This is a list of some Fequently Asked Questions concerning the installation and operation of Meta Manager. If your question is not answered in the list below, just drop us a line with your question and we'll get you an answer.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. When installing MetaManager behind a firewall, is it required to have an IP Address for the Firewall and for the server where MetaManager is to be installed? 
    
2. When using dynamically assigned IP Address is it is possible to obtain a License Key?
    
3. Can MetaManager load a group of collections data into an Oracle Database on UNIX platform? I am looking for some loader programs or functions which can insert or update the collections in the database in an automated way.
    
4. What types of files can MetaManager import? Could a text Metadata file, be imported into MetaManager and the Oracle or MS Access database? Can metadata be created using any of the numerous metadata writers that are available over the web?
    
5. How much space does MetaManager take up on an NT box in a typical install? (Not including metadata databases)?
    
6. Can the administration tool be used over a network? IE - can I set up one installation of MetaManager server centrally, and let multiple people install the administration tool on their own boxes?
    
7. Can multiple installations of the administration tool acess the same MetaManager server simultaneously?
    
8. How does the import function work?
    
9. What are the database connections? Does it mean the possibility to access multiple databases? Or the number of users who may be connected with MetaManager?
    
10. I cannot connect to the Z39.50 server.
     
11. The Z39.50 server is not returning all records that should be identified in the search.
     
12. Data elements are being presented in the wrong format.
     
13. A search which should have returned records failed to return any.
     
14. The Z39.50 server exits immediately upon execution.
     
15. Records were found but none were returned.
     
16. When defining Table Links (relationships between tables) the desired table is not included in the list box.
     
17. When mapping an element, the desired table is not included in the list box.
     
18. New collections do not appear under the FGDC GEO profile when the application is launched. The collections must be opened from the Collection Menu but do not appear in the next working session.
     
19. The date search returns no records. 

1. Q: When installing MetaManager behind a firewall, is it required to have an IP Address for the Firewall and for the server where MetaManager is to be installed?
   
   A: When you are registering MetaManager on a gateway and MetaManager is inside a firewall you have to provide the IP of the firewall and the port number of the firewall. You also have to insure the port on the firewall is configured to redirect request to the IP and port of the system were the MetaManager server is running.
    
2. Q: When using dynamically assigned IP Address is it is possible to obtain a License Key?
   
   A: Unfortunately to generate a License key a static IP Address is required.
    
3. Q: Can MetaManager load a group of collections data into an Oracle Database on UNIX platform? I am looking for some loader programs or functions which can insert or update the collections in the database in an automated way.
   
   A: The current version of MetaManager does not have the ability to load information or collections into an Oracle database from another source. MetaManager will provide a link between the FGDC GEO Profile and an existing Oracle database. It allows the user to search a current Oracle or Access database using a Z39.50 server and gateway without modifing the database in any way.
    
4. Q: What types of files can MetaManager import? Could a text Metadata file, be imported into MetaManager and the Oracle or MS Access database? Can metadata be created using any of the numerous metadata writers that are available over the web?
   
   A: The import feature of MetaManager is designed to allow users to import MetaManager collections from another database. This feature does not allow users to import files of any type.
    
5. Q: How much space does MetaManager take up on an NT box in a typical install? (Not including metadata databases)?
   
   A: The Meta Manager Administration tool requires approximately 10 megabytes of disk space and the server requires about 1 megabyte plus additional space for log files. The log files can grow very fast if you are performing a lot of searches. I would allow for at least 50 megabytes of space for log files.
    
6. Q: Can the administration tool be used over a network? IE - can I set up one installation of MetaManager server centrally, and let multiple people install the administration tool on their own boxes?
   
   A: For an Access installation you just need to be able to map the network drive containing the Access dbf file to each system you want to install the administration tool on. You would then create an ODBC connection on each machine connecting to that dbf.
        For an Oracle installation you would need to provide a SQLNet connection to the database.
    
7. Q: Can multiple installations of the administration tool access the same MetaManager server simultaneously?
   
   A: The administrator interface is a separate application from the server. The Administration interface interacts only with the database, it does not depend on the server application. Therefore you can have as many people as you like using the administration interface to access the database. You can also have as many people as you like using a gateway to perform searches on the server. If you have more than one person using the administration interface to make changes to the same collection then it is uncertain as to what changes will be committed. However if they are accessing different collections then everything should be fine.
    
8. Q: How does the import function work?
   
   A: The import function of Meta Manager allows a user to import a collection defined in another MetaManager account to the active account. The database the user imports from can be on the local system or a remote system. It does not have to be the same database as the active MetaManager account. When the user select the menu items 'Collection' and then 'Import' they are presented with a 'Remote Database Login' form. This allows the user to login to the database containing the collection they wish to import. After a successful login the user is presented with a listing of the meta data standards and associated collections that are available for import. Highlight the desired standard and collection and select the 'OK' button to have that collection imported to the active MetaManager account. The remote collection is not affected by the import. The user is prompted for a collection name for the new imported collection. This name can be the same as in the remote database or different, it is up to the user. It is then up to the user to insure all the tables required for that collection are accessible to the active MetaManager user. The import only copies the MetaManager mappings as they are defined in the remote database. Any associated tables that contain metadata to be searched are not copied to the active database.
    
9. Q: What are the database connections? Does it mean the possibility to access multiple databases? Or the number of users who may be connected with MetaManager?
   
   A: When installing and configuring MetaManager you must provide the database that you want to connect to. This would be the database containing the MetaManager account. Therefore, Meta Manager can only connect to one database at a time. To connect to a different database you would have to stop the MetaManager server, reconfigure it for the new connection, and then restart it. All the data you wish to search has to be accessible to the MetaManager database account, so it is possible to have the data in many databases while only connecting MetaManager to the single account. If you configure your collections to retrieve information from many databases it is possible to search multiple collections at the same time. If you are using the MS Access version of MetaManager refer to the users manual for instruction on how to attach external tables to the MetaManager database. For Oracle installation refer to the users manual on how to use table links to access data in tables other than the Meta Manager tables. When reading the uses manual remember that the tables can reside in a separate database from the one in which the MetaManager account resides.
    
10. Q: I cannot connect to the Z39.50 server.
    
    A: Verify that the server is running.Verify that the machine that is running the server is visible to the machine generating the search request. Verify that the search request is directed at the correct machine and port number. Upon start-up of the server, it determines the port to listen on and the Meta Manager database to use from the Windows Registry entry located at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Compusult Limited\Meta Manager\... The port value is the port number the server will listen on. The connect string value is the Data Source Name associated with Meta Manager database to be used.
     
11. Q: The Z39.50 server is not returning all records that should be identified in the search.
    
    A: Verify that the search criteria used (search overrides or element mappings) are correct. Verify the relationships defined in the Meta Manager collection are correct and the foreign key constraints are not restricting the data being returned.
     
12. Q: Data elements are being presented in the wrong format.
    
    A: Verify that the correct database field type is selected for the data element's mapping.
     
13. Q: A search which should have returned records failed to return any.
    
    A: Check the generated SQL statement in the server log files for errors. Correct the mapping of the elements or search overrides which caused the error.
     
14. Q: The Z39.50 server exits immediately upon execution.
    
    A: The port may be in use. Verify that the server is not already running or choose another port. The licence key may be invalid or may have expired. Upon start-up, the server uses the licence key found in the Windows Registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Compusult Limited\Meta Manager\xx\Serial. The server log file located in the same directory as the metamanageserver.exe program may provide details of the problem.
     
15. Q: Records were found but none were returned.
    
    A: There may be an SQL error occurring during the Present. Check the Meta Manager log file for the query and correct the element mapping that is causing the problem. Verify that the Title use attribute (4) is mapped.
     
16. Q: When defining Table Links (relationships between tables) the desired table is not included in the list box.
    
    A: Only tables that are visible to the Meta Manager user are displayed in the list box. If the Meta Manager Database is an Oracle database, the Meta Manager user must have Select privileges on the desired tables.
     
17. Q: When mapping an element, the desired table is not included in the list box
    
    A: Only the primary table and tables linked to it using table-links are included in the list boxes.
     
18. Q: New collections do not appear under the FGDC GEO profile when the application is launched. The collections must be opened from the Collection Menu but do not appear in the next working session.
    
    A: When the menu item 'collection' is selected and then 'open' , a form which contains the Meta Data Standards and Collections that are available is present. You have to select a standard before any collections will appear in the collection list. Another way to open a collection is to select the Meta Data Standard from the first drop down list on the main window and then select the collection you wish to open from the second drop down list.
     
19. Q: The date search returns no records.  
    
    A: Meta Manager is trying to search against a date field, either publication_date or time_period_of_content, but neither of them are mapped in the Meta Manager collection. With versions of Meta Manager 3.09 or less this is the behaviour. After version 3.09 if the date field in the search clause is not mapped all records are returned.