BusinessObjects Board

Extracting table names from universes

building semantic layer
#1

In a large effort to “productionalize” our migration process, our DBA would like to know if there is some way to automate the generation of a list of the tables used in a universe. Ideally, we would be able to scan all of the universe files (.unv) in a given directory and output a list of of the unique tables used in them. We could then use that list to prompt SQL Server to move only the tables we need. I don’t even know where to start with this one. Thanks.

I’m using BOXI R1 with SQL Server 2000.

AxisGp (BOB member since 2006-03-21)

#2

Hi,

maybe querrying the BO repository with this SQL can help you:

SELECT   unv.uni_longname,
         tab.tab_name
    FROM unv_table tab,
         unv_universe unv
   WHERE tab.universe_id = unv.universe_id
ORDER BY 1, 2

Marek Chladny :slovakia: (BOB member since 2003-11-27)

#3

Thanks for replying. Would you mind elaborating on how to do that? Pointing me at the correct BOBJ user manual would be sufficient. Thanks.

AxisGp (BOB member since 2006-03-21)

#4

Hi,

just run that SQL (in any SQL querrying tool you use) against the database where you have your BO repository stored.

Marek Chladny :slovakia: (BOB member since 2003-11-27)

#5

XI does not use the same repository structure, therefore the SQL as provided will not work. I understand there are technical reasons for switching to the new repository structure, but it sure makes me long for the “good old days” when questions like this come up. :?

Dave Rathbun :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-06)

#6

I am sorry. I did not see the update regarding your environment.

Marek Chladny :slovakia: (BOB member since 2003-11-27)

#7

It is possible using the Designer SDK. Take a look at this utility …Document a universe using Excel and the Designer SDK … for an example of how to read the contents of a universe. That utility operates on a single universe at a time. However, this utility … List objects used in a series of reports … acts on a series of documents within a given folder. Combining the techniques from the two utilities would give you what you need.

Dwayne Hoffpauir :us: (BOB member since 2002-09-19)

#8

Thank you, sir! I am already enjoying the utility you wrote to update object descriptions en masse.

AxisGp (BOB member since 2006-03-21)