Overview

SAS Management Console enables you to export and import information maps using SAS package files. This task is commonly performed when doing partial promotion of metadata between different environments.

During the import process, the import wizard enables you to change some information map properties. For relational information maps, you can specify or change SAS application servers, libraries, and tables that are associated with the information map. For cube-based maps, you can specify or change the SAS application servers, the OLAP schema, and the underlying cube.

The purpose of this note is to explain how information maps use aliases for table names and cube names, and how aliases are handled during the import process.

About aliases in information maps

When you insert a table into an information map, the name that is displayed in the Physical Data pane is an alias and not actually the name of the table. If the table is referenced in the information map only once, then the alias will be the same as the physical table name. However, if a table is referenced multiple times in the information map, then the alias for each subsequent reference will be unique to that reference, even though the alias points to the same physical table. For example, if you make two references to the CLASS table from the SASHELP library, then the alias for the first reference will be Class and the alias for the second reference will be Class1.

For a cube-based information map, the Physical Data pane shows the actual name of the cube. Because you cannot insert more than one cube into an information map, the alias should always match the cube name.

About table aliases after importing

When you import a relational information map, the import wizard does not enable you to change the alias for a table. For example, if you import an information map that is based on the CLASS table, you can associate that information map with a different application server, library reference, and physical table. However, you will not be able to change the table alias during the import. For example, if you import an information map that is based on a table named InvoiceTest, you can associate the information map with a table named Invoice. However, when you open the information map in SAS Information Map Studio, the alias will still be InvoiceTest even though the information map is based on the correct table (Invoice). In order to change the table alias for a relational information map, you must open the information map in SAS^® Information Map Studio, right-click on the alias in the Physical Data pane, and select Rename.

About cube aliases after importing

When you import an information map that is based on a cube, the import wizard enables you to associate that information map with a different application server, OLAP Schema, and cube. However, you will not be able to change the cube alias during the import. For example, if you import an information map that is based on a cube named LocationsTest, you can associate the information map with a cube named Locations. However, when you open the information map in SAS Information Map Studio, the alias will still be LocationsTest even though the information map is based on the correct cube (Locations). Unlike relational information maps, you cannot right-click on this alias and use the Rename option.

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