dotConnect for Salesforce Documentation
In This Topic
    Metadata Overview
    In This Topic

    When you connect to Salesforce.com or Database.com the first time, dotConnect for Salesforce needs to retrieve metadata and map objects to the relational tables. This process is complex and can take some time, so to avoid retrieving the metadata each time when connecting, dotConnect for Salesforce caches the metadata and stores it in an SQLite database.

    Objects are mapped to tables; their fields, including ID, system, and calculated fields, are mapped to the table columns. ID field is mapped as the table primary key. Master-Detail relationships between objects are mapped to foreign keys between tables. Note that two Relationship fields - on the master side and on the detail side - correspond to one foreign key.

    There are two ways to access metadata with dotConnect for Salesforce: using the GetSchema method of SalesforceConnection or querying the information schema tables, both are described in the corresponding topics: Information Schema and Using GetSchema Method.

    See Also

    Metadata | Information Schema | Using GetSchema Method