- A
- administrator
- A person responsible for managing the content and use of the Information
Catalog Manager.
- anchor
- A Grouping object that contains other objects, but is not contained by
another Grouping object.
- Attachment
- The category for object types used to attach additional information to
another Information Catalog Manager object. For example, you can attach
comments to an object.
- B
- browse
- To display information catalog objects that are grouped by subject.
Contrast with search.
- C
- catalog
- See information catalog and database catalog.
- category
- A classification for Information Catalog Manager object types. The
category designates the:
- Actions available to object types
- Relationships allowed between object types in the same or different
categories.
Object types belong to one of the following categories:
- Attachment
- Contact
- Dictionary
- Elemental
- Grouping
- Program
- Support
- CelDial sample data
- A sample information catalog (ICMSAMP) available when you install the
Information Catalog Manager that can be used for installation
verification. This sample information catalog is also used in the
exercises in theInformation Catalog Manager User's
Guide.
- collection
- A container for objects. A collection can be used to gather objects
of interest for easy access.
- Comments
- A classification for objects that annotate another object in the
Information Catalog Manager. For example, you may want to attach a
Comments object to a chart object that contains notes about the data in the
chart.
The Comments object type is with the Information Catalog Manager.
You cannot add properties to it.
- commit
- To make changes to information catalog database permanent. Contrast
with roll back.
- contact
- A reference for more information about an object. Further
information might include the person who created the information that the
object represents, or the department responsible for maintaining the
information.
- Contact
- A category for the Contact object type and other object types that
identify contacts.
- Contact object type
- A classification for objects that identify contacts.
- D
- database catalog
- A collection of tables that contains descriptions of database objects such
as tables, views, and indexes.
- DBCS
- Double-byte character set.
- decision-support system
- A system of applications that help users make decisions. This kind
of system allows users to work with information presented in meaningful
ways; for example, spreadsheets, charts, and reports.
- delete history
- A log of delete activity, the capture of which is turned on and off by the
Information Catalog Manager administrator. The log can be transferred
to a tag language file.
- derived data
- Data that is copied or enhanced (perhaps by summarizing the data) from
operational data sources into an informational database.
- descriptive data
- Data that identifies and describes an object, for example, the name of a
table, the location of a spreadsheet, or the creator of a document.
Also called metadata.
- Description view
- A view that lists the properties and property values for an object.
- Dictionary
- The category for object types that can be used to define terminology (for
example, the "Glossary entries" object type in the sample information
catalog).
- dictionary facility
- A collection of definitions or synonyms for the business terms you use in
the information catalog. After it is created, the dictionary facility
appears in every user's Catalog window as a saved search icon.
- double-byte character set (DBCS)
- A set of characters in which each character is represented by two
bytes. Languages such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, which contain
more symbols than can be represented by 256 code points, require double-byte
character sets. Contrast with single-byte character
set.
- DP NAME
- An identification for an object type that uniquely identifies it for
import operations. Also called the short name of an object type.
- E
- echo file
- A file produced by the Information Catalog Manager when it imports a tag
language file. This file contains all the tags that have been processed
since either the beginning of the tag language file or the point when the last
COMMIT tag was processed.
- Elemental
- The category for non-Grouping object types that are the building blocks
for other Information Catalog Manager object types. Elemental object
types are at the bottom of object type hierarchies. "Columns in
relational tables," "Presentations {electronic and
hardcopy}," and "Graphics and Images" are all examples of
Elemental object types.
- export
- To copy metadata from the Information Catalog Manager, translate the
metadata into tag language, and put this output in a tag language file for a
subsequent import operation.
- external name
- The 80-byte name for an object type. Also called object type
name.
- extract control file
- A file that contains statements that control the operation of an extractor
utility program.
- extract program
- A utility program that copies from a metadata source, such as an RDBMS
catalog, translates the metadata into tag language, and places this output in
a tag language file.
- F
- FAT
- File allocation table. A table used to allocate space on a disk for
a file and to locate the file.
- FLGID
- See object identifier.
- G
- Grouping
- The category for object types that can contain other object types.
Examples of Grouping object types available in the sample information catalog
included with the Information Catalog Manager are: "Tables or views
in a relational database," which contains the Elemental object type
"Columns in relational tables"; and "Multi-dimensional
model," which contains another Grouping object type
"Dimension."
- H
- HPFS
- High-performance file system. In OS/2, an installable file system
that uses high-speed buffer storage, known as a cache, to provide fast access
to large disk volumes. File names used with the HPFS can have as many
as 254 characters.
- I
- import
- To apply the contents of a tag language file to an Information Catalog
Manager to initially populate the information catalog, change the information
catalog contents, or copy the contents of another information catalog to the
information catalog.
- information catalog
- The database managed by the Information Catalog Manager containing
descriptive data that helps users identify and locate the data and information
available to them in the organization.
- Information Catalog Manager application program interface (API)
- The portion of the Information Catalog Manager that processes application
program requests for the Information Catalog Manager services and
functions.
- information source
- An item of data or information, such as a table or chart, that is
represented by an Information Catalog Manager object.
- informational application
- A program or system that lets users retrieve and analyze their
data.
- informational database
- A database that contains derived data and is intended for business
decision making.
- input structure
- A self-defining data structure used to submit data to the Information
Catalog Manager application program interface.
- instance
- See object.
- instance identifier
- A 10-digit numeric identifier generated by the Information Catalog Manager
for each object. The identifier is unique for that object within a
given object type (an object of another object type may have the same
identifier), and within a given information catalog database (an object in
another information catalog database may have the same identifier).
- I/O structure
- See input structure and output structure.
- K
- keyword
- An element of the Information Catalog Manager tag language that identifies
the meaning of a data value imported into or exported out of an information
catalog.
- keyword search
- See search.
- L
- link
- A connection between two or more objects involved in a linked
relationship.
- linked relationship
- A relationship between objects in an information catalog. Objects
in a linked relationship are peers, rather than one an underlying object of
the other.
For example, in the sample information catalog included with the
Information Catalog Manager, the object called CelDial Sales
Information is linked with various objects describing CelDial
advertisements for the year.
- log file
- A file produced by the Information Catalog Manager when it imports a tag
language file or exports objects in the information catalog. This file
records the times and dates when the import or export started and stopped and
any error information for the process.
- M
- metadata
- Data about information sources. See descriptive
data.
- multiple character wildcard
- A character used to represent any series of characters of any
length. By default, the multiple character wildcard is an asterisk
(*). See also wildcard and single character
wildcard.
- N
- not-applicable symbol
- A character that indicates that a value for a required property was not
provided when an object was created. The not-applicable symbol is a
hyphen (-) by default, but you could have identified a different symbol when
you created the information catalog.
- O
- object
- An item that represents a unit or distinct grouping of information.
Each Information Catalog Manager object identifies and describes information,
but does not contain the actual information. For example, an object can
provide the name of a report, list its creation date, and describe its
purpose.
- object identifier
- A 16-digit identifier for an object that is made up of its 6-digit object
type identifier and its 10-digit instance identifier that is used with some
API calls. See object type identifier and instance
identifier.
- object type
- A classification for objects. An object type is used to reflect a
type of business information, such as a table, report, or image.
The Information Catalog Manager provides a set of sample object types,
which you can modify. You can also create additional object types to
meet the needs of your organization.
- object type identifier
- A 6-digit numeric identifier generated by the Information Catalog Manager
for each object type. The identifier is unique within the information
catalog database.
- object type registration
- With the Information Catalog Manager application program interface, the
basic information about an object type that you must define in the Information
Catalog Manager before you can define the properties for the object
type. This information includes the category, the name, the icon, and
the name of the table containing the object information.
- operational data
- Data used to run the day-to-day operations of an organization.
- option
- In Information Catalog Manager tag language, a parameter of the ACTION tag
that defines the action to be performed on objects or object types in the î
database when the tag language file is imported.
- output structure
- A self-defining data structure produced by the Information Catalog Manager
when returning data produced by an Information Catalog Manager API
call.
- P
- physical type name
- The name of the table in the information catalog database that contains
metadata for instances of a specific object type.
- populate
- To add object types, objects, or metadata to the Information Catalog
Manager.
- Program category
- The category for the Programs object type.
- Programs object type
- A classification for objects that identify and describe applications
capable of processing the actual information described by Information Catalog
Manager objects.
The Programs object type is included with the Information Catalog
Manager.
- property
- A characteristic or attribute that describes a unit of information.
Each object type has a set of associated properties. For example, the
"Graphics and Images" object type in the sample information catalog
includes the following properties:
- Name
- Description
- Image type
- Image filename
For each object, a set of values are assigned to the properties.
- property name
- The 80-byte descriptive name of a property that is displayed in the
Information Catalog Manager user interface. Contrast with property
short name.
- property short name
- An 8-character name used by the Information Catalog Manager to uniquely
identify a property of an object or object type.
- property value
- The value of a property.
- PT NAME
- See physical type name.
- R
- RDBMS
- Relational database management system.
- RDBMS catalog
- A set of tables that contain descriptions of SQL objects, such as tables,
views, and indexes, maintained by an RDBMS.
- relational database management system
- A software system, such as DB2 UDB for OS/2, that manages and stores
relational data.
- registration
- See object type registration.
- roll back
- To remove uncommitted changes to the information catalog database.
Contrast with commit.
- S
- saved search
- A set of search criteria that is saved for subsequent use. Appears
as an icon in the Catalog window.
- SBCS
- Single-byte character set.
- search
- To request the display of the Information Catalog Manager objects that
meet specific criteria.
- search by subject
- See browse.
- search by term
- See search.
- search criteria
- Options and character strings used to specify how to perform a
search. This can include object type names, property values, whether
the search is for an exact match, and whether the search is case
sensitive.
- single-byte character set (SBCS)
- A character set in which each character is represented by a one-byte
code. Contrast with double-byte character set.
- single character wildcard
- A character used to represent any single character. By default, the
single character wildcard is a question mark (?). See also
wildcard and multiple character wildcard.
- subject search
- See browse.
- Support
- The category for object types that provide additional information about
your information catalog or enterprise (for example, the " Information
Catalog Manager News" object type in the sample information
catalog).
- support facility
- A collection of information you consider helpful for users of your
information catalog, such as announcements of changes or updates to the
information catalog. After it is created, the support facility appears
in every user's Catalog window as a saved search icon.
- T
- tag
- An element of the tag language. Tags indicate actions to be taken
when the tag language file is imported to the information catalog.
- tag language
- A format for defining object types and objects, and actions to be taken on
those object types and objects, in the Data Warehouse Center or the
information catalog.
- tag language file
- A file that contains tag language that describes objects and object types
to be added, updated or deleted in the Data Warehouse Center or in the
information catalog, when the file is imported. A tag language file is
produced by exporting objects from the Data Warehouse Center or from the
Information Catalog Manager.
In the Information Catalog Manager, a tag language file is also produced
by:
- Transferring a delete history log.
- Extracting descriptive data from another database system using an extract
program.
- Tree view
- A view that displays hierarchically an object and the objects it
contains.
- U
- unit of work
- A recoverable sequence of operations within an application process.
A unit of work is the basic building block a database management system uses
to ensure that a database is in a consistent state. A unit of work is
ended when changes to the database are committed or rolled back.
- universal unique identifier (UUI)
- A key for an object. The key is comprised of up to five properties,
which, when concatenated in a designated order, uniquely identify the object
during import and export functions.
- user
- A person who accesses the information available in the information catalog
but who is not an administrator.
Some Information Catalog Manager users, if they have been granted
authority, can perform some object management tasks normally performed by
administrators.
- W
- wildcard
- A special character that is used as a variable when specifying property
values in a search. See also single character wildcard and
multiple character wildcard.