Data Warehouse Center Application Integration Guide

Importing metadata into an information catalog

You can import metadata from the Data Warehouse Center to provide information about the data in a warehouse for the users of the warehouse. You can import metadata from partner applications that also provide some cataloging facilities.

Import metadata into the Information Catalog Manager involves the following tasks:

Select the types of metadata to import.
Import the metadata into the Information Catalog Manager.

Selecting metadata to import

When you import metadata into an information catalog, you can import the tag language in two formats:

A format that is used by both the Information Catalog Manager and the Data Warehouse Center
A format that conforms to MDIS.

Importing metadata from a tag language file

You can import metadata from tag language files that are in MDIS format or in the format used by the Information Catalog Manager and the Data Warehouse Center. See Information Catalog Manager object types for mappings of the Information Catalog Manager object types to MDIS names. For more information on MDIS tag language format, visit the Meta Data Coalition's Web site at http://www.MDCinfo.com.

If you are using MDIS with other products and Visual Warehouse 3.1, see the note in Exporting tag language files.

If you want to convert MDIS tag language into an Information Catalog Manager tag language file, see Information Catalog Manager Administration Guide.

Importing MDIS-conforming tag language files

To import an MDIS tag language file directly into your information catalog, enter the Information Catalog Manager command from a an MS-DOS command prompt. Adhere to the following rules for the command syntax:

All the parts, except where specified, are case-insensitive.
Either a slash (/) or a hyphen must precede each keyword (-).
All keywords that follow the DGUIDE command are required. All keywords that follow the /MDIS_IMPORT keyword are required.
Underlined choices are defaults.

DGUIDE /USERID userid /PASSWORD password /DGNAME dgname /MDIS_IMPORT filename /LOGFILE filename name/ADMIN

Optional keywords:

/TRACE 0|1|2|3|4

For example, to import MDIS metadata into your information catalog, type the following command (do not enter a line break):

DGUIDE /USERID longods /PASSWORD secret /DGNAME ICMSAMP /ADMIN
/MDIS_IMPORT c:\mdis.tag /LOGFILE c:\mdis.log

/ADMIN

Specifies that you are logging on as an administrator. You must log on as an administrator to import metadata.

/DGNAME

Your information catalog name.

If the information catalog is local, specify the database name. If the information catalog is remote, specify the alias under which it was cataloged.

Example:

/DGNAME ICMSAMP

/LOGFILE

This parameter is required.

Specifies the file destination for messages that the Information Catalog Manager generates during MDIS import or MDIS export. Unless you specify a full drive, path, and file name, the Information Catalog Manager places the file in the path specified on the DGWPATH environment variable. You must specify a fixed drive.

Example:

/LOGFILE d:\tagfile.log

/MDIS_IMPORT

Imports the MDIS-conforming tag language file that you specify. Unless you specify the full drive, path, and file name, the Information Catalog Manager assumes that the file is in the path specified on the DGWPATH environment variable.

Example:

/MDIS_IMPORT d:\tagfile.tag

The information catalog into which you import MDIS metadata must include, but is not limited to, valid MDIS object type definitions.

/PASSWORD

Your password for this user ID.

Example:

/PASSWORD secret

Passwords are case-sensitive for accessing databases on the following operating systems, you must type them exactly as specified.

AIX
Windows NT and Windows 2000
Solaris Operating Environment

/TRACE

The level of trace information to send to the Information Catalog Manager trace file. Each higher level includes the functions of the levels below it (for example 3 includes the functions of levels 0, 1, 2, and 3). You might need to specify a higher level if you call IBM Software Support to diagnose the Information Catalog Manager problems.

0: The default. Includes all messages and warning, error, and severe error conditions.
1: Includes entry and exit records of the highest level Information Catalog Manager functions.
2: Includes extremely granular entry and exit records of the Information Catalog Manager functions.
3: Includes input and output parameters (that exclude input or output structures).
4: Includes all input or output structures that are passed to and used by the Information Catalog Manager.

/USERID

Your information catalog user ID. Type the user ID required by the database where the information catalog resides. For example, the user ID might be your local, LAN, AS/400, AIX, or OS/390 TSO user ID.

Example:

/USERID longods

Importing a tag language file from the command line

Use the DGUIDE command to open an information catalog and import a tag language file from an MS-DOS command prompt. When you use the DGUIDE command, keep in mind the following rules for the command syntax:

None of the parts, except where specified, are case sensitive.
Each keyword must be preceded by either a slash (/) or hyphen (-) character.
All keywords that follow /IMPORT as shown in Figure 12 are required if you choose to import.
Underlined choices are defaults.

Figure 12. DGUIDE command parameters for opening an î and importing metadata

DGUIDE /USERID userid /PASSWORD password /DGNAME dgname

Optional keywords:

/ADMIN /TRACE 0|1|2|3|4 /IMPORT filename /LOGFILE filename /RESTART B|C

Optional import keyword:

/ICOPATH iconpath

The following example shows the required parameters you specify to open the sample information catalog as an administrator.

DGUIDE /USERID longods /PASSWORD secret /DGNAME ICMSAMP /ADMIN

The following list shows the parameters you can add to the DGUIDE command. Optional and required keywords for importing a tag language file are noted.

/ADMIN

Specifies that you are logging on as an administrator. If you do not specify this optional keyword for the DGUIDE command, you are logged on as a user, and you cannot perform administrator tasks.

/DGNAME

Your information catalog name.

If the information catalog is local, give the database name. If the information catalog is remote, give the alias under which it was cataloged.

Example:

/DGNAME ICMSAMP

/ICOPATH

Valid only with /IMPORT; optional.

Indicates that you are importing icons and specifies the icon path that the import function will use. The Information Catalog Manager assumes that the path is the same as the one where you installed the Information Catalog Manager unless you specify a full drive and path. You must specify a fixed drive.

Example:

/ICOPATH d:\icons\

/IMPORT

Imports the tag language file you specify. Unless you specify the full drive, path, and file name, the Information Catalog Manager assumes that the file is in the path specified on the DGWPATH environment variable.

Example:

/IMPORT d:\tagfile.tag

This keyword bypasses the Information Catalog Manager user interface and performs the import function as a batch process.

/LOGFILE

Valid only with /IMPORT; required with /IMPORT.

Specifies the file destination for messages the Information Catalog Manager generates during import. Unless you specify a full drive, path, and file name, the Information Catalog Manager places the file in the path specified on the DGWPATH environment variable. You must specify a fixed drive.

Example:

/LOGFILE d:\tagfile.log

/PASSWORD

Your password for this user ID.

Example:

/PASSWORD secret

Passwords are case-sensitive for accessing databases on the following operating systems, you must type them exactly as specified.

AIX
Windows NT and Windows 2000
Solaris Operating Environment

/RESTART

Valid only with /IMPORT; required with /IMPORT.

Indicates which option the import function uses. The valid options are:

B: Imports the tag language file from the beginning.
C: The default. Imports the tag language file from the last point at which the Information Catalog Manager successfully committed changes to the information catalog.

/TRACE

The level of trace information to send to the trace file. Each higher level includes the functions of the levels below it (3 includes the functions of levels 0, 1, 2, and 3). You might have to specify a higher level if you call IBM Software Support to diagnose Information Catalog Manager problems.

0: The default. Includes all messages and warning, error, and severe error conditions.
1: Includes entry and exit records of the highest level Information Catalog Manager functions.
2: Includes extremely granular entry and exit records of the Information Catalog Manager functions.
3: Includes input and output parameters (excluding input or output structure).
4: Includes all input or output structures that are passed to and used by the Information Catalog Manager.

/USERID

Your information catalog user ID. Depending on the database location of the information catalog you are opening, type the user ID required by the database. For example, the user ID might be your local, LAN, AS/400, AIX, or OS/390 TSO user ID.

Example:

/USERID longods

[ Top of Page | Previous Page | Next Page ]