User Guide > Retrieving Data Source Metadata > Introspecting Data Sources > Introspecting a Data Source
 
Introspecting a Data Source
The introspection steps include three phases:
• Fetching the resource information from the data source.
• Creating an introspection plan based on rules and filters.
• Introspecting the data source.
All of these phases are accomplished using the Data Source Introspection window.
To introspect a data source
1. Invoke the introspection process as described in Invoking Data Source Introspection.
The Data Source Introspection window opens and loads a list of resources that it detects in the data source.
The process of loading resources can take significant time, depending on the size of the data source, connectivity, and whether the resource information is cached within TDV. See Understanding the Resource ID Fetching Phase.
While resource information is loading, you can start selecting resources for introspection by checking the boxes next to resource names. You can even start an introspection task prior to loading all of the resource information.
Note: If you click a triangle to expand a container, TDV immediately makes an extra call to load the contents of that container. This allows you to prioritize the loading of resources.
2. Select the resources you want to introspect by checking the boxes next to them.
If you select a parent folder, all of the resources it contains are selected.
Note: If you select a catalog, schema, or parent node before the entire list of contained resources is loaded, only those child resources that were loaded at the time of selection are selected. In this case, you might want to recheck later that the entire list has been loaded.
When you select a resource, a Properties tab on the right displays the boxes that can be checked to control introspection of new resources in the future. See Reintrospecting Data Sources.
3. Optionally, filter the display of detected resources as described below.
A count of the number of detected resources that are visible in the resource list versus the total number of resources is shown at the top of the resource list (for example, 5 Visible of 6 Total).
You can use the fields and buttons above the resource list to control what is displayed.
When searching with the Find field, type part or all of the name of a resource if you want to view only resources starting with this string. The Find field search pattern has the following rules:
— Search patterns are applied to the entire resource path and name.
— Only matches are shown.
— The characters in the search pattern do not need to be adjacent—only in the same order.
— The search pattern is not case-sensitive.
— You can use “/” (forward-slash) to control how containers match. Without a slash, the search pattern spans catalog, schema, and resource names. (For example: abc matches resource a/b/c.) With one or more slashes, matching characters must be found in the same positions relative to the slashes.
— No wildcards are supported.
When searching with the Show field, filter what is displayed in the resource list using one of the following options.
 
Option
What it shows
Introspectable
All resources that can be selected for introspection.
Introspected
The resources that have already been introspected.
Changes
Only the changes made since the dialog was opened, including new selections and clears.
Adds
Only resources that have been added since the dialog box was opened.
Removes
Only resources that have been selected for removal from TDV since the dialog was opened.
— When searching with the filter buttons, click any of the buttons to include or not include empty containers, check or clear all resources, or expand or collapse the list.
4. Optionally, click Refresh Resource List to refresh the list of resources that are available for introspection.
Note: Any currently selected resources are unchecked during the refresh process.
You must click Refresh Resource List if you have added new resources after caching metadata and you want to bring those new resources into TDV. Studio and the TDV Server cache the resource list, and this button forces both caches to be refreshed. By default, the list of resources is cached within Studio for the seven most recently introspected data sources during the current user session. This cache exists only in memory and is cleared when Studio is closed. Another cache exists within the TDV Server to improve resource load time. The cache within TDV Server persists across Server restarts.
5. Select how you want TDV to run introspection based on the resources it encounters using the check boxes at the bottom of the Data Source Introspection dialog.
Check Box
Description
Re-Introspect previously introspected resources
Check to introspect all data sources, including those already introspected.
If this check box is checked and dimmed then you are working with a data source adapter that has not yet been upgraded to the new introspection framework.
Select this check box if you want to update existing TDV metadata for resources that might have changed at the source.
Clear this check box for faster response when adding a new set of resources. You can work with new resources more quickly if you do not perform unnecessary full reintrospections of all existing resources.
This check box setting does not apply to reintrospection initiated by API, scheduled reintrospection, trigger-initiated reintrospection, or manually initiated reintrospection.
Allow partial introspection, omitting resources with errors
Check to allow the metadata of those resources that are introspected to be committed to the TDV repository even if other resources fail to introspect.
If this check box is checked and dimmed then you are working with a data source adapter that has not yet been upgraded to the new introspection framework.
Stop introspection upon the first error
Check only if the data source adapter does not yet support the new introspection framework. If unchecked, you can view all errors and warnings in the Introspection Status report without prematurely ending the introspection of other resources.
If this check box is checked and dimmed, you are working with a data source adapter that has not yet been upgraded to the new introspection framework.
Copy privileges from parent folder
Check if you want the data source resources to inherit the access privileges accorded to the parent resource.
6. Optionally, for SOAP data sources, expand and define properties for each of the nodes. Properties can include any of the following.
Property
Description
Detect New Resources During Re-Introspection
If you select this option, child resources added to the current resource subsequent to this introspection will be detected during reintrospection.
If the current resource is a catalog and you add a schema to it subsequent to this introspection, the added schema is detected during reintrospection. For details on reintrospection, see About Introspection and Reintrospection.
If you do not select this option, child resources added to the current resource subsequent to this introspection are not detected during reintrospection.
If the current resource is a catalog and a schema is added to it subsequent to this introspection, that schema is not detected during reintrospection. For details on reintrospection, see Reintrospecting Data Sources.
Binding Profile Type
Allows specification of the HTTP transport protocol, literal encoding scheme, and document message style.
Use Endpoint URL
Check box that allows you to configure the endpoint URL. If it is not checked, the URL defined in the WSDL is used.
The Endpoint URL displays the real URL of the SOAP data source, which might be different than the WSDL URL.
If the specified URL is invalid, the introspection process fails for the SOAP data source. The WSDL data source fails until the request is sent.
Endpoint URL
The Endpoint URL displays the URL where clients can access the SOAP data source, which might be different than the WSDL URL.
You can use this field to edit the endpoint URL.
Default Timeout (msec)
The number of milliseconds the connection waits before declaring a failure is the attempt is unsuccessful.
MTOM Enabled
Select to enable the use of Message Transmission Optimization Mechanism (MTOM), a method of sending binary data to and from Web services.
Fast Infoset Enabled
Select to allow conversion of XML files into XML Infoset. This option provides for more efficient serialization than the text-based XML format.
Timeout (msec)
The number of milliseconds the connection waits before declaring a failure is the attempt is unsuccessful.
Choose Input Envelope
Obsolete field for legacy WSDL data sources.
If you do not to select this option, the Choose Top Level Child Elements appears.
Choose Top Level Child Elements
Select this option to map the operation’s request and response to input and output parameters, respectively. This option is configurable for every message part separately.
JMS related
If the SOAP data source connects through JMS, your node might display several fields that allow you to enter JMS information such as:
• JMS Connector
• JMS Destination
• JMS Delivery Mode
• JMS Expiry
• JMS Priority
7. Optionally, expand and define introspection properties, which can include any of the following.
Property
Description
Detect New Resources During Re-Introspection
Detect child resources added to the current resource after this introspection.
If the current resource is a catalog and you add a schema to it after this introspection, the added schema is detected during reintrospection. See About Introspection and Reintrospection.
If you do not select this option, child resources added to the current resource subsequent to this introspection are not detected during reintrospection.
If the current resource is a catalog, and a schema is added to it after this introspection, that schema is not detected during reintrospection. See Reintrospecting Data Sources.
Wildcard Symbol for Single Character Match
Defaults to an underscore.
Wildcard Symbol for Zero or More Character Match
Defaults to a percent symbol (%).
Escape Character for Wildcard Symbols
Defaults to a backslash (\).
Filter in Case Sensitive Mode
Check box that indicates your preference for running filters.
Separator for Each Filter
Defaults to a comma (,).
New Resource <Schema|Catalog|Procedure|Table> Name Filter(s)
Allows you to save the filter settings with a name that you specify.
Character Set
Character encoding type.
Schema Location
Enter the schema location using this syntax:
<namespace> <location> [<namespace> <location>]
 
<namespace> is the target name space for the XML schema.
<location> is the absolute path (including the name of the file) to the .XSD file.
No Namespace Schema Location
The URL (one only) of a schema document that does not define a target name space.
Delimiter
Defaults to comma (,).
Text Qualifier
Defaults to asterisk (*).
Starting Row
Default to 1.
Has Header Row
Check box is selected by default.
8. Optionally, you can set up filters for the resources, but they are applied only if reintrospection is done. See Setting Introspection Filters on a Resource, for more information.
9. Click Next.
Studio opens a Data Source introspection plan that lists the resources that are to be introspected, based on your selections. The Data Source Introspection plan lists all the introspection changes (additions, removals, and updates) that will occur when you click the Finish button.
— Resources in black will be introspected.
— Resources in green will be added. (Their parent resources are also shown in green.)
— Resources in gray will be removed.
10. Review the introspection summary, and if necessary, click Back to revise the introspection plan and how it is to be done.
11. Click Finish to introspect the resources.
TDV introspects the selected resources and adds the metadata about those resources to the TDV repository.
12. You can click OK to dismiss this window at any time; however, the introspection process continues running in the background. The introspection process continues even if you close the Studio session.
Panel
Shows
Running Tasks/Completed Tasks
(left side)
The progress of introspection tasks and their status in the current user session.
Introspection Summary
(upper right)
The status; introspection start and end times; number of warnings and errors; and the number of resources that were added, removed, updated, and skipped (plus an overall total).
Details
(lower right)
The specific resources that were added, updated, removed, and skipped in the selected introspection. Those resources with no changes in the metadata used by TDV are added to the Skipped count. You can:
• Show options—Filter the details displayed to view all details, only warnings, or only errors.
• Show Details—Select any added resource then click show details to get additional information about the resource.
• Export—Click to save a text introspection report that lists the tables, columns, and indexes that were introspected. See Viewing the Introspection Report for a Data Source for an example of this file.
13. You can view the introspection information for a data source at a later time. See Tracking and Viewing the Introspection Process.