Import metadata to Fast Track

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:56 am

Hi,
We just bought the Fast Track tool and am trying to import the metadata (source and target tables) into it. But am stuck on the Source configuration interface unable to figure out which one to use to make it work.
Basically our application server is on Linux, our data resides on Oracle 11g databases on a different linux server. So, on this interface, i pick the Oracle 11 Connectors, but it throws an error - here's the exact error message

Connection Strings retrieving Error:
An error occured while retrieving connection strings:An exception occured while trying to receive response from the handler: An exception was received from the handler:Error loading library libccora11g.so. libclntsh.so.11.1 : cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

It seems like we have the libclntsh.so.11.1 file in the $oracle_home/lib but not the libccora11g.so. is this specific for the FT tool? Our V8.1 datastage clients work fine without this.

I appreciate any suggestions from anyone who has been able to import their database metadata successfully.

Thanks in advance

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 2:50 pm

Hi jreddy...I haven't tried the Oracle Connector in FastTrack yet, having done all of the imports using the ODBC Connector......however, it' worth noting that the Connector infrastructure is the same below DataStage and FastTrack....are you using the Oracle Connector in DS, or one of the older Oracle OCI plugins?

No guarantees, and this is just a suggestiong, but it may be worth seeing if you can connect and import metadata using the Connector architecture in DataStage.....first, if it works, you will see the tables in FT, and if not, perhaps the DS environment will offer slightly different clues.

If you haven't done a Connector import in DS you will see it on the usual "import...table definitions...." pull down --- up at the top there is now the Connector option above all the others where "plugin" still exists.....

Ernie

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:00 pm

thanks for your response Ernie.
We are using the regular Orchestrate import option in DataStage and all works fine in Datastage.

per your suggestion, i tried to use the Oracle Connector (11) in DataStage and got the exact same error message as i got in Fast Track.

I suppose we can try the ODBC Connector to see if that helps - do we need any additional setup required to use the ODBC Connector?

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 11:10 pm

Your guess is as good as mine on that one. I've been working closely with the ODBC and DB2 Connector, but haven't had a chance to play with the Oracle Connector since it arrived late last summer. It may just be a configuration thing, but I haven't used it so am not sure.......

However....that doesn't have to stop you from using FT against your Oracle tables......while inside DataStag, right mouse click on the DataStage Table Definitions that you created using the Plugin or Orchestrate......then choose "Create Shared Table from Table Definition"....go thru the dialog....you will ultimately be prompted about a Host, Database Name and Schema name (check out the metadata option and then the "add" option at the top of the dialog when you get deeper into it), and will create a formal "Shared Table" for your columns.....the same as would have been created by the Connector.

This table will then appear within FT.

Ernie

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:00 pm

Great Ernie !
I was able to create the shared tables from DataStage, but was not able to access those tables in Fast Track - i tried both the 'Metadata Repository' and 'Source Configuration' options.
Can you please advise me on this

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:09 pm

Hmm.... I have only one guess on that. Go back into DataStage and look at the Table Definition (any table defintion) that you'd like to turn into a Shared Table def....... open it and find the "locator" tab......click on that and look at the top level property. There are probably a variety of options that will work, but for the sake of argument, make sure it says "Relational" or else DB2. Then save it and do the "Create Shared Table from Table Def".....

....it's hard to say, but there are a few other object types available that you may have inadvertently created --- objects that are still not supported by FT.

Let me know what happnens.

Ernie

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 3:54 pm

Thanks Ernie,
I was actually able to create shared tables from the Table definitions in Data Stage with no problem at all. But my problem was access to those tables from Fast Track.

In the Fast Track tool, there seem to be only 2 ways to import metadata
1) Import from Metadata Repository
2) Source Configuration - this requires me to pick a connector (oracle 11, oracle 10, Db2, ODBC 3.5 etc..) but it didnt present an option to select the "SHARED TABLES"

That's exactly where I am stuck. The FT tutorial/manual are of very little help in this.

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:10 pm

The Metadata Repository option gives access to the shared tables.

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Sun Feb 14, 2010 9:55 pm

Look at your tables in DataStage. What is the value of the first pull down at the "locator" tab?

It MUST ABSOLUTELY be RELATIONAL, or just set it to DB2 prior to creating the shared table.

If not...save it as one of those, and then push it again to a Shared Table. Sounds to me like it is a Shared File and not a Shared table. What does the table look like in MWB?

Ernie

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:25 am

Ernie,

Here is how it looks after I create the shared table using the Shared Table Wizard in DataStage. And we don't have MWB so am not sure how it looks in that workbench.

DSR.HR_UNITS

Source Table Definition:
Data source type: ODBC
Data source name: DSO
Table/file name: DSR.HR_UNITS
Description:
Created: 11/12/2009 6:58:08 AM
Created by: aaaaa
Modified: 2/12/2010 5:15:19 AM
Modified by: aaaaaa

Action: Creating new shared table

Target Table: HR_UNITS
SRV3.XXX.ORG\DSO\HR_UNITS
[b]Type: Relational Table[/b]

Ray,
thanks for your response. In the Metadata Repository form, I have server listed and I created a new database entry - and the only other option available after this step is to Import Metadata and when i click on that it opens up the Source configuration screen where it prompts me to provide the connection strings and as I had indicated we are unable to make the Connector options work.

jreddy · Post by **jreddy** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 7:35 am

Thanks Ernie and Ray,

I have now figured it out. We had imported some tables into DataStage using ODBC and some using Oracle Plugins. I was struggling with the ones created using ODBC. Now i have tried doing the same with the table definitions that were imported using Oracle Plugins and now it is visible in the Metadata Repository in FT

Thanks for all your help.

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:24 am

....great! However....keep in mind for future reference that it is not necessarily the plugin you used for initial import that allowed things to work correctly......it is that very first pull down on the Locator tab.....it's value is what is critical for Shared Table creation --- (there are some values that cause the Shared Table wizard to appear and others that result in the Shared File wizard --- they are similar but different in subtle ways --- Shared Files are not available in FT).

So.....with ODBC vs Oracle the value was probably different after initial import........the key is this.....it doesn't matter what it is after import --- or you could have just "typed it in"..... what matters is that it is set to a value like "Relational" when you try to create the Shared Table. It's editable --- so just force it to "Relational" (DB2 works also, and probably a few others) and save it before using the "Create Shared Table from Table Definition" dialog.

Then it will be available in FT and other places, regardless of where it may have originally come from....

Ernie

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 1:43 pm

Hi Ernie,

Do you happen to know if that rule (about the locator) is documented anywhere?

eostic · Post by **eostic** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:38 pm

I haven't looked. v8 has Shared "Tables" and Shared "Files", among a few other things. The dialog to create them from DataStage changes based on that pull-down value. Shared Tables are the most common......people don't use or encounter the Shared Files very often (except when using Metadata Workbench), so when they get created it sometimes is a surprise....especially when they don't appear in other tools that only support Shared Tables (such as FT).

Ernie

ray.wurlod · Post by **ray.wurlod** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:46 pm

Hmm...

Thanks. Need to tweak the training materials a bit!