Re: What is this thing that is called a "Data Dictionary?"

I think data dictionary is automatically build by the DB.
Don't think that its a manual task.
Meta data is always build up automatically by the system intelligently.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

~Jas

On 5/2/07, Jim Stalewski <JStalewski(at)visalighting(dot)com> wrote:
>
> I just went to wikipedia. That's what they say - a data dictionary is
> metadata, and they say that within a DBMS it's represented as a set of
> read-only tables and views.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_dictionary
>
> They seem to indicate it's something that you build, though, not
> something generated by the RDBMS.
>
> Innnteresting...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pgsql-novice-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
> [mailto:pgsql-novice-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Richard Broersma
> Jr
> Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 3:29 PM
> To: Jasbinder Singh Bali
> Cc: Novice Postgresql-list
> Subject: Re: [NOVICE] What is this thing that is called a "Data
> Dictionary?"
>
> Thanks Jas for the description, it is very helpful.
>
> Regards,
> Richard Broersma Jr.
>
> --- Jasbinder Singh Bali <jsbali(at)gmail(dot)com> wrote:
>
> > AFAIK, data dictionary is just the metadata (read only set) that
> > contains the definitions of data elements like tables, views,
> > trigggers, SPs, roles, general DB structuring, space allocation
> > methodology of the DB etc (i mean any data element inside the DB).
> >
> > It can be viewed as a simple read only file defining the basic
> > structure of the database actually, in lay men terms.
> >
> > Also most of the times, i've observed that its hidden from the users
> > even though its read only. Only DBA should have access to such kind of
>
> > file in secured systems. Thats how we implement it in our projects out
> here.
> >
> > Bookkeeping is just synonymous to a data dictionary that would not
> > contain the actual data but would essentially explain the way data
> > would be managed and how.
> >
> > I hope this helps.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > ~Jas
> >
> > On 5/2/07, Richard Broersma Jr <rabroersma(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Many of the ERD and SQL books that have have read refer to a data
> > > dictionary. However, I seem to be missing the point of what it
> > > acuatally is. IIRC, some books refer to it as a kind of document
> > > created by a DB designer, and other suggest that it is a kind of
> > > RBDMS created metadata.
> > >
> > > Can anyone please offer a consise description or provide a link to
> > > that describes what it is?
> > > Also, how is this information useful to a DBA?
> > >
> > > Thanks for the help!
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Richard Broersma Jr.
> > >
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> > >
> >
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