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Metadata

Metadata includes the definition of the database and database objects such as domains, generators, tables, constraints, indices, views, triggers, stored procedures, user-defined functions (UDFs) and blob filters. Metadata is stored in system tables, which are themselves part of every Firebird/InterBase^® database.

Metadata includes all those SQL statements necessary to recreate the database object. It comprises the following elements:

• CREATE DATABASE statement
• CREATE DOMAIN statements
• CREATE TABLE statements
• declarative referential integrity using the ALTER TABLE statement
• CREATE GENERATOR statements
• CREATE VIEW statements
• check constraints using ALTER TABLE statements
• CREATE EXCEPTION statements
• procedure definitions using CREATE PROCEDURE or ALTER PROCEDURE
• trigger definitions using CREATE TRIGGER statements
• granting of user authorizations for tables, views and stored procedures.

Metadata for a table includes all domains and generators used by these tables plus the CREATE TABLE statement. It does not include any referential integrity definitions from this table to other tables or from other tables to this table.

Metadata for a view includes both the CREATE VIEW and ALTER VIEW statements.

The current metadata definitions can be viewed on the DDL page in the individual object editors.

See also:
Extract metadata
IBEScript
ibec_ExtractMetadata
Using Extract metadata to repair databases

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