Adding a data source template using the web administration pages

To be able to use Information Services to access data from a JDBC-compliant data source, you must have the corresponding data source template. You can add a data source template to the Spotfire Server configuration with the Spotfire Server web administration pages.

About this task

Before you begin

You must have the Information Services Configurator role. Adding the Library Administrator role to it will ensure you can see all dependent data sources, if so required. You must have installed the corresponding database driver on the computer running the Spotfire Server.

Tip: You can test your data source template, before you add it. The test can help you assess if the template works with the data source you want to access data from, and with the JDBC driver installed on your Spotfire Server. To test a data source template, save it as an .xml file on the computer running Spotfire Server, and use the CLI command validate-data-source.

Procedure

To open the Spotfire Server administration pages, follow the instructions in Opening the Spotfire Server administration pages.
Select the Configuration page and then Data source templates.
To add a new data source template, click Create new template. If you have an XML file ready, click Import template.
In the Create data source template dialog, enter a unique name for the template.

Note: Once the template is saved, the name cannot be edited anymore.
Input the template XML. The settings type-name, driver, and connection-url-pattern are mandatory. You can find all the available settings in XML settings for data source templates.

Note: If you have an XML file ready, you can import it. Click Browse local file in Import template or
To enable the template, select the Enable data source template check box. Enabling it makes it available for use in the Information Designer.
Enter a version comment and click Save.

Note: The change is immediate. You do not need to restart the Spotfire Server service.

Results

Your data source template is available to use in the Information Designer in the installed Spotfire client. You can use it to create information links for accessing data from the corresponding external data source type.

Data source template for Snowflake - example

<jdbc-type-settings>
  <type-name>Snowflake</type-name>
  <driver>net.snowflake.client.jdbc.SnowflakeDriver</driver>
  <connection-url-pattern>jdbc:snowflake://&lt;ACCOUNT&gt;.snowflakecomputing.com</connection-url-pattern>
  <supports-catalogs>true</supports-catalogs>
  <supports-schemas>true</supports-schemas>
  <supports-procedures>false</supports-procedures>
  <fetch-size>10000</fetch-size>
  <batch-size>100</batch-size>
  <use-ansii-style-outer-join>true</use-ansii-style-outer-join>
  <connection-properties>
    <connection-property>
      <key>application</key>
      <value>Spotfire_InformationServices</value>
    </connection-property>
  </connection-properties>
</jdbc-type-settings>

The Spotfire® JDBC Data Access Connectivity Details Community article is a collection of many examples of useful JDBC data source templates that you can use to be able to connect to different types of data sources with Information Services.

What to do next

You can verify the template status by