Managing Excel Metadata

When the server accesses a data source, it needs to know how to interpret the data stored there. For each data source the server will access, you create a synonym that describes the structure of the data source and the server mapping of the Excel data types.

Identifying the Adapter

The SUFFIX attribute in the Master File identifies the adapter needed to interpret a request. Use the SUFFIX value SQLEXCEL to identify the Adapter for Excel.

Identify the Adapter

FILE[NAME]=file, SUFFIX=SQLEXCEL [,$]

where:

file

Is the file name for the Master File. The file name should start with a letter and be representative of the table or view contents. The actual file must have a .mas extension, but the value for this attribute should not include the extension.

SQLEXCEL

Is the value for the adapter.

Creating Synonyms

   

Synonyms define unique names (or aliases) for each Excel table or sheet that is accessible from the server. Synonyms are useful because they hide the underlying data source location and identity from client applications. They also provide support for extended metadata features of the server, such as virtual fields and additional security mechanisms.

Using synonyms allows an object to be moved or renamed while allowing client applications to continue functioning without modification. The only modification required is a redefinition of the synonym on the server. The result of creating a synonym is a Master File and an Access File, which represent the server metadata.

Create a Synonym

    Procedure
  1. From the WebFOCUS Reporting Server browser interface Application page, click Get Data.
  2. On the Configured Adapters section of the page, in Simple Mode, right-click an adapter and click Show Connections. Right-click a connection.

    Depending on the type of adapter you choose, one of the following options appears on the context menu.

    • Show DBMS objects. This option opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Create metadata objects. This option opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties.
    • Show files. This option opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
    • Show local files. This option opens a file picker. After you choose a file of the correct type, the page for selecting synonym objects and properties opens.
    • Show topics. This option opens the page for selecting synonym objects and properties for topics within the environment.
  3. Enter values for the parameters required by the adapter as described in the chapter for your adapter.
  4. After entering the parameter values, click Add.

    This button may be labeled Next, Create Synonym, Create Base Synonyms, Create Cluster Synonym, or Update Base Synonyms.

    The synonym creation process for most adapters has been consolidated so that you can enter all necessary parameters on one page. However, for some adapters such as LDAP, continue clicking Next until you get to a page that has a Create Synonym button.

Result

The synonym is created and added under the specified application directory.

Note: When creating a synonym, if you select the Validate checkbox, where available, the server adjusts special characters and checks for reserved words. For more information, see Validation for Special Characters and Reserved Words.

Synonym Creation Parameters for Excel

The following list describes the synonym creation parameters for which you can supply values.

Workbook

Select a Workbook. The default is the workbook selected for the ODBC source.

You can type in a different workbook name or click on the ellipsis (...). This opens the Select Excel Workbook dialogue with the workbook name entered selected.

Filter by Object name

Selecting this option adds the Object Name parameters to the screen.

Type a string for filtering the object names, inserting the wildcard character (%) as needed at the beginning and/or end of the string. For example, enter: ABC% to select all objects whose names begin with the letters ABC; %ABC to select all whose names end with the letters ABC; %ABC% to select all whose names contain the letters ABC at the beginning, middle, or end.

Cardinality

Select the Cardinality checkbox to reflect the current cardinality (number of rows or tuples) in the table during metadata creation. Cardinality is used for equi-joins. The order of retrieval is based on the size (cardinality) of the table. Smaller tables are read first.

If the cardinality of the tables to be used in the application are dynamic, it may not be beneficial to choose this setting.

Application

Select an application directory. The default value is baseapp.

Prefix/Suffix

If you have tables with identical table names, assign a prefix or a suffix to distinguish them. For example, if you have identically named human resources and payroll tables, assign the prefix HR to distinguish the synonyms for the human resources tables. Note that the resulting synonym name cannot exceed 64 characters.

If all tables and views have unique names, leave the prefix and suffix fields blank.

Customize data type mappings

To change the data type mappings from their default settings, select this checkbox. The customizable mappings are displayed.

Update or Create Metadata

Select Create to overwrite any existing synonym with the same fully-qualified name, or Update to synchronize the metadata with an existing synonym. If you select Update, the next screen will show a list of attributes from the DBMS catalog that you can check to allow attributes from the DBMS catalog to override attributes from the existing synonym.

Overwrite Existing Synonyms

To specify that this synonym should overwrite any earlier synonym with the same fully qualified name, select the Overwrite existing synonyms checkbox.

Note: The connected user must have operating system write privileges in order to recreate a synonym.
Default Synonym Name

This column displays the name that will be assigned to each synonym. To assign a different name, replace the displayed value.

Table name

Is the name of the underlying object.

Select tables

Select tables for which you wish to create synonyms:

  • To select all tables in the list, select the Select All checkbox.
  • To select specific tables, select the corresponding checkboxes.
 

The list of tables consists of:

  • Range names in the workbook.
  • Sheet names. These names have a $ at the end of the name.

Sample Generated Synonym

An Adapter for Excel synonym comprises a Master File and an Access File. This is a synonym for the table nf29004.

Master File 

FILENAME=ONHAND, SUFFIX=SQLEXCEL, $
  SEGMENT=ONHAND, SEGTYPE=S0, $
    FIELDNAME=PROD_NUM, ALIAS=Prod_Num, USAGE=A255V, ACTUAL=A255V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=PRODNAME, ALIAS=Prodname, USAGE=A255V, ACTUAL=A255V,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=QTY_IN_STOCK, ALIAS=Qty_in_Stock, USAGE=D20.2, ACTUAL=D8,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=PRICE, ALIAS=Price, USAGE=D20.2, ACTUAL=D8,
      MISSING=ON, $
    FIELDNAME=COST, ALIAS=Cost, USAGE=D20.2, ACTUAL=D8,
      MISSING=ON, $

Access File 

SEGNAME=SEG1_4,TABLENAME=EDAQA.NF29004,
CONNECTION=DB1,KEYS=1,WRITE=YES,$

Access File Keywords

This chart describes the keywords in the Access File for Excel.

Keyword

Description 

SEGNAME

Value must be identical to the SEGNAME value in the Master File.

 
TABLENAME

Identifies the Excel table. The value assigned to this attribute can include the name of the workbook as follows:

TABLENAME=[filename]table
 
CONNECTION

Indicates a previously declared connection. The syntax is:

CONNECTION=connection

Absence of the CONNECTION attribute indicates access to the default database server.

 
KEYS

Indicates how many columns constitute the primary key for the table. Corresponds to the first n fields in the Master File segment.

See the KEY attribute below for information about specifying the key fields without having to describe them first in the Master File.

 
KEY

Specifies the columns that participate in the primary key without having to describe them as the first fields in the Master File. The syntax is:

KEY=fld1/fld2/.../fldn
 
WRITE

Specifies whether write operations are allowed against the table.

Managing Synonyms

Once you have created a synonym, you can right-click the synonym name in the Adapter navigation pane of either the WebFOCUS Reporting Server browser interface or the ibi Data Migrator desktop interface to access the available options.

For a list of options, see Synonym Management Options.

Data Type Support

Data types are specific to the underlying data source.

Changing the Precision and Scale of Numeric Columns

You can alter the length and scale of numeric columns returned by a SELECT request to the server by creating different specifications in your login profile or in a stored procedure. The conversion settings are reflected in the Master File in the USAGE and ACTUAL formats of the fields generated by CREATE SYNONYM. This affects how the fields are processed and formatted by the server.

Tip: You can change this setting manually or from the WebFOCUS Reporting Server browser interface.

For more information, see Override the Default Precision and Scale.