Design Catalog Administration

For high speed access to internal information about views and view columns, the Domino Query Language (DQL) uses design data extracted from view notes. This information is stored in a special database called a design catalog and named GQFDsgn.cat.

NOTE: DQL requires a design catalog. You must create a design catalog before a Node.js developer attempts to use DQL

Create a design catalog

To create a design catalog, follow the instructions for adding a database to the catalog. If the catalog doesn't already exist, updall automatically creates it.

Add a database to the design catalog

You add a database to the design catalog by running updall from the server console and with the -e switch:

load updall <database path> -e

where <database path> is a database file path relative to the Domino data directory. For example, the following command adds node-demo.nsf to the design catalog.

load updall node-demo.nsf -e

Note: The node-demo.nsf database is contained in the Domino AppDev Pack. It must be placed in your data directory manually for this command to work.

Refresh a database design in the catalog

When you modify the design of views in your database, you should refresh the design catalog by running updall with the -d option:

load updall <database path> -d

More about the design catalog

The design catalog does not replicate and is solely used as a fast-path tool to access design data at runtime. Further, the design and data within it are proprietary and volatile so access and updating by any other entity than the local Domino server is not supported.

Once a single database (that is any database) has been catalogued, DQL queries will operate whether or not the target database is in the design catalog. Only the <'View or folder name'>.<Columnname> syntax will fail. All other syntax will function but there will be no view access and all terms will be satisfied utilizing NSF scanning.

However, DQL processing is greatly enhanced by having design data in the catalog.