Oracle Business Intelligence - Metadata Dictionary

Reference: Oracle BI - Metadata Dictionary-v30-20140718_0958.docx  Cadran Consultancy b.v.
Author : Rick Brobbel Date printed : 18/07/14
Project : Oracle BI EE Page : 1 of 10
Contains : Metadata Dictionary Date : 18/07/14
Oracle BI - Metadata Dictionary
1 Introduction
The Metadata Dictionary is a great set of documentation that the Oracle BIEE Client Administration1
Tool can generate for you. The more information you have entered in the description of objects in2
your Repository (RPD), the more explaining it will be.3
Once generated it is a set of HTML-pages with loads of information.4
These HTML-pages can be published to the network for public information, but also can be5
incorporated in your BI Server, thus giving access to this information when users are creating6
Analytics.7
Everywhere this page reads CadranJDE you should read CadranJDE_BI0003. It must be in
line with the repository file deployed to the BI Server.
8
2 Generating Metadata Dictionary
This only works when you open your repository in offline-mode: Go to Tools - Utilities and choose9
Generate Metadata Dictionary:10
11
12
Press Execute and set the destination path. This can be any local or public directory folder:13
14
15
Press OK and let it run.16
17
It creates a directory structure named after your Repository File, which you can open.18
19

3 Reviewing the Metadata Dictionary
The contents exist of a set of XML-files that can be opened in any Web Browser. Open the folder1
structure and locate the file TreeIndex.xml in the base folder:2
3
4

When opening this file the following shows up in your web browser:1
2
This lets you browser through the three layers in the repository to find out exactly where data is3
coming from, what aggregation rules and logic is applied and what the additional documentation is.4
5

For example:1
2
Simple browsing and drilling let's you look through the documentation generated from the3
repository from Presentation Layer to Logical Layer to Physical Layer.4
4 Publishing the Metadata Dictionary
Simply by copying this folder structure to any public or project location on the network and5
providing the shortcut to the file TreeIndex.xml to users or by putting it on for instance an intranet6
portal gives access to this documentation set.7
8

5 Deploying the Metadata Dictionary to the BI Server
However: It is much nicer to embed this documentation in the BI Server, so that users that are1
creating Analytics can review this information in the BI Web Client as they go along.2
This requires the following steps:3
Step Remarks
Naming The Metadata Dictionary folder must have exaclty the same name as the repository
deployed on the BI Server. In this example CadranJDE_BI0003.
When the repository deployed in the BI Server is CadranJDE_BI0003 then store the
offline repository under that name too, to generate metadata. The folder then will become
CadranJDE_ BI0003 as well and the content also refers to this repository.
Copying Copy the folder structure to the BI Server preferably in the same folder structure as the
Web Catalog.
We now
use:<BIHome>instancesinstance1bifoundationOracleBIPresentationServicesCompone
ntcoreapplication_obips1analyticsResmetadatadictionary
 Folder metadatadictionary does not exist by default, so it was created
 The folder WEB-INF sitting in analyticsRes was copied to that new folder (this is
required for the deployment in the BI Server)
 The generated metadata dictionary was copied there as well.
The folders now look like this:
This should read CadranJDE_BI0003 when the deployed repository is
CadranJDE_BI0003.
Deploying In order to deploy this information within the domain structure of the BI Server the
following is required:
Step Screenprint
Logon to the Web Logic Console
Deployments
Lock & Edit
Click Install
Insert the full path and click Next Copy from any directory browser
and Paste in the field Path
Click Back to see what did happen and click Next
again.
Choose Install this deployment as an application
and click Next

Step Remarks
Choose I will make the deployment accessible
from the following location and click Next
Accept the default and click Finish
Review settings and click Save
Click Activate Changes
In the Domain Structure open Deployments and look
for the new deployment, which now reads Prepared,
checkmark it and click Start - Servicing All Requests
Click Yes
Review the active service
Configuring In
instancesinstance1configOracleBIPresentationServicesComponentcoreapplication_ob
ips1 edit the file instanceconfig.xml
Find ending tag </ServerInstance>
Before/ Above this tag add:

<SubjectAreaMetadata>
<DictionaryURLPrefix>http://webobiee:7001/metadatadictionary/<
/DictionaryURLPrefix>
</SubjectAreaMetadata>
Restarting Go to Oracle Enterprise Manager and choose Restart All.

Step Remarks
Granting
access to
the correct
roles
1

6 Using the Metadata Dictionary in building Analytics
Now that the metadata dictionary is deployed on the BI Server it is accessible while designing,1
building or editing Analytics:2
When focussing the mouse pointer on any part of the selected Subject Area the button becomes3
available:4
5
6

When clicked a popup window will take you out to the tree in the correct sub section:1
2
You can now step through the elements, components and layers in the physical model to review3
any logic, source or background information.4

7 Keeping the Metadata Dictionary up to date
When changes are made to the repository the contents of the Common Enterprise Information1
Model change, extend and evolve.2
The Metadata Dictionary is a set of static XML-files that doesn't update dynamically.3
Therefore periodic update of this set of files is necessary, especially when a new repository is4
deployed.5
When for instance CadranJDE.rpd is redeployed after major changes you will notice a new version6
in the BI Server Deployment:7
8
After a new deployment of a changed repository this installed RPD will change from9
CadranJDE_BI0003 to CadranJDE_BI0004. Consequently you must rename the directory folder10
containing this metadata dictionary to CadranJDE_BI0004 as well. By generating the new11
metadata dictionary when deployed a changed RPD you can keep up to date.12
Deploying a new repository requires a restart of the BI Services anyway, so when timed a little13
careful, you can deploy both at the same time.14
15
16
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Oracle Business Intelligence - Metadata Dictionary

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