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Troubleshooting Missing Table or Field Descriptions in InterSystems

Garrick Guillory
Updated

If table or field descriptions are missing in VDM when using an InterSystems database, review the Connection Profile type and database permissions.

VDM retrieves description information from the InterSystems %Dictionary schema. If the connection is configured incorrectly or the account used by the Connection Profile does not have access to the required dictionary information, descriptions may not be displayed.

Check the Connection Type

Make sure the Connection Profile is using the appropriate InterSystems connection type.

If the profile is configured as Standard ODBC, table and field descriptions may not be available.

Use the applicable InterSystems Cache or InterSystems IRIS connection type instead.

Check Access to the %Dictionary Schema

The account used by the Connection Profile must have permission to access the %Dictionary schema.

VDM uses this information to retrieve metadata such as table and field descriptions.

To test access, run the following query using the same database account configured in the Connection Profile:

SELECT
    PropertyDefinition.Description,
    PropertyDefinition.ID,
    PropertyDefinition.Name,
    PropertyDefinition.SqlFieldName
FROM %Dictionary.PropertyDefinition PropertyDefinition

If the query returns results, the account can access the required dictionary metadata.

If the query fails because of a permissions error, work with your InterSystems administrator to confirm that the account has the required access to %Dictionary.

Review the VDM Logs

If descriptions are still missing after verifying the Connection Profile type and permissions, review the VDM logs for database or metadata-related errors.

Look for messages related to:

  • %Dictionary
  • permissions
  • metadata
  • schema access
  • connection errors

The log details can help determine whether the issue is caused by the connection configuration or database permissions.

If Descriptions Are Still Missing

If the Connection Profile is using the correct InterSystems connection type and the account has access to %Dictionary, but descriptions are still unavailable, contact BridgeWorks Support.

Include the following information:

  • VDM version
  • InterSystems product and version
  • Connection Profile type
  • Relevant log entries
  • Screenshot showing the missing descriptions

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