Chapter 13 The Data Dictionary - Teradata Database

The Teradata Database Data Dictionary is composed of tables and views that reside in the system user named DBC. The tables are reserved for use by the system and contain metadata about the objects in the system, privileges, system events, and system usage. The views provide access to the information in the tables. The tables contain current definitions, control information, and general information about the following:

Authorization Accounts Character sets Columns Constraints Databases Disk Space End Users Events External stored procedures

Indexes JAR and ZIP archive files Logs Macros Privileges Profiles Resource usage Roles Rules Sessions and session attributes

Statistics Stored procedures Tables Translations Triggers User-defined functions User-defined methods User-defined types Views

The Data Dictionary stores object definitions as well as details about objects.

Object	Details Stored
Table	Location, identification, version Database name, table name, creator name, and user names of all owners in the hierarchy Each column in the table, including column name, data type, length, and phrases User/creator access privileges Indexes Constraints Table backup and protection (including fallback and permanent journaling status) Date and time the object was created
Database	Database name, creator name, owner name, and account name Space allocation (if any) including: Permanent Spool Temporary Number of fallback tables Collation type Creation timestamp Date and time the database was last altered and the name that altered it Role and profile names Revision numbers for the UDF library and any XSP libraries by Application Category
View or macro	View or macro text Creation time attributes User and creator access privileges
Stored procedure	Creation time attributes Parameters, including parameter name, parameter type, data type, and default format User and creator access privileges
External stored procedure	C/C++ source code and object code if its language is not Java External stored procedure name External name Data types of the parameters Source file language Data accessing characteristic Parameter passing convention Execution protection mode Character type Platform type
JAR	Java object code for the JAR JAR name External name Platform type Revision number
Java external stored procedure	Java external stored procedure name External file reference Data types of the parameters Source file language Data accessing characteristic Parameter passing convention Execution protection mode Character type Platform type
Java user-defined function (UDF)	Function call name Specific name External name Data types of the parameters Function class Source file language Data accessing characteristic Parameter passing convention Deterministic characteristic Null-call characteristic Execution protection mode Character type Platform type
Trigger	IDs of the: Table Trigger Database and subject table database User who created the trigger User who last updated the trigger Timestamp for the last update Indexes Trigger name and: Whether the trigger is enabled The event that fires the trigger The order in which triggers fire Default character set Creation text and time stamp Overflow text, that is, trigger text that exceeds a specified limit Fallback tables
UDF	C source code and object code if its language is not Java Function call name Specific name External name Data types of the parameters Function class Source file language Data accessing characteristic Parameter passing convention Deterministic characteristic Null-call characteristic Execution protection mode Character type Platform type
User-defined method (UDM)	C source code and object code Function call name Specific name External name Data types of the parameters Function class Source file language Data accessing characteristic Parameter passing convention Deterministic characteristic Null-call characteristic Execution protection mode Character type Platform type
User-defined type (UDT)	DBC.UDTInfo - one entry per UDT Type name Type kind (Distinct or Structured) Whether the type is instantiable Default transform group (name) Ordering form (full ordering or equals only - distinct and structured types are always full) Ordering category (map or relative - distinct and structured types are always map) Ordering routine ID Cast count DBC.UDTCast - one entry per cast for a UDT Whether cast is implicit assignment Cast routine ID DBC.UDFInfo - one entry for the UDT's auto-generated default constructor; entries are the same as for a regular (C/C++) UDF DBC.UDTTransform - one entry for the UDT's transform Default transform group name ToSQL routine ID FromSQL routine ID
User	User name, creator name, and owner name Password string and password change date Space allocation, including: Permanent Spool Temporary Default account, database, collation, character type, and date form Creation timestamp Name and time stamp of the last alteration made to the user Role and profile name