Database Mapper Lineage
Database Mapper Lineage
The Database Mapper Lineage feature allows you to discover where data originates and where it gets used. It simplifies the process of tracing the lineage and impact of data within a system by enabling you to explore the dependencies in your environment.
Feature Highlights
- Diagrammatic and interactive form saves time
- Speeds up development by allowing you to view dependencies clearly
- Enables you to pinpoint the source of data in objects
- Allows business analysts to make clear judgments about the correctness of data
- Enables you to identify areas where errors may be introduced
Note: A snapshot must be taken before Lineage allows you to view the dependencies for a solution.
Using Database Mapper Lineage
After creating a solution using the Database Mapper configuration tool, and taking a snapshot, you can view the lineage for your solution. Complete one of the following steps to open Database Mapper Lineage:
Select the 
on the Database Mapper Solutions Dashboard to open Lineage Analysis for your solution.
Select the Lineage tab to open Lineage Analysis, then select a solution from the drop-down list. 
Navigating Database Mapper Lineage
In Database Mapper Lineage, the view diagram panel takes up a majority of the window. All the settings selected with the Lineage toolbar apply to the currently selected object within the Solution Explorer to create a visual representation of the object's lineage. The following table describes the buttons and settings within the Lineage toolbar:
| Toolbar button | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Select Solution | Use the Solution drop-down list to select the solution you want to display lineage. | ||
| Manage Aliases | The Manage Aliases button opens the Manage Solution Aliases window and allows you to clarify the location of implicit items for this solution. Note: After aliases have changed, Database Mapper requires a snapshot of the solution in to refresh the dependency links within lineage analysis. For more information about solution aliases, see the Database Mapper Solution Aliases article. |
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| Granularity Detail | The Granularity Detail drop-down allows you to adjust the granularity of the objects that are included within the current session of lineage analysis. The following options are available:
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| Reset View | The Reset View button allows you to refresh the lineage data from the Database Mapper database. | ||
| Legend | The Legend button allows you to toggle viewing of the legend. | ||
| Text View | The Text View switch allows you to toggle viewing the lineage in a textual or graphical representation. For a large and complex graph, this text option can help you make sense of the inbound and outbound dependencies. |
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| Dependency Direction | The Dependency Direction drop-down allows you to select the direction types of the dependencies you want to include within the current session of Lineage Analysis. An object's dependencies are typically created when an object is included within another object's definition. The following options are available:
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| Track Selection | The Track Selection button allows you to disable the feature that causes the diagram to re-draw every time a new selection is made within the Solution Explorer. | ||
| Dependency Level | The Dependency Levels drop-down allows you to increase or decrease the number of levels of separation from the currently focused object to display within the Lineage Diagram. Important: Including too many dependency levels within the Lineage Diagram may cause difficulty in reading it. |
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| Filter by Link Type | The Filter by Link Type button allows you to toggle the visibility of relationships. The key filter toggles the visibility of relationship links that involve the use of foreign keys. | ||
| Object Filter | The object filter button allows you to toggle the visibility of relationship links that involve object dependencies. | ||
| Data Lineage Filter | The data lineage filter button allows you to toggle the visibility of relationship links that involve the impact or dependency of another object's data. | ||
| Filter button | Select the Filter button to open the Technology Filter menu. Select the desired filter options and then select Apply to apply the filter to your lineage graph. |
Solution Explorer
Important: Beginning with Version 2022.3, the Solution Explorer organizes all of the Implicit Objects in your Solution in the Implicit Objects category by technology type. 
The Solution Explorer contains a hierarchically organized tree of all objects within the current detail level that contain lineage. Select an object with Track Selection enabled to re-draw the focus of the lineage diagram to the newly selected object within the Solution Explorer.
Select to expand and collapse selected objects and display the object's children.
Note: If an object does not have a in the Solution Explorer, the object does not have any child objects that contain lineage, or the current detail level prevents it from expanding further.
Searching the Solution Explorer
Search the current solution for the exact object you want to view lineage for with the Search bar. Enter what you want to search for, then select Search to display the results.
Select an object from the search results to display the corresponding lineage graph.
Select Back to explorer view to return to the previous Solution Explorer view.
Note: Your Search Results will vary based on the Granularity Detail level you have selected.
Lineage Graph Views
The icons and colors within the diagram help you to quickly identify the object, and technology types associated with each node. The following legend displays in the Solution Explorer when you select Show Legend: 
Hover over an object in the graph to display a tool-tip about the object. 
Hover over inbound or outbound dependency routes to display a tool-tip about the route path.
Lineage Graph Route Legend
| Line Color | Description |
|---|---|
| Blue | Blue lines indicate an object reference. |
| Green | Green lines indicate data lineage. |
| Black | Black lines indicate a Foreign key reference. |
| Purple | Purple lines indicate references from multiple categories (Foreign key, object, data lineage). |
Lineage Graph Context Menu Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Extend Item | Displays more dependency levels for the currently selected object. |
| Focus on this | Select Focus on this to re-draw the diagram with the currently selected object as the main focus. |
| View Metadata | Opens the DDL script for the selected object. |
| Jump to documentation | Opens the documentation view for the selected object. |
| View Data Dictionary | Opens the Data Dictionary window for the selected Lineage object. Select Edit to makes changes to your Data Dictionary Values. Note: You can only edit documentation values that have Data Dictionary configured. |
Granularity Detail Views
Select an object in the Solution Explorer to display the lineage diagram for the object. The following detail levels are available:
| Granularity Detail | Graph Example |
|---|---|
| Low |
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| Medium |
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| High |
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Dependency Level Views
Select an object in the Solution Explorer to display the lineage diagram for the object. Dependencies display based on the selected dependency level view. The following dependency level views are available:
| Dependency Level | Graph Example |
|---|---|
| 1 |
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| 2 |
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| 3 |
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Dependency Directions
| Direction | Image |
|---|---|
| Bi-directional |
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| Inbound Only |
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| Outbound Only |
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Moving the Lineage Graph
You can adjust the view of the Lineage graph by doing one of the following:
| Movement | Description |
|---|---|
| Moving a Node | Left-clicking on a node and then dragging the mouse allows you to move a single node around the diagram without affecting the other nodes. |
| Panning | Left clicking on the view diagram allows you to pan the lineage diagram and adjust the visual if it does not all fit within the screen. |
| Zooming | Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out to see more details within the diagram. |
Lineage Text View
You can toggle between the lineage graph view and text view by selecting the Text View toggle. The Text view displays your lineage as a textual representation and can help you to better visualize large inbound and outbound dependencies. Adjust your lineage graph using the Dependency Level, and Granularity Detail drop-down menus.
Note: The 
icon indicates that the value is a circular reference, and that the value is already displayed in the Lineage.
