension to specify that you want to export metadata in the XML format.
   • To browse for your files:
     1. Click the ellipsis (...) push button.
     2. In the File window, change Files of type to XML.
     3. Go to the correct directory and select the file that you want to contain the exported metadata.

        Note:

        Any existing file that you select is overwritten with the exported metadata.

     4. Click OK.
5. When the Export Metadata window displays the correct filename, click the object from the Available objects list whose metadata you want to export.
6. Click the > sign to move the selected object from the Available objects list to the Selected objects list. Repeat until all of the objects that you want to export are listed in the Selected objects list.
7. Click OK.

The Data Warehouse Center creates an input file, which contains information about the Data Warehouse Center objects that you selected to export, and then exports the metadata about those objects. The progress window is displayed while the Data Warehouse Center is exporting the metadata.

Using the command line to export metadata

Before you can export metadata from the command line, you must first create an input file. The input file is a text file with an .INP extension, and it lists all of the objects by object type that you want to export. When you export from within the Data Warehouse Center, the input file is created automatically, but to export from the command line you must first create the input file. You can create the input file with any text editor. Type all of the object names as they appear in the Data Warehouse Center. Make sure you create the file in a read/write directory. When you run the export utility, the Data Warehouse Center writes the XML files to the same directory where the input file is.

Here's a sample input file:

<PROC>
Tutorial Fact Table Process
<IR>
Tutorial file source
Tutorial target
<UDP>
New Program group

In the <PROC> (processes) section, list all of the processes that you want to export. In the <IR> (information resources) section, list all the warehouse sources and targets that you want to export. The Data Warehouse Center automatically includes the tables and columns that are associated with these sources and targets. In the <UDP> (user defined programs) section, list all the program groups that you want to export.

To export metadata, enter the following command at a DOS command prompt:

CWMExport INPcontrol_file dwcControlDB dwcUserID dwcPW [PREFIX=DWCtbschema]