Searching for Metadata

Prerequisites

For you to be able to fully search in metadata, the search engine must be fully installed.

If the search engine has not been fully installed, the system generates an appropriate after entering a search term. You can either complete the installation of the search engine, or you can search for metadata using F4 help. However, this search process is limited to finding technical names, short and long texts for the objects.

Procedure

...

In the navigation area of the metadata repository, choose Search in Metadata Repository.

If you are using the search function in a BW system with release 2.0/2.1C for the first time, you have to create the search index first. To do so, choose Extras -> Metadata Search -> Create Search Index. The search index is created in the background.

Enter the term in the Search term entry field.

You can search by description (title) or by the object’s technical name. The system makes a full text search of all the objects in the search index.

If you want to restrict the search, you can choose one of the following object types:

InfoObjects

InfoCubes

ODS Object

Queries

Choose Start Search.

Result

You receive a list sorted according to object type /symbol, number, and technical name for activated objects and Business Content objects.

Exchanging Metadata in XMI Format

Use

You can use the XMI format in the Administrator Workbench functional area Transport Connection to exchange metadata (BW objects) between different systems. A model derived along the lines of the CWM (Common Warehouse Metamodel) is used here.

You can find additional information about the CWM standard on the OMG (Object Management Group) homepage: www.omg.org.

You can find additional information about the Administrator Workbench function area Transport Connection under Transport Systems.

Integration

You can export or import the XML files (Download or Upload to/from PC) in the Administrator Workbench.

An HTTP service is also available under SAP/BW/XML/CWM. You can use this HTTP service to request this metadata in the way in which you are familiar from using the Web server. In order to request metadata for an object, use the following URL:

http://:Port/SAP/BW/XML/CWM?/CLASSID=&ID=&DETAIL=X&OBJECTVERSION=A

You need to replace the following terms:

Term	Information
:	Specify the name of the server and the port for the required BW system. http://LS0027.WDF.SAP-AG.DE:1080/ SAP/BW/XML/CWM?...
	Specify the name of the class for the required BW object. As an example for the class InfoCube: CLASSID=COM.SAP.BW.CWM.OLAP.INFOCUBE You get the BW model in XML format from the following URL: http://:Port/SAP/BW/XML/CWM? CLASSID=METAMODEL
	Specify the technical name for the required BW object. You get an Overview of All Objects from: http://:Port/SAP/BW/XML/CWM? CLASSID=LIST&ID=&DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A You get an Overview of All Business Content Objects by using the parameter &OBJECTVERSION=D, namely http://:Port/SAP/BW/XML/CWM? CLASSID=LIST&ID=&DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A You get an Overview of All Objects of a Specific Type by using the ID specification in the URL. For example, you specify the following for InfoCubes: http://:Port/SAP/BW/XML/CWM? CLASSID=LIST&ID=COM.SAP.BW.CWM.OLAP.INFOCUBE &DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A

Functions

The exchange of metadata involves:

Importing from another system

Exporting into another system

Only objects for which there are BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces) are supported with details. You can only import these objects after you have changed them. You are still not able to import non-BW objects.

You can export the current BW model according to the XMI (XML Metadata Interchange) standard. This is made possible with the SAP report RSO_REPOSITORY_EXCHANGE_XML.

You can find additional information about the XMI standard on the OMG homepage: www.omg.org.

The following graphic illustrates the functions EXPORT and IMPORT.

Automatically Generated Information in BW

Definition

Automatically generated information in the SAP Business Information Warehouse (SAP BW) consists of technical information that is generated by the system as well as manually created documentation. Both are displayed together in the browser. This concerns information about BW objects, such as InfoSources, InfoCubes, or queries. Within this information, you can navigate to help or further documentation by using additional objects, such as necessary objects or those that have been used.

Prerequisites

You need access to an SAP BW system in order to be able to display automatically generated information. Otherwise, you can also export HTML pages: Metadata Exchange in XML Format by CWM.

Procedure

You can call up the automatically generated information from the following places:

• Administrator Workbench (AWB)
• Administration
• Business Explorer Analyzer (BEx) / Query Designer

Different procedures are required at the individual places for displaying automatically generated information:

Administrator Workbench (AWB)

1. AWB ® Modeling

1. Select the respective object and choose F1.

2. AWB ® Modeling ® Object Maintenance ® MultiProvider

1. Select the respective MultiProvider.
2. Choose Documentation

.

3. AWB ® Modeling ® Object Maintenance ® InfoSet, InfoCube, or InfoObjects

1. Select the respective object.
2. Choose Documents .
3. Choose Display Documentation

.

4. AWB ® Modeling ® Object Maintenance ® ODS Object

1. Select the respective ODS object.
2. Choose Display.
3. Choose Documents

.

5. AWB ® Transport Connection

1. Select the respective object and choose F1.

6. AWB ® Documents

1. Select Metadata.
2. Select the Object Type you want.
3. Select the Object Name you want.
4. Double-click on Show Me the Documents from...
5. Choose Display Documentation

.

7. AWB ® Metadata Repository

1. Select the respective object type first, such as a query.
2. Double-click on the respective object.

The information is then displayed in the browser.

If you display automatically generated information for an InfoSource, you can use Communication Structure to see the InfoSource fields.

Administration

Administration ® Process Chains

1. Select the respective process chain by double-clicking on it.
2. Choose Documents .
3. Choose Display Documentation

.

Business Explorer or Query Designer

1. Go to the change mode for the query.
2. Choose Change Query (Global Definition).
3. Choose Query Properties.
4. Choose Documents.
5. Choose Display Documentation