DBTUNE configuration keywords
Release 9.2 Last modified December 3, 2010	Print all topics in : "Configuring an ArcSDE geodatabase"

NOTE: ArcSDE Enterprise only

To help you navigate this topic, follow the links below to go to the sections in which you are interested:

• What are configuration keywords?
  
• How are configuration keywords used?
  
• Where are configuration keywords stored?
  
• Types of configuration keywords
  
• SQL Server default configuration keywords
  
• Oracle default configuration keywords
  
• DB2 default configuration keywords
  
• Informix default configuration keywords
  
• Custom configuration keywords
  
• Configuration keywords for archiving
  

What are configuration keywords?

Configuration keywords are words or phrases that specify how data is stored in the database. They are associated with a group of parameters and parameter values (called config_strings in the DBTUNE table), which together are referred to as parameter name–configuration string pairs. Parameters and their configuration strings define the storage configuration of database objects such as tables, indexes, feature classes, network classes, and raster columns.
Learn more about configuration parameters

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How are they used?

You specify a configuration keyword when

• Loading or creating new tables or feature classes using ArcCatalog or ArcSDE administration commands
  
• Creating ArcIMS metadata server documents
  
• Building ArcGIS features such as geometric networks
  

ArcSDE searches the DBTUNE table for the parameter name–configuration string pairs associated with the specified configuration keyword. The necessary configuration strings are incorporated in the CREATE TABLE or CREATE INDEX statement ArcSDE submits to the database.

For example, if you create a new feature class in ArcCatalog by right-clicking a geodatabase stored in SQL Server, pointing to New, then clicking Feature Class, one of the New Feature Class dialog boxes gives you the opportunity to specify a configuration keyword to use to create your data.

You could choose the WKB_GEOMETRY configuration keyword, which has a parameter, GEOMETRY_STORAGE, which is associated with a configuration string of OGCWKB. This means the geometry storage method used for this feature class will be the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) well-known binary (WKB) type, rather than the default geometry storage type.

NOTE: To make a configuration keyword available on the ArcGIS Desktop dialog boxes, specific parameters need to be present under that configuration keyword.

Learn how to make configuration keywords available in the ArcGIS user interface

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Where do they come from and where are they stored?

The initial source of configuration keywords and their parameter name–configuration string pairs is the dbtune file. This file populates the SDE.DBTUNE table when the DBTUNE and all the other ArcSDE geodatabase system tables are created.

If you are using ArcSDE for Oracle or DB2, there are certain configuration strings you should alter in the dbtune file before you create the ArcSDE geodatabase schema. These fall under the DEFAULTS configuration keyword and specify tablespaces for table storage.
Learn more about the dbtune file and DBTUNE table

From then on, the configuration keywords and parameters are stored in the DBTUNE table. New keywords can be created, values for existing parameters can be altered, and keywords and parameters can be removed using the sdedbtune administration command. For details on how to use this command, see the ArcSDE Administration Command Reference installed with ArcSDE.

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Types of configuration keywords

Some configuration keywords are present by default in all database management system (DBMS) implementations of ArcSDE. Others are present by default for only specific DBMS implementations. Still others can be created or customized by the ArcSDE administrator. All these types of configuration keywords are described in the following sections.

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ArcSDE for SQL Server default configuration keywords

Default DBTUNE keywords common to all DBMSs for ArcSDE 9 and higher are listed below. Following that, the one SQL Server-specific keyword is described.

• DEFAULTS—Contains all the parameters ArcSDE needs, at a minimum, to work
  
Parameters in this group are used whenever an expected parameter from another specified group is missing or whenever you don't specify a configuration keyword.
If a needed parameter is missing from the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE detects this and adds the missing parameter. For instance, if you edited the DBTUNE table with the sdedbtune delete_data operation and you deleted one of the parameters in the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE would add it.
Learn more about the DEFAULTS configuration keyword


• DATA_DICTIONARY—The parameter group that defines storage for the ArcSDE geodatabase system tables, which are created during the ArcSDE postinstallation setup
  


• LOGFILE_DEFAULTS—Holds the parameter group for all users who do not have their own keyword created
  

You can create individual log file keywords for specific users by appending the user's name to the LOGFILE_ prefix to form the keyword name.

For example, if the user's name is EMARROW, ArcSDE will search the DBTUNE table for the LOGFILE_EMARROW configuration keyword. If this configuration keyword is not found, ArcSDE will use the storage parameters of the LOGFILE_DEFAULTS configuration keyword.

The storage parameters you would use for this keyword depend on which type of log files the server has been configured to use.
Learn more about log file options


• TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS* and TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS::DIRTYAREAS*—Control the storage of topology tables POINTERRORS, LINEERRORS, POLYERRORS, and DIRTYAREAS
  
An ArcSDE instance must have a valid topology keyword in the DBTUNE table or topology will not be built.


• NETWORK_DEFAULTS*, NETWORK_DEFAULTS::DESC*, and NETWORK_DEFAULTS::NETWORK*—Contain the default storage parameters for the ArcGIS network class
  


• TERRAIN_DEFAULTS* and TERRAIN_DEFAULTS::EMBEDDED*—Contain the default storage parameters for the tables of the terrain dataset
  

*These keywords are composite keywords.
Learn more about composite keywords

There is only one SQL Server-specific configuration keyword present by default in the DBTUNE table. It is WKB_GEOMETRY.

WKB_GEOMETRY contains two parameters: one to set the geometry storage to OGC well-known binary and one to allow the keyword to be used when creating data in ArcCatalog.

##WKB_GEOMETRY
GEOMETRY_STORAGE        OGCWKB
UI_TEXT		User interface text

This storage type provides a portable representation of geometry as a contiguous stream of bytes. If you specify WKB_GEOMETRY when you create a new feature class in the geodatabase using either ArcCatalog or the ArcSDE administration command sdelayer, that particular feature class will use the OGC well-known binary storage method; the rest of the necessary parameters will be picked up from the DEFAULTS keyword.

NOTE: The OGC well-known binary representation supports only simple 2D geometries.

Learn more about geometry storage types

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ArcSDE for Oracle default configuration keywords

Default DBTUNE keywords common to all DBMSs for ArcSDE 9 and higher are listed below. Following these is a list of the keywords that are specific to ArcSDE for Oracle and a list of the keywords specific to ArcSDE geodatabases stored in Oracle Spatial.

Configuration keywords common to all ArcSDE geodatabases

• DEFAULTS—Contains all the parameters ArcSDE needs, at a minimum, to work
  

Parameters in this group are used whenever an expected parameter from another specified group is missing or whenever you don't specify a configuration keyword.

If a needed parameter is missing from the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE detects this and adds the missing parameter. For instance, if you edited the DBTUNE table with the sdedbtune delete_data operation and you deleted one of the parameters in the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE would add it.
Learn more about the DEFAULTS configuration keyword


• DATA_DICTIONARY—The parameter group that defines storage for the ArcSDE geodatabase system tables, which are created during the ArcSDE postinstallation setup
  


• LOGFILE_DEFAULTS—Holds the parameter group for all users who do not have their own keyword created
  

You can create individual log file keywords for specific users by appending the user's name to the LOGFILE_ prefix to form the keyword name.

For example, if the user's name is EMARROW, ArcSDE will search the DBTUNE table for the LOGFILE_EMARROW configuration keyword. If this configuration keyword is not found, ArcSDE will use the storage parameters of the LOGFILE_DEFAULTS configuration keyword.

The storage parameters you would use for this keyword depend on which type of log files the server has been configured to use.
Learn more about log file options


• TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS* and TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS::DIRTYAREAS*—Control the storage of topology tables POINTERRORS, LINEERRORS, POLYERRORS, and DIRTYAREAS
  

An ArcSDE instance must have a valid topology keyword in the DBTUNE table or topology will not be built.


• NETWORK_DEFAULTS*, NETWORK_DEFAULTS::DESC*, and NETWORK_DEFAULTS::NETWORK*—Contain the default storage parameters for the ArcGIS network class
  


• TERRAIN_DEFAULTS* and TERRAIN_DEFAULTS::EMBEDDED*—Contain the default storage parameters for the tables of the terrain dataset
  

*These keywords are composite keywords.
Learn more about composite keywords

Configuration keywords specific to geodatabases in Oracle

The following configuration keywords are specific to geodatabases stored in Oracle. The first three default configuration keywords define geometry storage. You can find a discussion of these at the bottom of the topic Geometry storage parameters and keywords.

• ST_GEOMETRY
  

GEOMETRY_STORAGE    "ST_GEOMETRY"
ATTRIBUTE_BINARY    "BLOB"
RASTER_STORAGE	    "BLOB"

ST_GEOM_LOB_STORAGE "STORE AS 

#                    <LOB Segment name> 
                     (
#                    TABLESPACE <LOB Segment tablespace> 
                     ENABLE STORAGE IN ROW CHUNK 8K RETENTION CACHE
#                    STORAGE (<Oracle Storage Parameters>) 
#                    INDEX <LOB Segment Index name> (TABLESPACE <LOB Segement Index tablespace> 
#                    STORAGE (<Oracle Storage Parameters>))
                     )" 

END




• SDO_GEOMETRY
  

##SDO_GEOMETRY
GEOMETRY_STORAGE    "SDO_GEOMETRY"
ATTRIBUTE_BINARY    "BLOB"
RASTER_STORAGE	    "SDO_GEORASTER"
SDO_COMMIT_INTERVAL  1000
UI_TEXT             "User Interface text description for SDO_GEOMETRY"
COMMENT             "Any general comment for SDO_GEOMETRY keyword"
END




• SDELOB
  

##SDELOB
GEOMETRY_STORAGE    "SDELOB"
ATTRIBUTE_BINARY    "BLOB"
RASTER_STORAGE	    "BLOB"

UI_TEXT             "User Interface text description for SDELOB"

COMMENT             "Any general comment for SDELOB keyword"

END




• WKB_GEOMETRY
  

##WKB_GEOMETRY

GEOMETRY_STORAGE    "OGCWKB"
UI_TEXT             "User Interface text description for OGC WKB"

END




• IMS_GAZETTEER—Beginning with ArcSDE 9.1, the IMS_GAZETTEER keyword can be used to control the storage of the XML documents, storing them in line with the sde_xml_doc<n> side table associated with an XML column. You can specify whether an XML column's LOB data is stored in line or out of line using the parameters XML_DOC_LOB_STORAGE and XML_DOC_VAL_LOB_STORAGE. By default, XML documents are stored out of line with the sde_xml_doc<n> table. This is best to support fast searching of large XML documents, such as with an ArcIMS Metadata Service. Use this keyword when an XML column will only store small XML documents. In particular, this keyword is designed to be used when storing data associated with an ArcIMS Gazetteer Metadata Service. For more information about ArcIMS Metadata Services and the gazetteer, refer to the ArcIMS Metadata Service section of the ArcIMS help.
  



##IMS_GAZETTEER
XML_DOC_LOB_STORAGE        "NOCACHE NOLOGGING CHUNK 4K PCTVERSION 5"
XML_DOC_VAL_LOB_STORAGE    "NOCACHE NOLOGGING CHUNK 4K PCTVERSION 5"
END

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ArcSDE for DB2 default configuration keywords

Beginning with ArcSDE 9.2, there are no default DB2-specific configuration keywords in the DBTUNE table.

Default DBTUNE keywords common to all DBMSs for ArcSDE 9 and higher are as follows:

• DEFAULTS—Contains all the parameters ArcSDE needs, at a minimum, to work
  

Parameters in this group are used whenever an expected parameter from another specified group is missing or whenever you don't specify a configuration keyword.

If a needed parameter is missing from the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE detects this and adds the missing parameter. For instance, if you edited the DBTUNE table with the sdedbtune delete_data operation and you deleted one of the parameters in the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE would add it.
Learn more about the DEFAULTS configuration keyword


• DATA_DICTIONARY—The parameter group that defines storage for the ArcSDE geodatabase system tables, which are created during the ArcSDE postinstallation setup
  


• LOGFILE_DEFAULTS—Holds the parameter group for all users who do not have their own keyword created
  

You can create individual log file keywords for specific users by appending the user's name to the LOGFILE_ prefix to form the keyword name.

For example, if the user's name is EMARROW, ArcSDE will search the DBTUNE table for the LOGFILE_EMARROW configuration keyword. If this configuration keyword is not found, ArcSDE will use the storage parameters of the LOGFILE_DEFAULTS configuration keyword.

The storage parameters you would use for this keyword depend on which type of log files the server has been configured to use.
Learn more about log file options


• TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS* and TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS::DIRTYAREAS*—Control the storage of topology tables POINTERRORS, LINEERRORS, POLYERRORS, and DIRTYAREAS
  

An ArcSDE instance must have a valid topology keyword in the DBTUNE table or topology will not be built.


• NETWORK_DEFAULTS*, NETWORK_DEFAULTS::DESC*, and NETWORK_DEFAULTS::NETWORK*—Contain the default storage parameters for the ArcGIS network class
  


• TERRAIN_DEFAULTS* and TERRAIN_DEFAULTS::EMBEDDED*—Contain the default storage parameters for the tables of the terrain dataset
  

*These keywords are composite keywords.
Learn more about composite keywords

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ArcSDE for Informix default configuration keywords

Beginning with ArcSDE 9.2, there are no default Informix-specific configuration keywords in the DBTUNE table.

Default DBTUNE keywords common to all DBMSs for ArcSDE 9 and higher are as follows:

• DEFAULTS—Contains all the parameters ArcSDE needs, at a minimum, to work
  

Parameters in this group are used whenever an expected parameter from another specified group is missing or whenever you don't specify a configuration keyword.

If a needed parameter is missing from the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE detects this and adds the missing parameter. For instance, if you edited the DBTUNE table with the sdedbtune delete_data operation and you deleted one of the parameters in the DEFAULTS parameter group, ArcSDE would add it.
Learn more about the DEFAULTS configuration keyword


• DATA_DICTIONARY—The parameter group that defines storage for the ArcSDE geodatabase system tables, which are created during the ArcSDE postinstallation setup
  


• LOGFILE_DEFAULTS—Holds the parameter group for all users who do not have their own keyword created
  

You can create individual log file keywords for specific users by appending the user's name to the LOGFILE_ prefix to form the keyword name.

For example, if the user's name is EMARROW, ArcSDE will search the DBTUNE table for the LOGFILE_EMARROW configuration keyword. If this configuration keyword is not found, ArcSDE will use the storage parameters of the LOGFILE_DEFAULTS configuration keyword.

The storage parameters you would use for this keyword depend on which type of log files the server has been configured to use.
Learn more about log file options


• TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS* and TOPOLOGY_DEFAULTS::DIRTYAREAS*—Control the storage of topology tables POINTERRORS, LINEERRORS, POLYERRORS, and DIRTYAREAS
  

An ArcSDE instance must have a valid topology keyword in the DBTUNE table or topology will not be built.


• NETWORK_DEFAULTS*, NETWORK_DEFAULTS::DESC*, and NETWORK_DEFAULTS::NETWORK*—Contain the default storage parameters for the ArcGIS network class
  


• TERRAIN_DEFAULTS* and TERRAIN_DEFAULTS::EMBEDDED*—Contain the default storage parameters for the tables of the terrain dataset
  

*These keywords are composite keywords.
Learn more about composite keywords

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Custom configuration keywords

You can add new keywords with any valid name. For example, you might create a keyword to define the storage location of your raster data tables if one doesn't already exist:

##RASTER
AUX_INDEX_COMPOSITE	"TABLESPACE RASTER_DATA PCTFREE 10 INITRANS 4"
AUX_STORAGE		"TABLESPACE RASTER_DATA PCTFREE 10 INITRANS 4"

BLK_INDEX_COMPOSITE	"TABLESPACE RASTER_DATA PCTFREE 10 INITRANS 4"
<other parameters>
END

Other examples of when you might create a custom configuration keyword are

• When setting up the system for archiving
  
See the next section for details on archive keywords.

• To have log file tables created in different areas of the database depending on which user triggers log file table creation
  
See the topic Log file keywords.

• To specify storage locations for networks or topologies that are different from the defaults
  
See the topic Composite configuration keywords.

• To allow users to store specific types of data in different locations than are specified in the DEFAULTS configuration keyword
  

To add a keyword to the DBTUNE table, you must export the contents of the table to a text file, edit the file, then reimport the text file, updating the DBTUNE table's contents. Be sure when editing the text file to prefix the keyword with ## and close the parameter group with END.

For details on exporting and importing the DBTUNE table's contents, read the sdedbtune topic in the Administration Command Reference installed with ArcSDE.

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Configuration keywords for archiving

You can specify configuration keywords for history tables. This is done by appending _ARCHIVE to the end of a keyword; for example, DEFAULTS_ARCHIVE. For each archive keyword you create, change the parameters as needed.

For a DEFAULTS_ARCHIVE keyword in an ArcSDE for Oracle or DB2 geodatabases, you would most likely assign a different tablespace for the table storage parameters, such as B_STORAGE.

When a history table is created, ArcSDE records the archiving table's configuration keywords, then searches for corresponding archive keywords in the DBTUNE table. It uses the parameters specified for <keyword>_ARCHIVE when creating the history table. Therefore, if the DEFAULTS keyword was used to create the archiving table, ArcSDE will search for DEFAULTS_ARCHIVE.

For any given keyword, if the corresponding archive keyword is not found, ArcSDE will use the same keyword as the archiving table. In the example above, it will use the DEFAULTS keyword, which means the history tables and indexes will be stored in the same logical storage spaces as the archiving table.

If the <keyword>_ARCHIVE is present but missing a given parameter, the value of the parameter found in the DEFAULTS keyword will be used.
Learn about archiving data

NOTE: If you create an archive keyword, there is no need to include a UI_TEXT parameter. You would not specify the *_ARCHIVE keyword when the data is created; rather, the system will search for the keyword that matches the archiving table's configuration keyword.

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