DataMigrator/Reporting Server > Using the Adapter for Lotus Notes > Managing Lotus Notes Metadata

Managing Lotus Notes Metadata

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When the server accesses a data source, it needs to know how to interpret the data stored there. For each data source the server will access, you create a synonym that describes the structure of the data source and the server mapping of the Lotus Notes data types.

Creating Synonyms

How to:

Reference:

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Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each Lotus Notes object that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying data source location and identity from client applications. They also provide support for extended metadata features of the server, such as virtual fields and additional security mechanisms.

Using synonyms allows an object to be moved or renamed while allowing client applications to continue functioning without modification. The only modification required is a redefinition of the synonym on the server. The result of creating a synonym is a Master File and an Access File, which represent the server metadata.

For the adapter to be able to create synonyms, Lotus Notes documents and data must be accessible to the HTTP client.

Procedure: How to Create a Synonym

To create a synonym, you must have previously configured the adapter. You can create a synonym from the Web Console or the Data Management Console.

  1. From the Web Console sidebar, click Applications or Connect to Data.

    The Applications page opens.

  2. If you started from the Applications page, right-click an application folder, point to New, and click Synonym on the context menu.

    The Connect to Data page opens.

  3. On the Configured list, click the down arrow next to a connection for the configured adapter, or right-click a connection.

    Depending on the type of adapter you chose, one of the following options appears on the context menu.

    • Show DBMS objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Create metadata objects. This opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Show files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
    • Show local files. This opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
  4. Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the synonym creation parameters reference.
  5. After entering the parameter values, click Create Synonym.

    The Status pane indicates that the synonym was created successfully.

The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory.

Note: When creating a synonym, if you choose the Validate check box, the server adjusts special characters and checks for reserved words. For more information, see Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words.

Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for a Local Lotus Notes Database

The following list describes the parameters for which you will need to supply values, and related tasks you will need to complete in order to create a synonym for the adapter. These options may appear on multiple panes. To advance from pane to pane, click the buttons provided, ending with the Create Synonym button, which generates the synonym based on your entries.

Step 1

Select a database

Your previously specified connection information appears at the top of the pane. Notice that Domino Server host is indicated as <local>.

In the Local Database Full Name box, enter the name of the database you wish to use.

Specify Lotus Notes objects in the database
  • By default object types are not restricted. If you wish to restrict them, deselect the corresponding check boxes.
  • If you wish to retrieve all objects in the specified database, leave the Filter by Name box unchecked.
  • If you wish to enter an object name or filter the objects list, check the Filter by Name box. A Name box opens in which you can specify a particular object or enter a string with wildcards as needed (for example, abc%, %abc, or %abc%) to limit the list of objects that will be displayed.

Complete Step 1 by clicking the Next button.

Step 2: Synonym field name processing options

Select options from this pane as needed.

Validate

Select the Validate check box if you wish to convert all special characters to underscores and perform a name check to prevent the use of reserved names. (This is accomplished by adding numbers to the names.) This parameter ensures that names adhere to specifications. See Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words for more information.

When the Validate option is unchecked, only the following characters are converted to underscores: '-'; ' '; ' \'; '/'; ','; '$'. No checking is performed for names.

Make unique

Select the Make unique check box if you wish to set the scope for field and group names to the entire synonym. This ensures that no duplicate names are used, even in different segments of the synonym. When this option is unchecked, the scope is the segment.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms check box.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.

Step 2 (continued): The objects retrieved from the database you selected in Step 1 are listed in the table at the bottom of the pane. You can now select objects to create synonym(s).

Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Fixed Alpha Fields?

If this box is checked, all Lotus alpha fields are created as An, where n is specified in the Alpha Field Size column.

If this box is unchecked, all Lotus alpha fields are created as AnV (the default), where n is specified in Alpha Field Size column.

Alpha Field Size

Displays the length of the alpha fields. The default length is 127. You can change this value. The generated Master File will reflect the chosen field length.

Database Name

Displays the name of the database that contains the selected objects.

Object Name

Lists the names of the objects for which you can generate synonyms. (The default synonym name is the same as the object name.)

Object Type

Indicates whether the object is a form, view, folder, or calendar.

Select Objects

Select objects for which you wish to create synonyms:

  • To select all objects in the list, click the Select All button.
  • To select specific objects, select the corresponding check boxes.
Restrict Object Type to

Restrict candidates for synonym creation based on the selected object type(s): Tables, Views, External SQL Scripts, and any other supported objects.

Choosing External SQL Scripts from the drop-down list enables you to represent an SQL Query as a synonym for read-only reporting. A Synonym candidate can be any file that contains one (and only one) valid SQL Query and does not contain end-of-statement delimiters (";" or "/") and comments.

Depending on the adapter, you can further restrict your search by choosing check boxes for listed objects.

Example: Creating a Synonym for a Form in a Local Lotus Notes Database

From the Web Console or the Data Management Console, right-click the configured Lotus Notes connection and choose Create Synonym from the menu. The first synonym creation pane opens:

  1. In the Local Database Full Name entry box, type: log.nsf
  2. For this example it is not necessary to filter objects, so simply click Next.
  3. On the second pane, select Mail_Events from the list of forms and views, and click Overwrite Existing Synonyms.
  4. Leave the Fixed Alpha Fields check box unchecked (the default) to create all Lotus alpha fields in the format AnV.
  5. The alpha fields length in the next column is 127 by default. Use the default value for this example.
  6. Click the Create Synonym button.

    The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory (baseapp is the default).

    A status window displays the message: Created successfully

  7. Click Applications on the menu bar.
  8. Open the baseapp application folder in the navigation pane and click the synonym Mail_Events.
  9. Choose Edit as Text from the menu to view the generated Master File, then choose Edit Access File as Text to view the corresponding Access File.

Generated Master File for Mail_Events form in the local log.nsf database

FILENAME=MAIL_EVENTS, SUFFIX=LOTUS   , $
  SEGMENT=MAIL_EVENTS, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    FIELDNAME=UNID, ALIAS=UNID_KEY, USAGE=A32, ACTUAL=A32, $
    FIELDNAME=BODY, ALIAS=Body, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=FINISHTIME, ALIAS=FinishTime, USAGE=HYYMDs, ACTUAL=A17,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=STARTTIME, ALIAS=StartTime, USAGE=HYYMDs, ACTUAL=A17,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=SERVER, ALIAS=Server, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $

Generated Access File

SEGNAME=MAIL_EVENTS, CONNECTION=CON3,DATABASE=log.nsf,OBJECT=Mail Events,
  OBJTYPE=FORM, KEYNAME=UNID_KEY, $

Reference: Synonym Creation Parameters for a Remote Domino Database

The following list describes the parameters for which you will need to supply values, and related tasks you will need to complete in order to create a synonym for the adapter. These options may appear on multiple panes. To advance from pane to pane, click the buttons provided, ending with the Create Synonym button, which generates the synonym based on your entries.

Step 1

Specify databases

Your previously specified connection information appears at the top of the pane: Domino Server, port, and user ID. You can now specify the databases you want to retrieve from the remote Domino server.

  • If you want to retrieve all databases, leave the box Filter by Name box unchecked.
  • If you want to specify a database name or filter the list of retrieved databases, check the Filter by Name box. A Name box opens in which you can specify a particular database or enter one or more wildcards (for example, abc%, %abc, or %abc%) to limit the list of databases that will be displayed.

Complete Step 1 by clicking the Next button.

Step 2

Specify objects and the database that contains them

Your database filtering criterion appears at the top of the pane, and the list of databases that meet the criterion appears in a drop-down list at the bottom. In this step you specify a particular database and request retrieval of one, all, or a filtered list of the objects it contains.

  • By default object types are not restricted. If you wish to restrict them, deselect the corresponding check boxes.
  • If you wish to retrieve all objects in the selected database, leave the Filter by Name box unchecked.
  • If you wish to specify an object name or filter the objects list, check the Filter by Name box. A Name box opens in which you can specify a particular object or enter one or more wildcards (for example, abc%, %abc, or %abc%) to limit the list of objects that will be displayed.
  • If, in step 1, you requested a filtered list of databases or did not filter at all, you can now choose a specific database from the Select Database drop-down menu.

Complete Step 2 by clicking the Next button.

Synonym field name processing options (Step 3)

Select options from this pane, as needed.

Validate

Select the Validate check box if you wish to convert all special characters to underscores and perform a name check to prevent the use of reserved names. (This is accomplished by adding numbers to the names.) This parameter ensures that names adhere to specifications. See Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words for more information.

When the Validate option is unchecked, only the following characters are converted to underscores: '-'; ' '; ' \'; '/'; ','; '$'. No checking is performed for names.

Make unique

Select the Make unique check box if you wish to set the scope for field and group names to the entire synonym. This ensures that no duplicate names are used, even in different segments of the synonym. When this option is unchecked, the scope is the segment.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms check box.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.

(Step 3 continued) The objects retrieved from the database you selected previously (either in step1 or step 2) are listed in the table at the bottom of the pane. You can now select objects to create synonym(s).

Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Fixed Alpha Fields?

If this box is checked, all Lotus alpha fields are created as An, where n is specified in the Alpha Field Size column.

If this box is unchecked, all Lotus alpha fields are created as AnV (the default), where n is specified in Alpha Field Size column.

Alpha Field Size

Displays the length of the alpha fields. The default length is 127. You can change this value when a synonym is created. The generated Master File will reflect the chosen field length.

Database Name

Displays the name of the database that contains the selected objects.

Object Name

Lists the names of the objects for which you can generate synonyms. (The default synonym name is the same as the object name.)

Object Type

Indicates whether the object is a form, view, folder, or calendar.

Select Objects

Select objects for which you wish to create synonyms:

  • To select all objects in the list, click the Select All button.
  • To select specific objects, select the corresponding check boxes.

Example: Creating a Synonym for a View in a Remote Domino Database

From the Web Console or the Data Management Console, right-click the configured Lotus Notes connection and choose Create Synonym from the menu. The first synonym creation pane opens:

  1. Click the Filter by Name check box, type certlog.nsf in the Name entry box, and click the Next button. The second pane opens.
  2. For this example, you will restrict objects to views, so leave only Views checked. Then click the Nextbutton.
  3. On the third pane, select the By _User Name view from the list of views, and click Overwrite Existing Synonyms.
  4. Leave the Fixed Alpha Fields check box unchecked (the default) to create all Lotus alpha fields in the format AnV.
  5. The alpha fields length in the next column is 127 by default. Use the default value for this example.
  6. Click the Create Synonym button.

    The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory (baseapp is the default).

    A status window displays the message: Created successfully

  7. Click Applications on the menu bar.
  8. Open the baseapp application folder in the navigation pane and click the synonym By_User_Name.
  9. Choose Edit as Text from the menu to view the generated Master File, then choose Edit Access File as Text to view the corresponding Access File.

Generated Master File for the By _User_Name view in the certlog.nsf database 

FILENAME=BY_USER_NAME, SUFFIX=LOTUS   , $
  SEGMENT=BY_USER_NAME, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    FIELDNAME=USER_NAME, ALIAS=1, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=LICENSE, ALIAS=2, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=NOT_VALID_BEFORE, ALIAS=3, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=CERTIFIER, ALIAS=4, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=NOT_VALID_AFTER, ALIAS=5, USAGE=A127V, ACTUAL=A127V,
      MISSING=ON, $

Generated Access File

SEGNAME=BY__USER_NAME, CONNECTION=CON1, DATABASE=certlog.nsf,
  OBJECT=By_User Name, OBJTYPE=VIEW, $

Reference: Universal Note ID for Forms

A UNID field is automatically added to Master Files generated for Forms.

The Universal Note ID (UNID) identifies all copies of a note, regardless of location or time.

As a result, every replica of the note has the same UNID, which does not change when a note is modified.

(This field is illustrated in Creating a Synonym for a Form in a Local Lotus Notes Database.)

Reference: Managing Synonyms

Once you have created a synonym, you can right-click the synonym name in the Adapter navigation pane of either the Web Console or the Data Management Console to access the available options.

For a list of options, see Synonym Management Options.

Reference: Access File Keywords

Keyword

Description

 
SEGNAME

Value must be identical to the SEGNAME value in the Master File. 

CONNECTION

Indicates access to the previously declared connection. The syntax is: 

CONNECTION=connection
 
DATABASE

Identifies the Lotus Notes database file.

 
OBJECT

Specifies the name of a Lotus Notes object. 

OBJTYPE

Indicates the type of Lotus Notes object: FORM, VIEW, FOLDER, or CALENDAR.

Data Type Support

The following table indicates how the server maps Lotus Notes data types.

Lotus Notes Data Type

USAGE

ACTUAL

Remarks

Text

Dialog List

Checkbox

Radio Button

List Box

Combo Box

Authors

Names

Readers

Password

Formula

AnV | An

AnV | An

n is specified by user (default is 127).

Date/Time

HYYMDs

A17

 

Number

D16

D8

 

Rich Text

 

 

BLOB (Binary Large Object) format is supported as a component of the Rich Text data type, which is used to distribute e-mail attachments. The attachment portion uses the BLOB format in the Master File. BLOB format is supported through the Reporting Server API.

For an illustration, see Mapping the Rich Text Data Type.

Example: Mapping the Rich Text Data Type

Rich text fields are used for large amounts of text or to embed or attach objects. For example, the Body field on a mail form is a rich text field that is mapped to three fields in the following Master File 

FIELDNAME=BODY_ATTACHMENT, ALIAS=Body_ATTACHMENT, USAGE=BLOB, ACTUAL=BLOB,
  MISSING=ON, $
FIELDNAME=BODY_FNAME, ALIAS=Body_IZHBOPIA, USAGE=A256, ACTUAL=A256,
  MISSING=ON, $
FIELDNAME=BODY, ALIAS=Body, USAGE=A25V, ACTUAL=A25V,MISSING=ON, $

where:

BODY_ATTACHMENT

Is a BLOB field used to store the attachment. BLOB format is supported through the Reporting Server API.

BODY_FNAME

Is the file name of the original attachment.

BODY

Is the text in the field. For large amounts of text, you can manually modify the USAGE and ACTUAL lengths in the Master File.

Note: Formatted text, another common use of the rich text data type, is not currently supported by the adapter.

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