Information Catalog Manager Administration Guide

Planning to run extract programs

To effectively use the extract programs to populate an information catalog, complete the following preparatory steps:

1. Identify descriptive data for extraction.

   The Information Catalog Manager extract programs for relational databases extract descriptive data for Table and Column types of objects.

   See Appendix B, Predefined Information Catalog Manager object types for a description of these object types. The relational catalogs of the databases do not contain all the properties that these objects require. Therefore, the extract programs produce only the descriptive data for the properties that the catalogs contain. You can fill in the missing information by editing the tag language file. For complete information on writing tag language files, see Appendix D, Tag language.

   The extract programs for desktop applications create their own object types specifically for these applications.

   Important

   This step is especially important if you plan to extract data for storage in a DB2 UDB for AS/400 information catalog. After you create object types in a DB2 UDB for AS/400 information catalog, you cannot update them to add properties. You must create exactly the object types you want to fit the data you plan to extract. You might want to create separate object types that are specifically tailored to the extracted data. For example, you might already have an object type called Columns, so you can create an object type Columns2 for extracted data.

2. Select the appropriate extract program.

   When you know what descriptive data you want to extract, choose the appropriate extract program and decide if you need to change it.

   The DGWEXT program for the IBM DB2 family of relational databases needs no modification. IBM supports and services the DGWEXT program. The other extract programs that come with the Information Catalog Manager are only sample programs. You might need to change them to work with your own environment and databases.

3. Read the documentation about the extract program you want to use.

   Each extractor exists in its own subdirectory located in the \SQLLIB\SAMPLES path on the drive where the DB2 Universal Database is installed. Information about, and steps for using, each of the extractors is supplied in a README file in that extractor's subdirectory.