How easily can we extract Comments in Alteryx Connect where there isn't a asset owner?

[JoTP]

We are currently in the process of setting up a new data catalog in Alteryx Connect. Right now, the bulk of our database tables do not yet have their Owners specified. We are worried that people will start commenting and asking questions within Alteryx, but they won't get notified anywhere because the table doesn't have an owner.

I have the notifications set up so that I receive all updates that people make in Connect, so will pick up on this currently, but that won't be sustainable in the long run.

How can we extract the Comments? I tried exporting the page where the Comments had been added to out to Excel, but can't see the comments included there...??

[VojtechT]

Hi @JoTP ,

the only way how to extract the comments would be directly from the H2 database. All the comments are saved in the KOMMENT table. Using the XID field, it should be possible to assign them to the correct Asset. 

However, please be aware that direct access to the H2 database can cause performance issue in a case of a ineffective query or a query returning large amount of rows. 

[VojtechT · Accepted solution]

Correction. There is also another way - XML export of an entry. There you can find code like the one below.

And since you probably need to do it once for many assets, you can run the export on the parent, e.g. at "Business Glossary" level. 

Or, you can use Export in Administration. But please be aware that such export can be resource-demanding operation, especially if you run it for the whole Connect. Plus you can use "Export without history" to decrease the number of exported objects. 

However, you need to filter out objects without owner by yourself from the xml code.

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[JoTP]

I don't personally have those skills but good to know that is an option for us. Thanks