Using GetMetadata to Get the Properties of a Specified Metadata Object

GetMetadata and Cross-Repository References in SAS 9.2

The SAS Metadata Server enables clients to create associations between objects in different repositories. An association that is defined between objects that exist in different repositories is referred to as a cross-repository reference. Between SAS 9.1.3 and SAS 9.2, the way that cross-repository references are retrieved has changed.

In SAS 9.1.3, the SAS Metadata Server relied on a dependency model that defined which repositories could have cross-repository references created between them. This dependency model required that a directionality be specified for queries requesting cross-repository references. Repositories that had dependencies defined existed in a repository chain. The default behavior of the GetMetadata method was to return cross-repository references from the specified repository and from repositories above it in the repository chain. To get cross-repository references under the specified repository in the repository chain, a client had to set the OMI_DEPENDENCY_USED_BY (16384) flag. The output included cross-repository references to objects that were in custom and project repositories.

In SAS 9.2, the SAS Metadata Server has been changed to support an independent repository model. In this model, the following is true:

Repository dependencies are ignored.
Cross-repository references can be created between the foundation repository and any custom repositories. The foundation repository and custom repositories are considered public repositories because their content is intended for general use by clients.
A GetMetadata method issued on an object in a public repository that requests information about associated objects automatically returns associated objects from all public repositories.
The OMI_DEPENDENCY_USED_BY flag is set only if you want to include cross-repository references to objects in project repositories in the results. Project repositories are considered private unless specifically requested.

A GetMetadata request that is issued in a project repository returns associated objects that are in the project repository, and returns cross-repository references from all of the public repositories that the project repository services.

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