Table Metadata and Caching

Precision Bridge discovers table and field metadata — table names, field data types, labels, and keys — for each connection. The Metadata tab on a connection controls how that metadata is cached and lets you browse it. The behaviour differs between server-based connections and CSV connections.

Metadata Cache (Server-Based Connections)

For server-based connections such as ServiceNow, databases, and APIs, metadata is fetched from the remote system. Caching it locally speeds up project loading, because procedures can read the schema without re-querying the connection each time.

The Enable table metadata cache (recommended) toggle controls this. When enabled, the Metadata tab shows a cache-status panel:

• No tables saved — nothing is cached yet. Metadata is saved automatically the next time the tables are fetched for a project, or you can populate it now with Save Table Cache.
• {n} tables saved — metadata for n tables is cached. Use Clear Cache to discard it and force a fresh fetch on next use.
• Caching tables… — a fetch is in progress.

Invalid Connections

Saving the cache fetches tables from the connection, which first retests it. If the connection is invalid — for example, missing or expired credentials — the fetch fails and the panel reports:

Failed to fetch table cache: invalid connection.

While the connection is known to be invalid, Save Table Cache and Browse in Explorer are disabled. Fix the connection and retest it from the Summary tab, then return to the Metadata tab to retry.

Browsing Tables

For licensed connections, Browse in Explorer opens the Connection Explorer to inspect tables and records. The Explorer is available regardless of whether the metadata cache is populated — it fetches live from the connection. See Connection Explorer for the full walkthrough.

CSV Connections

CSV connections do not show the cache toggle or status panel. Their tables are intrinsic to the files, and metadata caching is always on: edits to table and field metadata — data types, labels, primary key, and text encoding — are saved and restored automatically. Manage these on the Metadata tab. See CSV Connections.

In-Memory Data Cache (API Connections)

API connections show an additional In-Memory Data Cache section. Tables marked Fetch in memory in the adaptor have their records loaded into memory for local querying and counting. This cache is re-fetched automatically for each procedure execution. The section lists each cached table with its record count, and lets you clear an individual table or clear all of them.

See Also

• Creating Connections
• Connection Explorer
• CSV Connections