[DSP / Collect] Import System Types Using Collect

If you do not have access to a system type model or a data dictionary for a system, you can use the Fetch and Build and Refresh options in Collect to import all tables available in a Collect target source into a system type. Refer to Overview of System Types in the Knowledge Base for more information about the methods available to import system types. .

First, register a data source in Admin -> Data Sources for the system type. Make sure to test the connection by clicking the Test Connection icon before going forward with this process.

Next, set up the target source in Collect:

1. On the Target Sources page’s Horizontal View, add a Target Source, by selecting the Data Source from registered in Admin.
2. Make sure to select the correct Connection Type, as this determines the query used to fetch the target system's table and field metadata.
3. You can either select an existing system type to add to or click the link to create a new one. You only need to enter a name for the system type.
4. Click Save.
5. Click the Test Connection icon for the target source.

Fetch the tables for the target source:

1. On the Target Sources page’s Vertical View, on the Action tab, click the Fetch Tables icon to retrieve all the table names from the system's metadata and import them into the system type you selected previously.

By default, these tables are added to a group in the system type as inactive in that group. You can check the Activate Fetched Tables checkbox on the Action tab to have all the tables in the system type group imported as active.

Activate or deactivate the tables in Common as needed:

1. In Common on the System Types page click the Groups icon, and then click the Tables icon.
2. On the System Types Group Tables page, select the group matching the name of your new target source.
3. Activate all the tables in the group for which you want to have field-level metadata.

If you selected the Activate Fetched Tables in Collect option, then you must deactivate the tables in the group for which you do not want to have field-level metadata.

Once the tables you need are active in the system type, return to the Target Sources page in Collect to import the tables:

1. Select the target source, and then click the Import Group Tables icon.
2. On the Group Import page, select the group you configured in Common from the System Type Group ID list box.
3. Click Save, and then click the Import Group Tables icon.
4. After, the Import process is complete, click the Build and Refresh icon. Wait for this process to complete before moving on to the final steps in Common.

In Common on the System Types Vertical View import the tables into the system type:

1. Click the Import From Data Source icon on the vertical for the system type.
2. Select the data source of the Collect target under which you registered your target source. NOTE: This is a dg% data source for target systems or an sdb% data source for source systems.
3. Click the Import icon. Once the import process is complete, your system type should contain field-level metadata for all the tables you built and refreshed from the Collect Target Source.

This method of importing a system type only imports the tables and field structures into the system type. No associated metadata such as field descriptions, joins, or lookup tables are imported.