Collections

Collections are structures in OWB that store the metadata you want to export to other tools and systems. Collections enable you to perform the following tasks:

• Organize a large logical warehouse

• Validate and generate a group of objects

When you create a collection, you do not create new objects or copies of existing objects. You create shortcuts pointing to objects already existing in the project. You can use a collection to quickly access a base object and make changes to it.

You can define more than one collection within a project and an object can be referenced by more than one collection. For example, each user that accesses a project can create his own collection of frequently used objects. The users can also add the same objects (such as mappings, tables, or process flows) to their separate collections.

Each user can also delete either the shortcut or the base object. Shortcuts to deleted objects are deleted in the collection. When you open an object in a collection, you obtain a lock on that object. OWB prevents other users from editing the same object from another collection.

Use the Create Collection Wizard to define a collection as follows.

To define a new collection

1. Select and expand a project node in the Projects Navigator.

2. Right-click the Collections node and select New Collection.

   OWB displays the Create Collection dialog box.

3. In the Name field, enter a name for the collection.

   The name should be unique within the module. In physical naming mode, type a name between 1 to 200 characters. Spaces are not allowed. In logical mode, the maximum number of characters is 200 and spaces are allowed.

4. In the Description field, enter an optional description for the collection.

5. Click OK to create the collection.

To add references to objects in the collection

1. In the Projects Navigator, select the object that you want to include in the collection.

   Select multiple objects by holding down the Shift key while selecting the objects.

2. Right-click the selected object, select Add to Collection, and then select the name of the collection to which the select object should be added.

   If you selected multiple objects, ensure that you hold down the Shift key while right-clicking the objects.

The selected objects are listed under the collection in the Projects Navigator.