When the data source contains large amounts of data, it may take a long time to retrieve all data and the application could also be perceived as less responsive to different actions. You may also want to restrict some data from certain users. When you are working with information links or data connections it is possible to limit what data to open in different analyses in a number of different ways (combinations are also possible):
Method |
Use when? |
Define where? |
On-Demand Data Table |
When you want the data in your analysis to dynamically change with some predefined condition. For example, when setting up a details visualization dependent on the marking or filtering in another data table. Another example is when you want one information link or data connection to return different data for different analysis files, in which case you could use the on-demand data table as the only data table in the analysis (with a document property as input). |
On-demand data tables are added to your analysis in Spotfire by selecting an information link or a data table from a data connection in the Files and data flyout, and then selecting the On-demand option from the drop-down list in the summary view. You must also specify the input conditions that should control loading in the On-Demand Settings dialog. See On-Demand Overview for more information. Note: You can only specify a single fixed value as input to on-demand loading, so if you need to retrieve multiple values from a certain column you will have to make sure that an information link is set up to use a multiple selection prompt rather than using it as an on-demand data table. |
Prompted and/or Parameterized Data Connections |
When the source data amount is huge, but the end users of the data connection are allowed to determine what data to analyze themselves. Parameters defined in the data source can be configured as end user prompts. When you want to keep the data in the external data source (but data connections can also be used to import data). |
Prompts are defined in the Views in Connection dialog or, for SAP BW BEx query connections, in the Data Selection in Connection dialog, as a part of configuring the data connection. Click Define Prompting and specify which column or parameter to prompt for. Mandatory parameters are automatically added as prompts. |
Details Visualizations Against External Data Sources |
When you are analyzing in-database data using a connection to an external data source you only load the requested data. By setting up visualizations based on the in-db data as details visualizations limited by the marking or filtering in a master visualization you can make sure that the actual loaded data is limited to a subsection of the available data only. |
Make sure that the master data table and the in-db data table have at least one column in common so you get a column match. Right-click on the master visualization and select Create Details Visualization. Set up the new details visualization to use the in-db data table. |
Prompted Information Links |
When the source data amount is huge, but the end users of the information link are allowed to determine what data to bring in for analysis themselves. Information links are always analyzed in-memory. Can in some cases be replaced by an on-demand data table. |
Prompts are defined in Information Designer, Information Link tab, Prompts section. |
Personalized Information Links |
When you want the data source to return only information applicable for a certain user name (via a lookup table) or for a specified group or user domain. |
Personalized information links are set up on a filter or column element in Information Designer using the %CURRENT_USER%, %CURRENT_GROUPS% or %CURRENT_USER_DOMAIN% syntax. See Personalized Information Links for more information. |
Parameterized Information Links |
When you want the data source to return only information applicable for a certain user or group in a more flexible way than with personalized information links. |
Parameters are created in Information Designer (for example, as a part of an expression set on a column or filter) but their properties and definitions are defined using the API. By using a parameterized information link and a configuration block, it is possible to create an analysis with different input parameters (e.g., to be used by an On-Demand data table) for different groups of users. See Parameterized Information Links for more information. |
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