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Importing a metamodel package

Import metamodel types you have defined and exported from another repository.

Before you begin

You have been assigned a global role with the Application Administration capability.

About this task

You can use the format of the XML file produced when exporting a metamodel.

Procedure

  1. Go to MANAGE > Metamodel.
  2. Click START EDITING.
  3. Click the More Actions menu.
  4. Select Import.
  5. Select the XML file.
    If you cannot find the location using the Browse function, you must configure the available paths via the Setup utility from the installation directory.
  6. Click IMPORT.

Results

During the import, the merge algorithm compares attributes, then entities, then relationships.
Type Merge process
Attribute comparison For each imported attribute, Talend Data Catalog tries to find:
  1. an attribute in the current metamodel with the same GUID.
    • If it finds one, that means you already imported the attribute in the past. The existing attribute is updated with the imported one and its properties are overwritten, such as name, description or type.
    • If it does not find a matching one by GUID, Talend Data Catalog tries to find a matching attribute by name.
  2. an attribute in the current metamodel with the same name.
    • If it finds one, Talend Data Catalog checks if the existing attribute is similar.

      If it is similar, the attribute is not imported and the existing one is reused.

      If it is not similar, Talend Data Catalog creates a new attribute with the characteristics of the imported one and renames it to make its name unique.

    • If it does not find one, Talend Data Catalog creates a new attribute with the characteristics of the imported one.
Entity comparison For each imported entity, Talend Data Catalog tries to find:
  1. an entity in the current metamodel with the same GUID.
    • If it finds one, that means you already imported the entity in the past. The existing entity is updated with the imported one and its properties are overwritten, such as name, description or icon.
    • If it does not find a matching one by GUID, Talend Data Catalog tries to find a matching entity by name.
  2. an entity in the current metamodel with the same name.
    • If it finds one, Talend Data Catalog creates a new entity with the characteristics of the imported one and renames it to make its name unique.
    • If it does not find one, Talend Data Catalog creates a new entity with the characteristics of the imported one.
Relationship comparison For each imported relationship, Talend Data Catalog tries to find a relationship in the current metamodel with the same GUID.
  • If it finds one, that means you already imported the relationship in the past. The existing relationship is updated with the imported one and its properties are overwritten, such as source role name, description or destination role name.
  • If it does not find one, Talend Data Catalog creates a new relationship with the characteristics of the imported one.

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