We are evaluating StrataFrame for an extremely large product conversion (> 200 DLLs, 5 million lines of code written in Clarion).  I have a few questions however regarding the DB Deployment toolkit:

1. Is there anyway to synchronize (both ways) the SQL database and the Metadata stored in the DBDT?  For example, our DBA is making daily modifications to the structure of the tables.  Instead of doing the job twice, we would like to sync the two repositories (SQL database and Metadata).  Also it would be great if we could post the descriptions created in the metadata back to the SQL server table definitions.

2. Is the metadata file open?  Can we write reports against this file?  IE:  List all tables with fields with a description of "NOT USED" or that have a "Name" field.

3. Should the relationships and indexes stored in our SQL 2000 database imported into the metadata file?  None of them did.

4. Is there a way to allow aliases or automatically replace/report fields where the data type could not be imported (IE: TEXT type fields -> VARCHAR(MAX) instead of blank)

5. Once the metadata file has been created, can it be copied to a network host drive so all developers can have access to it?

Enhancement ideas:

1. Expand the metadata so the designer can specify business rules which automatically are generated. IE: Required, Valid choices, cannot be zero or blank, must be within range, must be true or false, must be a valid value in "x" table, source code to be included, etc.

2. Add a default UI control type (WinForm and/or WebForm), default caption, case (normal, word capitalize, Uppercase), flags->Password, readonly, hidden, typing mode->Set insert, set overwrite, do not reset, tool tip text, and optional field masking.  Utilize the metadata more than you do currently.  For example, when creating a new entry form from a template, you could have a wizard ask what the primary BO is, ask for the fields to display, and scan the metadata for the default control type to auto populate the form.

3. Add a special table type (In Memory only) that does not populate from a SQL database but acts like a Global / Locally Scoped Variable repository which a BO can be generated.  In most projects that I have worked on, there has always been global variables - IE: User ID, Current company ID, etc.

4. Add a table level comment that is generated in the code for BO user's information.

Any ideas or thoughts would be appreciated!

Take care!

Ben

No, other than the initial import of the structure from SQL Server, doing a re-import will (I believe) overwrite the changes that you have made to the meta-data... the import is intended to be an initial tool to get your structure into the DDT where you can maintain it.

Yes the file is open... all of the meta-data is actually stored within tables in the StrataFrame database.  The relavent tables are: DBEProfile, DBEDatabases, DBETables, DBEFields, etc.

No, the import does not currently import relationships from the database.  There is a pending feature request for this, but has not been scheduled, yet.

During an import, you have the option to automatically convert TEXT fields to VarChar(MAX).  I'm not sure why the data type would be left blank during your import.

Since the meta-data is stored within SQL Server, and not in a file, anyone with access to the StrataFrame database has access to the meta-data profiles.  So, yes, just put the StrataFrame database on a shared development server.