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Data dictionary

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134:, i.e., (structured) data about information. The software package for a stand-alone data dictionary or data repository may interact with the software modules of the DBMS, but it is mainly used by the designers, users and administrators of a computer system for information resource management. These systems maintain information on system hardware and software configuration, documentation, application and users as well as other information relevant to system administration. 225:, which communicates with the underlying DBMS data dictionary. Such a "high-level" data dictionary may offer additional features and a degree of flexibility that goes beyond the limitations of the native "low-level" data dictionary, whose primary purpose is to support the basic functions of the DBMS, not the requirements of a typical application. For example, a high-level data dictionary can provide alternative 38: 197:
The data dictionary consists of record types (tables) created in the database by systems generated command files, tailored for each supported back-end DBMS. Oracle has a list of specific views for the "sys" user. This allows users to look up the exact information that is needed. Command files contain
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In an active data dictionary constraints may be placed upon the underlying data. For instance, a range may be imposed on the value of numeric data in a data element (field), or a record in a table may be forced to participate in a set relationship with another record-type. Additionally, a distributed
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features provides the ability to use DataDictionaries as class files to form middle layer between the user interface and the underlying database. The intent is to create standardized rules to maintain data integrity and enforce business rules throughout one or more related applications.
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When a passive data dictionary is updated, it is done so manually and independently from any changes to a DBMS (database) structure. With an active data dictionary, the dictionary is updated first and changes occur in the DBMS automatically as a result.
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developers can benefit from an authoritative data dictionary document that catalogs the organization, contents, and conventions of one or more databases. This typically includes the names and descriptions of various
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such as min and max values, display width, or number of decimal places. Different field types may interpret this differently. An alternative is to have different attributes depending on field type.
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is closely coupled with the DBMS software. It provides the information stored in it to the user and the DBA, but it is mainly accessed by the various software modules of the DBMS itself, such as
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comply with through its policy handbook. This intermediate mapping layer for MLSs' native databases is supported by software companies which provide API services to MLS organizations.
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Some industries use generalized data dictionaries as technical standards to ensure interoperability between systems. The real estate industry, for example, abides by a
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Automated query optimization method using both global and parallel local optimizations for materialization access planning for distributed databases
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sometimes include high-level data dictionary facilities, which can substantially reduce the amount of programming required to build
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In the construction of database applications, it can be useful to introduce an additional layer of data dictionary software, i.e.
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If a data dictionary system is used only by the designers, users, and administrators and not by the DBMS Software, it is called a
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table in Oracle stores information about every table in the database. It is part of the data dictionary that is created when the
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DBMS may have certain location specifics described within its active data dictionary (e.g. where tables are physically located).
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compilers, the query optimiser, the transaction processor, report generators, and the constraint enforcer. On the other hand, a
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defines it as a collection of tables with metadata. The term can have one of several closely related meanings pertaining to
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tailored to suit different applications that share a common database. Extensions to the data dictionary also can assist in
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data dictionary provides cross-DBMS facilities for automated database creation, data validation, performance enhancement (
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for multiple databases. Another PHP-based data dictionary, part of the RADICORE toolkit, automatically generates program
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diagrams (ERDs), or if using set descriptors, identifying which sets database tables participate in.
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Here is a non-exhaustive list of typical items found in a data dictionary for columns or fields:
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Is-required (Boolean) - If 'true', the value can not be blank, null, or only white-spaces
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Various event handlers or references to. Example: "on-click", "on-validate", etc. See
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Reference table name, if a foreign key. Can be used for validation or selection lists.
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Entity or form name or their ID (EntityID or FormID). The group this field belongs to.
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Set of metadata that contains definitions and representations of data elements
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There is no universal standard as to the level of detail in such a document.
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Prompt type, such as drop-down list, combo-box, check-boxes, range, etc.
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that extends or supplants the native data dictionary of a DBMS
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indicate a more general software utility than a catalogue. A
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Displayed field title. May default to field name if blank.
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Coordinates on screen (if a positional or grid-based UI)
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Database management system with active data dictionary
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is created. Developers may also use DDS context from
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Navathe: 178:) plus additional details, like the 41:A simple layout of a data dictionary 707:"Oracle Concepts - Data Dictionary" 1130:MultiDimensional eXpressions (MDX) 568:, 28 February 1985, Honeywell Bull 25: 517:Fundamentals of Database Systems 433:characteristics or specification 392:Field display order or tab order 320:National Association of REALTORS 130:is a data structure that stores 740:Data Dictionaries (Web archive) 424:or COBOL-style "PIC" statements 18:Data Description Specifications 1151:Business intelligence software 1030:Extract, load, transform (ELT) 1025:Extract, transform, load (ETL) 608:Base One International Corp., 336:data description specification 1: 1099:Decision support system (DSS) 519:, 3rd. ed. sect. 17.5, p. 582 383:(string, integer, date, etc.) 352:free and open-source software 245:rapid application development 1125:Data Mining Extensions (DMX) 555:, 19 November 1985, AT&T 886:Ensemble modeling patterns 856:Single version of the truth 504:IBM Dictionary of Computing 141:Otherwise, it is called an 69:database management systems 55:IBM Dictionary of Computing 32:Dictionary (data structure) 1305: 1240:Comparison of OLAP servers 598:What is a Data Dictionary? 534:What is a data dictionary? 330:Platform-specific examples 227:entity-relationship models 29: 1188: 1177: 1109:Data warehouse automation 1072: 1061: 799: 794:Creating a data warehouse 788: 1284:Knowledge representation 736:Structured Analysis Wiki 610:Base One Data Dictionary 539:12 February 2009 at the 415:event-driven programming 298:and index utilization), 139:passive data dictionary. 30:Not to be confused with 1135:XML for Analysis (XMLA) 584:7 November 2007 at the 427:Description or synopsis 420:Format code, such as a 1067:Using a data warehouse 922:Operational data store 407:Is-read-only (Boolean) 316:RESO's Data Dictionary 174:) and their contents ( 143:active data dictionary 42: 1084:Business intelligence 564:U.S. Patent 4769772, 551:U.S. Patent 4774661, 235:distributed databases 40: 900:Focal point modeling 872:Column-oriented DBMS 821:Dimensional modeling 627:5 April 2018 at the 506:, 10th edition, 1993 479:Vocabulary OneSource 369:Field name, such as 300:application security 53:, as defined in the 1205:Information factory 978:Early-arriving fact 895:Data vault modeling 846:Reverse star schema 484:Metadata repository 241:Software frameworks 204:CREATE UNIQUE INDEX 198:SQL Statements for 188:entity-relationship 182:and length of each 51:metadata repository 1156:Reporting software 422:regular expression 358:Typical attributes 231:query optimization 43: 1261: 1260: 1257: 1256: 1253: 1252: 1173: 1172: 1169: 1168: 1057: 1056: 1053: 1052: 952:Sixth normal form 647:. 23 January 2015 474:Semantic spectrum 469:Metadata registry 334:Developers use a 16:(Redirected from 1296: 1190: 1179: 1074: 1063: 841:Snowflake schema 801: 790: 775: 768: 761: 752: 722: 721: 719: 717: 703: 697: 696: 689: 683: 682: 680: 678: 663: 657: 656: 654: 652: 637: 631: 620:VISUAL DATAFLEX, 618: 612: 606: 600: 594: 588: 575: 569: 562: 556: 549: 543: 526: 520: 513: 507: 500: 454:Database catalog 209: 205: 201: 147:data dictionary. 21: 1304: 1303: 1299: 1298: 1297: 1295: 1294: 1293: 1274:Data management 1264: 1263: 1262: 1249: 1228: 1184: 1165: 1139: 1113: 1068: 1049: 1013: 1009:Slowly changing 999:Dimension table 987: 961: 938:Data dictionary 926: 890:Anchor modeling 860: 795: 784: 782:Data warehouses 779: 731: 726: 725: 715: 713: 705: 704: 700: 691: 690: 686: 676: 674: 665: 664: 660: 650: 648: 639: 638: 634: 629:Wayback Machine 619: 615: 607: 603: 595: 591: 586:Wayback Machine 576: 572: 563: 559: 550: 546: 541:Wayback Machine 527: 523: 514: 510: 501: 497: 492: 459:Database schema 440: 360: 348:Oracle Database 332: 308:Visual DataFlex 302:, and extended 280:data validation 219: 207: 203: 199: 128:data dictionary 112:data repository 108:data dictionary 104: 47:data dictionary 35: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1302: 1300: 1292: 1291: 1286: 1281: 1276: 1266: 1265: 1259: 1258: 1255: 1254: 1251: 1250: 1248: 1247: 1242: 1236: 1234: 1230: 1229: 1227: 1226: 1221: 1220: 1219: 1217:Enterprise bus 1209: 1208: 1207: 1196: 1194: 1186: 1185: 1182: 1175: 1174: 1171: 1170: 1167: 1166: 1164: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1147: 1145: 1141: 1140: 1138: 1137: 1132: 1127: 1121: 1119: 1115: 1114: 1112: 1111: 1106: 1101: 1096: 1091: 1086: 1080: 1078: 1070: 1069: 1066: 1059: 1058: 1055: 1054: 1051: 1050: 1048: 1047: 1042: 1037: 1032: 1027: 1021: 1019: 1015: 1014: 1012: 1011: 1006: 1001: 995: 993: 989: 988: 986: 985: 980: 975: 969: 967: 963: 962: 960: 959: 954: 949: 944: 934: 932: 928: 927: 925: 924: 919: 914: 909: 904: 903: 902: 897: 892: 884: 879: 874: 868: 866: 862: 861: 859: 858: 853: 848: 843: 838: 833: 828: 823: 818: 813: 807: 805: 797: 796: 793: 786: 785: 780: 778: 777: 770: 763: 755: 749: 748: 742: 730: 729:External links 727: 724: 723: 711:dba-oracle.com 698: 684: 673:. 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For the 223:middleware 217:Middleware 106:The terms 95:middleware 1118:Languages 1104:OLAP cube 1089:Dashboard 1040:Transform 992:Dimension 947:Data mart 882:Data mesh 851:Aggregate 816:Dimension 744:Octopai, 734:Yourdon, 577:PHPLens, 530:SearchSOA 243:aimed at 153:Database 116:catalogue 84:component 65:databases 1289:Metadata 1233:Products 1077:Concepts 942:Metadata 931:Elements 877:Data hub 865:Variants 811:Database 804:Concepts 625:Archived 622:features 582:Archived 537:Archived 438:See also 387:Measures 344:sys.ts$ 268:portably 233:against 172:entities 132:metadata 77:document 71:(DBMS): 1183:Related 1035:Extract 1018:Filling 983:Measure 296:caching 288:ASP.NET 276:scripts 272:objects 168:records 1193:People 379:Field 342:. 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Index

Data Description Specifications
Dictionary (data structure)

metadata repository
Oracle
databases
database management systems
document
component
DBMS
middleware
DDL
DML
metadata
users
application
tables
records
entities
fields
type
data element
entity-relationship
middleware
entity-relationship models
query optimization
distributed databases
Software frameworks
rapid application development
menus

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