Exchanging Metadata in XMI Format 

Use

In order to exchange metadata (BW objects) between different systems, you can use the XML format in the Administrator Workbench functional area Transport Connection XMI (XML Metadata Interchange).  A model derived along the lines of the CWM (Common Warehouse Metamodel) is used here.

You can find additional information about the CWM standard in the Internet on the Object Management Group homepage (www.omg.org).

You can find additional information about the Administrator Workbench function area Transport Connection under Transport Systems.

Integration

You can export or import the XML files (Download or Upload to/from PC) in the Administrator Workbench.

An ICF Service is also available to you under sap/bw/xml/cwm. You can use this HTTP service to request this metadata in the way in which you are familiar from using the Web server.

In order to request metadata for an object, use the following URL:

<Protocol>://<Server>:<Port>/sap/bw/xml/cwm?/
CLASSID=<Class>&ID=<Name>&DETAIL=X&OBJECTVERSION=A

The following table lists the information that you need to replace the placeholders with:

Components of the URL

Placeholder	Information
<Protocol>	http or https
<Server>:<Port>	Specify the name of the server and the port for the required BW system. http://ls0027.wdf.sap-ag.de:1080/ sap/bw/xml/cwm?... You can find more information under ICF-Services in SAP BW.
<Class>	Specify the name of the class for the required BW object. As an example for the class InfoCube: CLASSID=COM.SAP.BW.CWM.OLAP.INFOCUBE You get the BW model in XML format from the following URL: http://ls0027.wdf.sap-ag.de:1080/ sap/bw/xml/cwm?... CLASSID=METAMODEL
<Name>	Specify the technical name for the required BW object. You get an overview of all objects from the URL: http://<Server>:<Port>/sap/bw/xml/cwm? CLASSID=LIST&ID=&DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A You get an Overview of All Business Content Objects by using the parameter &OBJECTVERSION=D, namely: http://<Server>:<Port>/sap/bw/xml/cwm? CLASSID=LIST&ID=&DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A You get an overview of all objects of a specific type by using the ID specification in the URL. For example, you specify the following for InfoCubes: http://<Server>:<Port>/sap/bw/xml/cwm? CLASSID=LIST&ID=COM.SAP.BW.CWM.OLAP.INFOCUBE&DETAIL=&OBJECTVERSION=A

Functions

The exchange of metadata involves:

 Importing from another system

 Exporting into another system

Only objects for which there are BAPIs (Business Application Programming Interfaces) are supported with details. You can only import these objects after you have changed them. You are still  not able to import non-BW objects.

You can export the current SAP BW model according to the XMI (XML Metadata Interchange) standard. This is made possible with the SAP report RSO_REPOSITORY_EXCHANGE_XML.

You can find additional information about the XMI standard in the Internet on the OMG homepage (www.omg.org).

The following graphic illustrates the functions EXPORT and IMPORT.