Extracting data with Optim on distributed platforms

The Extract Process selects data from a source (one or more tables in a database) and copies that data to a destination (an Extract File).

To extract data, you must create an Extract Request that includes the specifications for the data to be extracted, called the Access Definition, and the parameters for the Extract Process. You can process the Extract Request immediately, or schedule the process to run automatically. You can also run the Extract Process from the command line, using overrides for specifications in the request.

Extract Request

The Extract Request Editor dialog allows you to select parameters for processing the Extract Request. These parameters include the following:

You can choose to run the Extract Request immediately or schedule the request for later processing.

Extract File

The Extract File contains the selected relationally intact data, the object definitions, or both. The Extract File is stored locally on the client system or on a shared file server. After you create an Extract File, you can use the file as often as needed to create new, or refresh existing, databases.

After you have extracted data and created an Extract File, you can browse the contents of the file. This is useful to ensure that the contents are as expected.

Access Definition

The Access Definition governs the overall Extract Process. An Access Definition specifies the tables, relationship traversal, and selection criteria for the data you want to extract. You can select a named Access Definition or create a new Access Definition for a single Extract Request.

The Access Definition enables you to:

Extract Process Report

An Extract Process Report is generated as part of the Extract Process. The report contains general information and statistics about the process. The content of the report reflects what has been extracted─data, object definitions, or both.