About Lineage

The Lineage tab allows you to explore the graph of the lineage of a dataset. It allows you to express the datasets’ origin, transformations, and the processes (activities) that performed those transformations.

This page discusses:

The lineage panel has the following options to explore the graph:

In the overview tool at the top left-hand corner:
  • : zoom in
  • : fit
  • : zoom out
  • : extend the overview tool
In the top right-hand corner:
  • : full screen
  • : parameters

    You can edit the following parameters in the Parameters panel:

    Navigate on
    • Datasets derivation: only displays the edges "had derivation", "quoted as", "had primary source" and "had revision" and the linked nodes.
    • Activities generation: only displays the edges "used by" and "generated" and the linked nodes.
    • Both: displays all nodes and all edges.
    Days before The graph is cut if the generation/usage/creation date of the datasets or linked activities is prior to x days included before the generation/creation date of the root dataset.
    Days after The graph is cut if the generation/usage/creation date of the datasets or linked activities is posterior to x days included after the generation/creation date of the root dataset.
    Maximal depth Sets the maximum number of level of ancestors and descendants to be displayed.
    Maximal breadth Sets the maximum number of connected nodes to be displayed both for ancestors and descendants.
    Auto connect

    Allows you to display indirect links between nodes that are hidden by default.

    You can display specific links one by one using the filter in the pop up that displays the properties.
    Limit zoom

    Allows you to limit the zoom out to the default size.

    Click Close and refresh to update the graph.

  • : preview

    To lock the preview click

    To open the dataset or activity panel click (in the top right-hand corner)

Manual Navigation

If the graph is not fully displayed by parameters, you can expand the view by clicking or .

A pop up that displays the properties of related datasets or activities appear. You can:

  • Use the search tool to find a specific property
  • Select the check box of a property
  • Select a related dataset or activity
    1. Select the property of the item you want to filter
    2. Click next to the selected property

      A new pop up appears

    3. Use the search tool or select the check box of the item you want to filter and click Filter. Click Select all if you want to have all the items displayed.

      The property filter appears in blue.

  • Specify the depth manually in the Expand (depth) section.
Legend
The legend shows all the links you chose to display in the Parameters panel.

If you move your cursor over Legend, all the edges of the lineage graph are highlighted.

If you move your cursor over a specific row, only the corresponding edges are highlighted.

To lock the highlights of a specific type of link, click the link name in the legend. Click again to unlock them.

Datasets

Each dataset has the following information displayed:
  • Title
  • Owner
  • Date of generation (if applicable)
  • Dates of each usage (if applicable)
  • Creation date
Dataset lineage graphs may have the following links between them:
  • Derived from: is the generic way to describe the derivation. The exact nature of the derivation is not known or not relevant to express.
  • The following specific derivations can also be expressed with a generic Derived from property:
    • Primary source: a given dataset (D2) is a reinterpretation of another dataset (D1), D1 should be the single point of truth for the data. It can be useful to express this kind of link if a dataset is transformed to conform to a specific application.
    • Quoted from: a given dataset (D2) contains a subset of another dataset (D1) but with no transformation of this data.
    • Revision of: a given dataset (D2) is a new version of another dataset (D1). Data schema of D1 and D2 should be the same but their data can differ over time.

Exploring Activities

Activities represents the logical view of a process that takes data in input and generates a new data in output.

In datasets governance, activities uses 0, 1 or several datasets as an input and generates 1 or several datasets in output.

For more information about activities and dataset generation, see Generating Datasets from an activity.

Each activity has the following information displayed:

  • Title
  • Owner
  • Start-up date
  • Start-up date
  • Creation date
  • Duration

Lineage graphs display the following links between activities and datasets:

  • used by: when an activity used a dataset to generate a new dataset
  • generated: when a dataset is generated by an activity

If you open the activity, the panel of an activity includes the following tabs:

  • Properties: Title, Start-up date, Start-up trigger and End date
  • Used datasets
  • Generated datasets
  • Access Rights: Members and Origin of access control. For more information, see Managing Access Rights
  • Additional information: used datasets, generated datasets, dcterms:image and last modification date.