Metadata properties reference
This section contains the metadata properties reference.
Out-of-the-box properties
The table below shows the properties that are provided with Pentaho Metadata Editor. Localized properties are indicated with an asterisk ( * ) character.
ID | Description | Category | Values |
Name* | This property describes the display name for the business object. | General | Alphanumeric |
Description* | A descriptive text entry describing the business object. | General | Alphanumeric |
Comments* | Additional comments regarding the business object. | General | Alphanumeric |
Security Information | Security rules for granting/restricting access to the business object. | General | Determined by security widget; see Metadata security. |
Font | The font properties to apply to this business object. | Formatting | Determined by selections in the font dialog box. |
Color of Text | The foreground or text color for the business object. | Formatting | Determined by selections in the color dialog box. |
Text Alignment | The text alignment for the business object. | Formatting | Left, Right, Centered, Justified |
Color of Background | The background color for the business object. | Formatting | Determined by selections in the color dialog box |
Relative Size | This property is normally associated with business tables and is used to calculate join paths. The sum of all table relative sizes in a path are calculated when deciding on a multi-table join and the multi-table join with the smallest summed value is used for the join path. | Formatting | Numeric |
Aggregation Rule | Determines the method of aggregating the data from this business object. | Model Descriptors | None, Sum, Count, Distinct Count, Minimum, Maximum |
Data Type | Data type for this business object. | Model Descriptors | Unknown, String, Date, Boolean, Numeric, Binary, Image, URL, and Length and Precision (Integers) |
Field Type | The type or relationship purpose this field serves. | Model Descriptors | Other, Dimension ,Fact, Key, Attribute |
Table Type | Table type is used to automatically determine relationship types with other tables. For instance, if a Fact table is joined with a Dimension table, this is normally an N to 1 relationship. | Model Descriptors | Other, Dimension, Fact |
Formula | This property allows you to create a calculation defining the business object. See Pentaho metadata formulas for more information. | Calculation | Alphanumeric |
Is the Formula Exact? |
Determines whether the formula entered in the Value field in the Formula section is parsed by the Metadata Editor or if it is sent exactly as entered to the database:
| Calculation | Boolean |
Column Width | The width of the column as represented for display. | Miscellaneous | Pixels, Percent of Page Width, Inches, Centimeters, Points, and Integer |
Hidden For the User? | Hides the object from being displayed in the Business View of the model. | Miscellaneous | Boolean |
Mask for Number or Date | The format mask to use when the data for this object is displayed. For dates, the format follows the date/time patterns for a Java SimpleDateFormat format mask. For numbers, the pattern should follow the Java DecimalFormat format mask. | Miscellaneous | Alphanumeric |
Target Schema | Defines the database schema to use when querying the business object. | Miscellaneous | Alphanumeric |
Target Table | Defines the physical database table from which the business object is defined. | Miscellaneous | Alphanumeric |
Custom properties
You can define any number of custom properties. You must give your property an ID to set its type.
- String
- Date
- Numeric Value
- Color
- Font
- Type of Field
- Type of Aggregation
- Boolean
- Field Data Type
- Localized String
- Type of Table
- URL
- Metadata Security
- Text Alignment
- Column Width
- Data Constraints
- Optional Aggregations
Custom table joins
You can also use a custom property to create table joins in Metadata Editor. To do this, you must define the custom property as path_build_method with a valid value. The following table defines the valid values for custom table joins:
Value | Description |
ALL | Use all tables and joins. |
ANY_RELEVANT | Use all joins that lead to any used table even if there is more than one path. |
CLASSIC | Use the old generation method. |
FIRST_SHORT | Returns the first path that only contains no duplicate joins between tables. |
LOWEST_SCORE | Returns a path that chooses all joins that will create the smallest score based on the estimated size of a table. |
SHORTEST | (Default) Returns a path connecting every required table with the smallest number of joins. |
The generator defaults to SHORTEST if the property is not found in the model.
If this is determined to be too risky, then a Boolean value can be toggled in SqlGenerator or SQLGenerator to preferClassicShortestPath when set to true. Both classes will use CLASSIC if no setting is found in the model.
Required properties per business object
The table below contains the required properties for given business objects. Required properties cannot be deleted.
ID | Physical Table | Physical Column | Business Category | Business Model |
Name | Required | Required | Required | Required |
Description | Required | Required | Required | Required |
Security Information | Not required | Not required | Required | Required |
Table Type | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Relative Size | Required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Formula | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Field Type | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Data Type | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Aggregation Rule | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Is the Formula Exact? | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Hidden for the User? | Not required | Required | Not required | Not required |
Font | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Mask for Number or Date | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Color of Text | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |
Color of Background | Not required | Not required | Not required | Not required |