Querying Metadata (like Crystal Reports)

[ChrisWusfcu]

Hi,

I'm a newbie to BO and Crystal Reports and would like to know if/how I can query the metadata for existing/published Crystal Reports? We are using Crystal Reports 2008 and BO 12.

If possible I would like to analyze things like which reports use which data sources/tables? Mostly impact analysis stuff. I looked at the underlying database schema and it looks like the metadata has been encrypted (strike 1).

My preference would be to find a no cost option but if the answer is a vendor tool I would appreciate recommendations!

Thanks in advance,
Chris.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
There are tools on the Admin page of your BO site
( at least there were on XI ) - many of your queries can be handled by those tools...

Detailed info from BO's CMS database can only be accessed by user written custom code querying the InfoObject collection or by some 3rd party packages
Try some of these:

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[ChrisWusfcu]

Thanks for the quick response and helpful information!

I'm probably going to head down the path of a cheap and cheerful 3rd party product (having taken a quick look at some of what's available from the site you kindly included in the last post). Being reasonably knowledgeable in SQL and not so much in the world of BO I like the idea of being able to extract the metadata/data dictionary and then slicing and dicing it as I see fit.

However, not to completely give-up on the BO option I have a follow-up question ...you mentioned the Admin page (and I realize we may be talking about different versions of BO) but, is that something I can navigate to from the Central Management Console? I warned you, I'm a BO newbie!!

Thanks again!
Chris.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
No, it is before the CMC on the page where you can choose the CMC or InfoView....


Try a variant of this ( edit to set you path info and 12's specifics)

http://(serverinfo)/businessobjects/enterprise115/WebTools/adminlaunch/default.aspx

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[ChrisWusfcu]

Thanks again.

Chris.