Documenting stored procedures and functions

Dataedo imports stored procedures and functions from the database you document.

What gets imported

Dataedo imports the following metadata from the documented database:

• List of stored procedures and functions defined in the documented database/schema
• List of parameters with their data types and mode
• Data type of returned value (functions)
• Script
• Comments/descriptions of procedures and functions and their parameters (read more about importing descriptions)

Documentation scope

Documentation of stored procedures and functions consists of:

• Description of each procedure/function - rich text with images
• Optional title of each procedure/function (more on titles)
• Description of each parameter
• Description of return value (functions)

Procedure/function description

Each procedure and function can have a rich text description. The description is imported from the database (comments/extended properties) and then is maintained in the Dataedo repository.

To write a procedure or function description, select it in the tree navigator and go to the Procedure/Function tab in the editor in the right pane of the interface.

Enter or update text inside the editor. After the edit is done, you need to save changes with the Save button or Ctrl + S keys. Saving includes all changes of the entire object on all tabs. Learn more about working with the editor.

Parameters descriptions

You can provide a separate description of each parameter and return value (functions) with plain text. The description is imported from the database (comments/extended properties) and then is maintained in the Dataedo repository.

To document parameters, go to the Input/Output tab of the procedure/function editor. The Input/Output tab displays a table of all parameters and one returned value (functions only) imported from the database. The table of parameters has the following columns:

• Icon - Icon of a parameter. represents a regular In parameter, represents an In/Out parameter, and represents an Out parameter/return value.
• # - Parameter position.
• Name - Parameter name or "Returns".
• Mode - IN (regular parameter), OUT (return value/output only parameter), or INOUT (input/output parameter).
• Data type - Parameter data type defined in the database.
• Description (editable) - Parameter description entered by the user (or imported from the database).

To describe a parameter, edit the text in the description field. After the edit is done, you need to save changes with the Save button or Ctrl + S keys. Saving includes all changes of the entire object on all tabs. Learn more about working with the editor.

Script

The procedure/function script gets imported from the database and is visible in the Script tab to make describing procedures and functions easier.