Describe (OraDatabase) Method

Applies To

OraDatabase

Description

Describes a schema object. This method returns an instance of the OraMetaData interface.

Arguments

[in] SchemaObjectName

A String representing the name of the schema object to be described.

Usage

OraMetaDataObj = OraDatabase.Describe("SchemaObjectName")

Remarks

The following schema object types are allowed to be described: Tables, Views, Procedures, Functions, Packages, Sequences, Collections (VARRAYS or Nested Tables), and Types. Attempting to describe any other schema object (for example, a column) or an invalid schema object name will raise an error. Schema objects not listed here should be navigated to rather than described directly.

This method takes the name of a schema object, such as emp, and returns a COM Automation object (OraMetaData). OraMetaData provides methods for dynamically navigating and accessing all the attributes (OraMDAttribute collection) of a schema object described.

Example

The following VB script illustrates a simple usage of Describe to retrieve and display several attributes of the emp table.

Set emp = OraDatabase.Describe("emp")

'Display the name of the Tablespace

MsgBox emp!tablespace

'Display name and datatype of each column in the emp table.

Set empColumns = emp!ColumnList

Set ColumnList = empColumns.Value

for i = 0 to ColumnList.Count - 1

Set Column = ColumnList(i).Value

MsgBox "Column: " & Column!Name & " Datatype: " & Column!Datatype

Next i

See Examples for more code samples.