Eric's Object Tales

On WebIntelligence report statistics

eric — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:57:45 +0000

Ever searched for the report statistics in WebIntelligence when used to DesktopIntelligence, like row restrictions and retrieved rows? I was looking for that as well, and found it when viewing a report (clicking on the report name) as follows:

go to the preferences
go to the WebIntelligence tab
select a View format: check interactive
click OK to save your preferences
reopen the document for viewing
you will find your statistics under the sidebar on the left

That’s it.

Posted in BusinessObjects, XIr2

On Getting rid of Unwanted User Prompts

eric — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:59:04 +0000

Now folks, I came across a thing in Desktop Intelligence when I had to change a date selection into a period selection (the report is using FreehandSQL). I used the parameter @variable(‘Date’…) to select just one date. To specify a period, I had to change this in

SOMEDATE BETWEEN @variable(‘As of Date’…) AND variable(‘Up to Date’…)

When I ran this it gave me the ‘As of date’, ‘Up to date’ and the old ‘Date’ prompt. Now I found Insert | Special Fields | User prompts, but no way to delete the ‘Date’ prompt!

I resolved this by not chosing Run… in the SQL dialog but instead to chose View… This got rid of the ‘Date’ prompt and just left the two period prompts like intended. and rendered me a result set. After choosing Run… again the ‘Date’ prompt is gone

Posted in BusinessObjects, XIr2 Tagged: BusinessObjects, XI

On Transparency of BOXI Connections across servers (DB2)

eric — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:47:26 +0000

This post pertains to DB2 database connections but holds some wisdom for all connections

Connections that are defined on a local system using the Iseries Access ODBC driver cannot be used to reference databases on the production system. For this, DB2/Connect drivers must be used in ODBC definitions on the local system. This implies that DB2 Connect has to be present on local and production servers to make this work.

Bottom line is: when using native database connection interfaces in BOXI connection definitions on each target server those universe connections can be used interchangeably, transparently as it were. So when developing a universe that connection can be exported to a production or test server and function without change.

Posted in BusinessObjects, XIr2

On ‘Failed to convert UNV to UNW’ Message

eric — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:26:43 +0000

Failed to convert UNV to UNW

As I was executing the procedure ‘Exporting Derived Universes’ as described earlier I got the message when exporting the derived universe to its final destination. The origin of this error is that BOXI found anomalies between elements in the derived universe and elements in the core universe, since it seemingly does not check between universes on an object level.

Relevant searches on BoB render:

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=101333&start=0

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=111334&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=116675&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=83322&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=73893&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=74124&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=66187&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=48594&highlight=unw

http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=29332&highlight=unw

None of the suggestions pointing to the solution.

All seem to do with the source database rather than the universe itself. Tables, aliases, schema’s. That stuff.

Most probable the reason this occurs is the reference to aggregate tables in a different schema than stated in the CURRENCTSCHEMA directive of the ODBC DB2 CONNECT data source definitions. Checking that out… Stay tuned.

Posted in BusinessObjects, XIr2

On Exporting Derived Universes

eric — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:42:07 +0000

When development on a derived universe ccomes to a close on a test system, the question will not likely be how that universe (and the core universe) will end up on the target production server. Yet it will, because this requires accuracy and attention, as I found out -the hard way.

At last, I etablished a road map that can save you the sorrow.

¨ A is the core universe and A’ is the derived universe.

¨ D is the development server and P is the production server.

¨ CD is the development database connection and CP is the production database connection.

1. Use Import Wizard to transfer D.A and D.A’ to P

2. Import D.A

3. Adjust D.A to switch connection CD to CP. Save. Export D.A to become P.A

4. Import D.A’

5. Adjust D.A’ to switch connection CD to CP. Save.

6. Import P.A. Save.

7. Remove the link in D.A’ to point to P.A. Save.

8. Export D.A’ to become P.A’

Posted in BusinessObjects, XIr2

On The Mysteries of Universes (2)

eric — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:57:54 +0000

Ever wondered where your universe is physically coming from? Ever wondered why your (new) universe does not show up in a BOXI selection box? Ever felt frustrated you need justthat one universe that is not listed?
Shannon Lee Wittal wrote a document a long time ago in which she observed some basic rules underlying BusinessObjects universe locations. Might date a long time back (version 4.x), but beware that these rules are still in force in the latest versions of BOXI….

Let me quote her first two observations.

The question often asked here is, “Where does this list come from?” The answer is, “That depends…”

Any universe copied/pasted into the BusinessObjects\Universe or BusinessObjects\Universe\Universe directory will NOT show up in the list in the New Report Wizard universe selection window

The only universes from the BusinessObjects\Universe\Universe directory that WILL show up in the list in the New Report Wizard universe selection window are universes that have been saved to the Repository

Read the doucment in full at the BoB forum downloads. To be retrieved here. Oh, just one handy tip (I might have given that earlier). If you wondered which universe is be used as the source for your report it’s the one that’s not listed the report uses. BOXI could have stated that easily but somehow it doesn’t

On Row Counts

eric — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:21:19 +0000

The Count (n) calculation on a column can be deluding. Often you will want to count the actual rows displayed by BOXI apart from the data it holds. Beware that this calculation will give the number of DISTINCT values in that column. If you want to count the total result set population use Count All. Right Click on the column and select Calculations | Count All.
TIP: When adding new columns to a report, often resulting in new joins to be generated by the SQL generator, caveats like Fan Trap and Chasm Trap can result in fewer or more rows in your report. By always keeping score of the total rows displayed in the report you can detect those caveats as they appear. Use Count All to add a counter row at the report bottom.

On Rows returned Twice

eric — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:07:04 +0000

Rows showing up twice in your report. How to solve?
Solution:
1. Check your SQL. Unappropriate joins can cause double rows. Adjust the SQL.
2. Level breaks. If you include columns that join on KeyA with the other report columns while the rest of the columns joins on KeyA+KeyB you can get double rows. Adjust your report.
3. Otherwise try to disallow duplicate rows in BOXI and see if that renders a consistent report. You can accomplish this by checking doing View Data | Options | Rows | No duplicate rows. Refresh the report

On Connection Updates

eric — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:57:48 +0000

Update Connections (predominantly as a result of password change) can be done in Designer as follows:

Change connection information on the database level using the appropriate database vendor client.
Fire up Designer. Do not open a universe.
Go to Tools | Connections
Edit the connection. Test the connection. Finish.
Exit Designer

This way you will not be bothered again to change or provide a different password by BOXI.

On Report Conversion Tool

eric — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:50:45 +0000

I have converted many Deskie reports using the report conversion tool. For one particular report which is not converting I checked in the Audit Report and it says: Error With Desktop Intelligence Client. I got the message when I was trying to convert a Deskie report drawing on a linked universe.
I did this before but suddenly it refused (giving the mentioned error).
After some time I solved the problem by

1. Importing the universe and the linked universe
2. linking the two again using Change source
3. Exporting the universe
4. Exporting the linked universe
5. Importing the report again
6. Again changing data source to linked universe
7. Exporting the report