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Maintaining Catalogs with the Catalog Doctor

Errors the Catalog Doctor can detect

Starting the Catalog Doctor

Diagnosing and fixing problems

Merging catalogs

JReport Designer provides a tool - the Catalog Doctor for you to maintain catalogs and diagnose problems with catalogs. This section shows how to use the Catalog Doctor to diagnose the specific resources of catalogs: connections, tables and fields, formulas and summaries, and queries.

Errors the Catalog Doctor can detect

With the Catalog Doctor you can diagnose and validate data resources in a catalog. Since the data resources in a catalog are constructed independently from each other, the Catalog Doctor diagnoses each type of data resource independently. For example, when it checks formulas, it only looks into the definition of parameters and DBFields in the current catalog. The system does not check whether the DBFields exist in the connected database. When the system checks the queries, it will only look for the mapping fields which are currently in the catalog, and does not confirm whether the formulas are valid.

For your convenience, in the following statements database refers to a raw database connected via JDBC, mapped table/view/synonym refers to a table/view/synonym in a catalog, raw table/view/synonym refers to a table/view/synonym in a raw database, and raw column refers to the columns in a raw database.

Mapped table/view/synonym and DBField

• Checks whether the raw table/view/synonym of a mapped table/view/synonym exists in the database.
• Checks whether the raw column of a DBField exists in the database. If it exists, then it checks to see whether the stored information such as SQL Date type matches the raw column in the database.

Formulas and summaries

• Checks to see whether the formulas and summaries have correct syntax. It checks whether the remapped parameters and DBFields need to be remapped again.

Queries

• Checks whether the data resources referenced by the query exist in the catalog.
• Checks whether or not the data resources are valid.
  • Whether the DBFields of the data resources match those saved in the query.
  • Whether or not the formulas and parameters can be found in the catalog.

Starting the Catalog Doctor

To start the Catalog Doctor, run the batch file named CatDr.bat or CatDr.sh on Unix/Linux in the <install_root>\bin directory.

You can also start it by issuing the following commands from an MS-DOS command prompt:

>cd c:\jreport\designer\bin
c:\jreport\designer\bin\>catdr

Diagnosing and fixing problems

After the Catalog Doctor is started, you can click File > Open to open the catalog you want to diagnose. All the resources in the specified catalog will then be listed in the left panel of the Catalog Doctor window. Select a resource from the resource tree. In the right panel, you will see the information of the selected resource.

You should diagnose the resources in the following order: connection > table and field > formula and summary > query.

Connections

The Catalog Doctor can be used to diagnose connections in the following aspects:

• Finding information of the current connection
  Select a connection from the resource tree. The connection information will be displayed in the left panel.
• Modifying the current connection
  Right-click the connection in the resource tree, and then click Modify on the shortcut menu. The Get JDBC Connection Information dialog will appear. You can now modify the connection.

  For a JDBC driver, fill in the class name of the driver, the URL, user ID and password (if necessary).

  For a JDBC-ODBC bridge, uncheck the Driver checkbox and check Use ODBC Data Source, then give the ODBC data source name, and the user ID and password (if necessary).

  You can also change the properties values in the Properties sheet directly. Select a property value, and then choose or type in the value.

  Note: If you are using JDK 8 or later the JDBC-ODBC bridge is no longer included with Java.

Tables and fields

The Catalog Doctor can be used to diagnose tables and fields in the following aspects:

• Finding all the mapping tables, views, synonyms and DBFields in the catalog
  In the resource tree, expand the connection node, then go to the Tables, Views or Synonyms node and reveal it. All the mapping tables, views, synonyms and DBFields in the catalog will then be listed. The icon in front of each object has a specific meaning, which indicates whether the object is valid or not.
  

  The following are descriptions of the icons in front of each object:

  : Table

  : Table which does not exist in the database

  : Table which has invalid fields

  : View

  : View which does not exist in the database

  : View which has invalid fields

  : Synonym

  : Field

  : Field which does not exist

  : Field with a name which can be found in the database, but has a type mismatch.

• Finding the stored information of a mapping table/view/synonym or a DBField
  Select a table/view/synonym or a DBField in the resource tree to find its stored properties. The information will be listed in the Properties sheet.
• Finding all the raw tables/views/synonyms
  Select a table/view/synonym in the Tables/Views/Synonyms node. All the raw tables/views/synonyms will be shown in the Choose from following to re-map panel. Each item there shows the name of a table/view/synonym.
• Getting the raw columns in a raw table/view/synonym
  First select a mapping table/view/synonym, then choose a raw table/view/synonym from the Choose from following to re-map panel. The raw columns will be shown in the bottom panel.

  Note: If you select a mapping table/view/synonym with an existing raw table/view/synonym, the raw table/view/synonym will automatically be selected.

• Deleting a set of mapping tables, views, synonyms or DBFields
  To delete the mapping object, you can use one of the following methods:
  • Select an object from the resources tree, right-click and on the shortcut menu click Delete.
  • Click the Delete button on the toolbar after selecting the object.
  • Select the object and press Delete on your keyboard.

  To delete a set of mapping tables, views, synonyms or DBFields, select the objects you want to delete, and click on the toolbar (or press Delete on your keyboard).

• Re-mapping (Updating) a mapping table/view/synonym
  First select the mapping table/view/synonym that is to be updated from the resource tree. Then, select the raw table/view/synonym which the mapping table/view/synonym refers to from the Choose from following to re-map panel, and click the Update button on the toolbar.

  Note: The tree is sorted by the validation status of each object (invalid objects are listed ahead). So, after you have updated a mapping table/view/synonym, the order of the objects will probably change. If the table was invalid and becomes valid after updating, it will be listed after the invalid objects.

• Re-mapping (Updating) a DBField
  Before updating a DBField, you must make sure that the mapping table/view/synonym of the DBField is valid. That is, the raw table/view/synonym that the mapping table/view/synonym refers to exists in the database.

  Select the DBField you want to update from the resource tree, choose the raw column you want the DBField to refer to in the bottom right panel, and then click the Update button on the toolbar.

• Adding tables/views/synonyms
  Click the Add Table button ， the Add View button ，or the Add Synonym button on the toolbar, or right-click the Tables, Views, or Synonyms node, or a table, view or synonym and select Add Table, Add View or Add Synonym from the shortcut menu. In the Add Table/View/synonym dialog, select the tables/views/synonyms you would like to add, and click Add. To finish adding, click Done.
• Adding a DBField
  Select a table or a synonym from the resource tree, right-click and on the shortcut menu click Insert Column to bring out the Add Column dialog. Then select the column you want and click Add. When you have finished adding columns, click Done to close the dialog.

Formulas and summaries

The Catalog Doctor can be used to diagnose formulas and summaries in the following aspects:

• Finding all the formulas and summaries in the catalog
  Expand the Formulas and Summaries node on the resources tree. The formulas and summaries in the catalog will be listed in the tree. They will be sorted by their validity and names. If the icon of a formula/summary is marked by a cross, it means it is invalid (it fails on compiling).
• Finding the compile Error message of a formula/summary
  Select the formula/summary that is to be checked. The compile error messages will then be displayed in the Error panel.
• Replacing a mapping field with another in formulas and summaries
  A frequent error is caused when the mapping fields are not found in a catalog. In which case, you will need to replace the mapped field in formulas/summaries with a valid one.
  1. Select the formula/summary that contains unknown fields in the resource tree.
  2. Click the Replace All button in the Error panel. The Replace dialog appears.
  3. Input the field name that is to be replaced in the Mapping Name text box.
  4. Click the Browse button, the Mapping Fields Browse dialog appears.
  5. In the Tree View tab, you can select an existing field to replace the unknown field.
  6. In the List View tab, you will see the mapping fields in alphabetical order and the type for each mapping field. If the mapping field is a DBField, you will see the tables/views/synonyms it belongs to. Select the field you want to use as a replacement and click OK.
  7. Click the Replace button in the Replace dialog.
• Editing a formula/summaries
  Select the formula/summary to be edited, and click the Edit button in the Error panel.
• Removing formulas/summaries
  Select the formulas/summaries that are to be removed, then, do one of the following:
  • Right-click and on the shortcut menu, click Delete.
  • Click the Delete button on the toolbar.
  • Press the Delete key on your keyboard.

Queries

The Catalog Doctor can be used to diagnose queries in the following aspects:

• Finding all the queries in the catalog
  Expand the Queries node in a data source. All the queries will be listed in the resources tree.
• Finding the data resources selected in a query
  Expand a query. All the data resources will be listed.
• Finding the DBFields selected from a data resource in a query
  Expand a data resource in a query. All the DBFields in the data resource will be listed.
• Finding the formulas or computed columns in a query
  Formulas and computed columns are listed in a query if there are.
• Editing a query
  Select the query that is to be edited, and click the Edit button in the Error panel (or right-click the query, and select Edit Query from the shortcut menu).
• Deleting queries, DBFields, formulas, computed columns and a data resource selected in a query
  To delete the object, you can use one of the following methods:
  • Select an object from the resources tree, right-click and on the shortcut menu click Delete.
  • Click the Delete button on the toolbar after selecting the object.
  • Select the object and press Delete on your keyboard.
• Saving a query as a cached query result
  Select the query that is to be saved as a cached query result, and click Run (or right-click a query, and on the shortcut menu, click Create Cached Query Result).

Merging catalogs

With the Catalog Doctor, you can also merge the resources from two catalogs into one. However, before merging, you need to first specify at which level the differences between these two catalogs will be checked by the Catalog Doctor.

To specify the checking level:

1. Click File > Options to display the Options dialog.

   

2. In the Merge Catalog Options box, specify the checking level.
   • Identify all differences
     The Catalog Doctor will check for differences between the two catalogs. All the resources of the report are displayed in the Merge dialog with all conflicting resources marked.
   • Identify critical differences
     The Catalog Doctor will check for any differences that may cause the engine to fail to run a report. All the resources of the report are displayed in the Merge dialog with any critical conflicting resources marked.
   • Ignore differences
     Does not show the differences between the two catalogs. Any conflicts will remain in the target catalog.
3. Click OK to accept the setting.

With the checking level specified, you can then start to merge catalogs.

To merge catalogs:

1. Open the target catalog in the Catalog Doctor.
2. Click File > Import, and then select the catalog that is to be imported. The Import from Catalog dialog appears.

   

3. Select the resources from the catalog and click to add it to the Imported node, then click OK.
4. If you specified the checking level as Identify All Differences or Identify Critical Differences and the selected resources conflict with those in the target catalog, the Merge dialog appears for dealing with conflicting resources. The conflicting resources will be marked with red question marks.

   

5. Click the Rename button to rename, or the Replace button to replace. You can also click the Skip button to skip.
6. Click the Differences button to see the property values of the objects in the target catalog and the sources catalogs. Different property values will be highlighted.
7. Click the Target Relation button to see the relationship between the object and its parent node.
8. Repeat the steps above to manage conflicting resources, and then click the Merge button to merge the two catalogs. If the connections in the two catalogs connect to different data sources, you will be asked to modify the existing data source in the target catalog. For safety purposes, it is better to create a new data source.
9. Click File > Save to save the changes and exit the Catalog Doctor.
10. Launch JReport Designer, and open the merged catalog. The resources you just imported are now available and new data sources have been created.

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