LAS Database Schema Metadata Export

Overview

As part of the LAS database review, we needed a clear view of the existing database structure before starting the actual data export.

The main goal was to understand what tables and fields are available, how they are defined, and how the tables are indexed.

What Was Extracted

The metadata report includes:

• Table names and table numbers
• Table descriptions
• Number of fields and indexes
• Field names and data types
• Field formats and labels
• Mandatory fields
• Initial values
• Field descriptions
• Index information
• Fields included in each index

This provides a high-level view of the database without having to manually inspect each table.

Approach

We used the Progress OpenEdge database dictionary to collect the metadata.

The main dictionary tables used were:

• _File – table details
• _Field – field details
• _Index – index details
• _Index-Field – index field details

A ABL program was created to read this information and generate the report.

Report Format

The report is organized by table.

For example:

TABLE ============================================================ Table Name        : tablexyz Table Number      : 11 Description       : Resource locking table Number of Fields  : 12 Number of Indexes : 2 SUMMARY ———————————————————— Fields            : 12 Indexes           : 2 Mandatory Fields  : 5 Character Fields  : 6 Integer Fields    : 3 Decimal Fields    : 2 Date Fields       : 1 FIELDS ———————————————————— Field Name | Data Type | Format | Mandatory | Initial | Description … INDEXES ———————————————————— Index Name | Unique | Active | Description … INDEX FIELDS ———————————————————— Index | Position | Field | Ascending …

The summary section is calculated directly from the database metadata, so the counts reflect the actual database structure.

Separate Database Reports

The same process can be run separately for the LAS databases:

• GFA
• ACC
• ANNEX

This gives us individual schema reports that can be reviewed independently or compared when required.

Schema vs. Actual Data

It is important to distinguish between the schema report and the actual data export.

The schema report tells us how the database is structured — tables, fields, data types, and indexes.

The actual data export will contain the records stored in those tables.For example, the schema report can tell us that a table contains a customer-id field and its data type, but it does not contain the customer records themselves.

Outcome

The metadata export provides a single reference for the LAS database structure.

It can be used to:

• Understand the available tables and fields
• Identify relevant data for future exports
• Review the database structure before extracting data
• Compare the GFA, ACC, and ANNEX databases
• Support future data and reporting requirements

This is a one-time high-level schema export for the current database review. If needed later, the same ABL program can be reused to generate an updated report.

Keeping them separate makes it easier to review and compare each database.