SAP BusinessObjects Designer (File) - Export
Bridge Requirements
This bridge:is only supported on Microsoft Windows.
requires the tool to be installed to access its SDK.
Bridge Specifications
| Vendor | SAP |
| Tool Name | BusinessObjects (BO) Designer |
| Tool Version | 6.x to 14.x |
| Tool Web Site | http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/large/intelligenceplatform/ |
| Supported Methodology | [Business Intelligence] BI Design (RDBMS Source, Dimensional Target, Transformation Lineage, Expression Conversion), Graphical Layout via COM API on Universe (.UNV) File |
SPECIFICATIONS
Tool: SAP / BusinessObjects (BO) Designer version 6.x to 14.x via COM API on Universe (.UNV) File
See http://www.sap.com/solutions/sapbusinessobjects/large/intelligenceplatform/
Metadata: [Business Intelligence] BI Design (RDBMS Source, Dimensional Target, Transformation Lineage, Expression Conversion), Graphical Layout
Component: BoDesignerUnv version 11.2.0
OVERVIEW
This bridge relies on the BusinessObjects Designer OLE/COM API in order to import metadata from a Universe. Therefore, SAP BusinessObjects Universe Designer must be properly installed on the computer executing this bridge.
REQUIREMENTS
WARNING: This bridge uses the COM API of a Windows based tool client and/or SDK which must be (a) properly installed, (b) licensed on behalf of a Windows user capable of running this tool, and (c) capable of accessing the tool server content. In addition:
(1) As recommended by the tool vendor, the tool server must NOT be installed/coexist on the same machine where the tool client (and the bridge) is installed/running because of potential conflicts of resources, including with respect to COM API.
(2) Windows COM API based tools are notoriously unstable after repeated failures or lack of system resources, which requires a Windows reboot to make that tool COM API work properly again.
(3) If this bridge is running as an application, then it must be logged with the same above Windows user.
If the bridge is running as a Windows service, then go to the services manager of Windows, right-click on the MIMB Application Server service, and go to the "Log On" tab to define an account by name under which the service will run.
If unsure whether Designer is installed properly, be sure to check the following:
- Designer must be executable as a Windows application on the machine which the bridge is running on. It generally is installed as part of the BO "desktop" tools.
- for the API to work, Designer must be executable as a COM/ActiveX component, i.e., the Designer COM/ActiveX component must be properly registered. You may check that a key exists in the Windows registry in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Designer.Application.
Also, at bridge runtime be sure that you have:
- valid login access to a BO repository server (the bridge must login to the BO platform)
- a valid database connection to the data warehouse for the model you want to convert.
Additional notes:
- The database connection is only necessary if you wish to change the database schema (tables). The connection is not required if you simply wish to update descriptions, for example.
- For BO 5.x, 6.x, 11.5, 12.x, 14.x there is the option of connecting to the server in standalone (no CMS) mode, if the bridge is running on the server.
- For BO 11.0 there is no standalone mode and you must have a valid login.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What username and password should I supply into the BO login window?
A: If your company is using a network installation of BusinessObjects with a BO Repository managing users and access rights, please provide a BO username and password, the same way you would open the universe with BO Designer. If you are not sure about which username and password to use, you should contact your company BO system administrator (supervisor).
Q: The bridge fails to complete for an unknown reason, what can I do?
A: Please try to run the bridge again with parameter 'Execution mode' set to 'Interactive'. The application may display an error in a pop-up window.
Q: How should I understand the warning message: The Connection 'DB' is not working?
A: This indicates that the database connection specified for the universe is not working. Please check the universe connection is working properly in Designer. The bridge uses the database connection to insert tables, columns and joins into the universe. Read the description of the bridge connection parameter for more details.
Q: Can this bridge run from an application server as a Windows service?
A: No, BO Designer is a desktop application, running the Designer COM API and this bridge as a service is not supported. Please make sure that if running from a remote bridge server, it is configured to run as a regular desktop application, not as a service.
LIMITATIONS
Refer to the current general known limitations at MIMB Known Limitations or bundled in Documentation/ReadMe/MIMBKnownLimitations.html
- The names of classes and objects in BO Designer are limited to 35 characters. Consequently, names may be truncated and/or suffixed by numbers in the generated BO universe to address this limitation.
- BO Designer allows one to organize objects in a tree of classes. However, the namespace of classes is global, all classes must be uniquely named within the entire universe, rather than within a parent class. Consequently, names of classes may be truncated and/or suffixed by numbers in the generated BO universe to address this limitation.
- All BI design tools have limited dimensional modeling capabilities based on the underlying technology. For example, BO Designer supports joins at the physical data layer, but does not support joins at the logical or business layer. Consequently, some aspects of the original dimensional model may be re-engineered or lost during conversion.
SUPPORT
Provide a troubleshooting package with debug log. Debug log can be set in the UI or in conf/conf.properties with MIR_LOG_LEVEL=6
Bridge Parameters
| Parameter Name | Description | Type | Values | Default | Scope | |||||
| System | Enter here the name of the BusinessObjects repository to login to. - For BusinessObjects version 11.x and 12.x (XI), 14.x (XI R4) it is the name of the Central Management Server. This server will be used to login, by default on port 6400, e.g. localhost If the CMS server is configured in a Cluster environment, the cluster name may be specified with the following syntax, e.g. localhost:6400@MYCLUSTER - For BusinessObjects version 5.x and 6.x, it is the name of the repository defined by the Supervisor application, e.g. bomain. If this parameter is empty, Designer will perform an Offline login. A standalone installation of BusinessObjects does not require you to login. |
STRING | ||||||||
| Authentication mode | Select the login authentication mode. This parameter is applicable to version 11.0 and later versions. Versions 5.x and 6.x do not support this mode. 'Enterprise' BusinessObjects Enterprise login. 'LDAP' Login using an LDAP server. 'Windows AD' Login using a Windows Active Directory server. 'Windows NT' Login using a Windows NT domain server. 'Standalone' Standalone login (no CMS). |
ENUMERATED |
|
Enterprise | ||||||
| User name | A repository installation of BusinessObjects (BO) requires the user to identify himself/herself using a login. A standalone installation of BO does not require such identification, e.g. supervisor If you omit the username or password, a BO Login dialog box will be displayed, in which you should enter your usual BO login username and password. In order to avoid Designer to prompt the Login dialog box when running this bridge remotely on a server, you should fill this option value. |
STRING | ||||||||
| Password | A repository installation of BusinessObjects (BO) requires the user to identify himself/herself using a login. A standalone installation of BO does not require such identification. If you omit the username or password, a BO Login dialog box will be displayed, in which you should enter your usual BO login user name and password. In order to avoid Designer to prompt the Login dialog box when running this bridge remotely on a server, you should fill this parameter value. |
PASSWORD | ||||||||
| File | Specify here the path to the universe file. | FILE | *.unv | Mandatory | ||||||
| Data model (Table/Join) algorithm | Specify whether Tables and Joins should be exported to the universe. 'Unchanged' The universe's Tables and Joins are left unchanged. 'Create all and Refresh from database' Add to the universe the new Tables and Joins defined in the source model and refresh existing tables against the database connection. 'Recreate all' Remove all existing Tables, Joins and Contexts from the universe, and replace them with new ones defined in the source model. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Create all and Refresh from database | ||||||
| Data model connection type | Specify the Connection type as it was defined in BusinessObjects Designer. The bridge needs to know the BO Connection name to create new Tables and Joins in the universe. Note that the list of connections available at runtime depends on the authentication mode you use to login in Designer. If you login as 'Enterprise' authentication mode (against a BO CMS repository), you should define and use a connection of 'Secured' type. If you login as 'Standalone' authentication mode (no BO CMS repository involved), you should define and use a connection of 'Shared' type. In general, connections of 'Personal' type are not recommended, they usually do not work via the COM automation API. 'Personal' - Personal connections restrict data access to the universe creator and the computer on which it was created. They are stored in the PDAC.LSI file located in the LSI folder in the BusinessObjects installation path, for example: C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12\win32_x86\pdac.lsi. 'Shared' - Shared connections allow data access to all users. They are stored in the SDAC.LSI file located in the LSI folder in the BusinessObjects installation path, for example: C:\Program Files\Business Objects\BusinessObjects Enterprise 12\win32_x86\sdac.lsi . 'Secured' - Secured connections centralize and control access to data. It is the safest type of connection, and should used be to protect access to sensitive data. They are stored in the BusinessObjects repository. You must use secured connections if you want to distribute universes through the CMS. (default) |
ENUMERATED |
|
Secured | ||||||
| Data model connection to RDBMS | Specify the Connection name as it was defined in BusinessObjects Designer. The bridge needs to know the BO Connection name to create new Tables and Joins in the universe. This is a mandatory parameter. The connection is necessary when creating a new universe file. When updating an existing universe file, this parameter is not used, the connection of the universe is not changed. Note that the list of connections available at runtime depends on the authentication mode you use to login in Designer. If you login as 'Enterprise' authentication mode (against a BO CMS repository), you should define and use a connection of 'Secured' type. If you login as 'Standalone' authentication mode (no BO CMS repository involved), you should define and use a connection of 'Shared' type. In general, connections of 'Personal' type are not recommended, they usually do not work via the COM automation API. When executing this bridge on a remote bridge server, the connection should be valid and working on the remote server. Please note that if the bridge is running on a remote server, this bridge server should be configured to run as an application, not as a Windows service. BO Designer is a desktop application, running the Designer COM API and this bridge as a service is not supported. When using a connection based on an ODBC data source, make sure the ODBC DSN is correctly defined on the machine running the bridge. When using a 64 bits version of Windows with BO Designer which is a 32 bits application, use the 32 bits ODBC manager (C:\Windows\SysWOW64\odbcad32.exe) to define the DSN. Do not use the 64 bits ODBC manager (C:\Windows\System32\odbcad32.exe) on a Windows 64 bits, as the BO Designer 32 bits application will not work with the DSN. |
REPOSITORY_MODEL | Mandatory | |||||||
| Data model Outer Joins | Most modeling and ETL tools only define the metadata of foreign keys and do not specify the type of SQL join (inner or outer) that should be defined in Business Intelligence tools. This parameter controls the type of joins which are generated for each foreign key relationship. 'False' Use only Inner joins for foreign key relationships. 'True' Use the foreign key relationship optionality (optional versus mandatory) to determine if an 'Inner' or 'Outer' join should be used. |
BOOLEAN | False | |||||||
| Dimensional modeling detection | When using this bridge to convert a data model created in a data modeling or ETL tool and then forward engineer it to an OLAP/BI model, the dimensional role that has been specified for each table (fact, dimension, outrigger) is always used by the bridge to infer how those tables are converted into BI facts and dimensions. This parameter controls how additional table's dimensional role (fact, dimension, outrigger) is to be detected, if the source model did not specify that table's dimensional role. 'Only as defined by source model' Use the tables dimensional role if defined by the source model. 'Autodetect additional Facts and Dimensions' Automatic detection of fact and dimension tables from the relational schema, based on foreign keys. This algorithm considers tables with only incoming foreign keys as fact tables. Tables with outgoing foreign keys are considered dimension tables or outrigger tables depending on the minimum distance (number of foreign key relationships) to a fact table. Tables with no foreign key relationships to any other tables are considered to be dimension tables. 'Manually specified additional Facts and Dimensions' Manually specify the fact and dimension tables. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Autodetect additional Facts and Dimensions | ||||||
| Dimensional modeling detection Fact tables | When using this bridge to convert a data model created in a data modeling or ETL tool then and forward engineer it to an OLAP/BI model, the dimensional role that has been specified for each table (fact, dimension, outrigger) is used by the bridge to infer how those tables are converted into BI facts and dimensions. Specify the list of fact tables of your model in this parameter, and the bridge will consider those tables as fact tables when generating dimensions and measures, e.g. dbo.Fact1; Fact2. This parameter is useful if the source tool does not support this notion of table dimensional role, and may be used to work around the limitations of the source tool. The behavior of this parameter may be combined with the 'Dimensional modeling detection Dimension tables' parameter, so that some tables are handled as facts and the others as dimensions. |
STRING | ||||||||
| Dimensional modeling detection Dimension tables | When using this bridge to convert a data model created in a data modeling or ETL tool and then forward engineer it to an OLAP/BI model, the dimensional role that has been specified for each table (fact, dimension, outrigger) is used by the bridge to infer how those tables are converted into BI facts and dimensions. You may use this parameter to control whether the bridge should assume that all tables are dimensions. 'True' The bridge assumes that all tables are dimensions. 'False' The bridge uses the dimensional role specified on each table, if any. This parameter is useful if the source tool does not support this notion of table dimensional role, and may be used to work around the limitations of the source tool. The behavior of this parameter may be combined with the 'Dimensional modeling detection Fact tables' parameter, so that some tables are handled as facts and the others as dimensions. |
BOOLEAN | True | |||||||
| Dimensional model layers | Specify how many layers of Classes and Objects to manage in the universe. 'one' Only one layer of Classes and Objects referring to the database schema tables and columns is created. 'two' One private layer of hidden Classes and Objects referring to the database schema tables and columns is created, and one public layer of Classes and Objects referring to the private layer Classes and Objects is created. This technique involving two layers may be used to better support update of a universe, and also separate objects available to report builders from objects used for internal universe implementation. |
ENUMERATED |
|
one | ||||||
| Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm | Specify how the dimensions should be exported to Classes and Objects in the universe. 'Unchanged' The universe's Classes and Objects are left unchanged. 'Create only' Create new Classes and Objects, leave the existing ones unchanged. 'Update' Update the existing Classes and Objects according to the selected update mode. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Create only | ||||||
| Dimensional model update mode | Specify how the dimensions should be exported to Classes and Objects in the universe. 'Create / Replace' Create new Classes and Objects, replacing the existing ones with the same name. 'Replace all' Delete all current Classes and Objects and replace them with new ones. 'Update Objects properties' Update the properties of all current Objects based on matching and update criteria. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Create / Replace | ||||||
| Dimensional model update matching criteria | Applies when 'Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm' is set to 'Update Objects properties'. In this mode, the existing universe Objects' properties are updated with new properties provided by the source model. This parameter controls which measures and dimensions are updated with new properties of objects defined in the source model. 'Strict column matching' The universe Object is updated based on a strict matching of its expression, e.g. Only measures defined by a strict "measure=Table.Column" equality will get updated with properties of that column. 'Single column matching' The universe Object is updated if its expression involves a single column, e.g. Measures defined by "measure=Sum(Table.Column)" or "measure=Table.Column/365" will get updated with properties of that column. 'Multiple column matching' The universe Object is updated for each column involved in its expression, e.g. A measure defined by "measure=Table.Column1-Table.Column2" is updated with properties of both Column1 and Column2. This matching criteria may be used to concatenate the description of each column involved in a measure expression. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Strict column matching | ||||||
| Dimensional model update object name | This parameter applies when 'Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm' is set to 'Update Objects properties'. Once a universe Object has been matched with a column in the source model, its name may be replaced by the column business name defined in the source model. 'No change' The universe Object name is kept unchanged. 'Update' The universe Object name is replaced by the column business name. |
ENUMERATED |
|
No change | ||||||
| Dimensional model update object type | This parameter applies when 'Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm' is set to 'Update Objects properties'. Once a universe Object has been matched with a column in the source model, its type (measure vs dimension) may be replaced by the column dimensional role defined in the source model. 'No change' The universe Object type is kept unchanged. 'Update' The universe Object type is replaced by the column dimensional role. |
ENUMERATED |
|
No change | ||||||
| Dimensional model update object description | This parameter applies when 'Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm' is set to 'Update Objects properties'. Once a universe Object has been matched with column(s) in the source model, its description may be replaced by the column(s) description defined in the source model. 'No change' The universe Object description is kept unchanged. 'Update' The universe Object description is replaced by the column description. 'Append' The universe Object description gets appended with the column(s) description, if they are different. |
ENUMERATED |
|
No change | ||||||
| Dimensional model update object datatype | This parameter applies when 'Dimensional model (Object/Class) algorithm' is set to 'Update Objects properties'. Once a universe Object has been matched with a column in the source model, its datatype may be replaced by the column datatype defined in the source model. 'No change' The universe Object datatype is kept unchanged. 'Update' The universe Object datatype is replaced by the column datatype. |
ENUMERATED |
|
No change | ||||||
| Dimensional model Hierarchies | Specify if the OLAP hierarchies defined in the source tool should be exported. 'False' Do not export hierarchies. 'True' Export hierarchies. |
BOOLEAN | True | |||||||
| Dimensional model naming conventions | Specifies how to generate the names in the Universe. 'Unchanged' Use the names as defined in the source tool. 'Convert to Upper Case' Convert the names to upper case. 'Convert to Lower Case' Convert the names to lower case. The names are also truncated to 35 characters which is the maximum length allowed in Designer. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Unchanged | ||||||
| Dimensional model fact join objects | Indicates whether the bridge should generate a business layer objects for fact table columns involved in joins as defined in the original (physical) dimensional model. By default, the bridge assumes that fact table columns involved in joins should be represented at the physical layer only. E.g., a fact dimension should be only represented in the business layer with a Class/Folder and its measures. This parameter allows control over this behavior. 'False' Do not generate business layer objects for fact columns involved in joins. 'True' Generate business layer objects for fact table columns involved in joins. |
BOOLEAN | False | |||||||
| Verbosity | This parameter controls the dimensional modeling forward engineering verbosity level. 'False' Normal verbosity. 'True' Additional information is printed in the log. |
BOOLEAN | False | |||||||
| Silent execution | Specify here whether to execute in interactive or silent mode. 'Silent' The application runs in silent mode, pop-up windows and message boxes are blocked. This mode does not require user intervention, but may cause execution termination with unknown error. 'Interactive' The application runs in interactive mode, allowing pop-up windows and message boxes. This mode may require user intervention to acknowledge pop-up windows, and allows the user to resolve issues during execution. |
ENUMERATED |
|
Silent | ||||||
| Export to repository | After the universe has been generated, the universe may be automatically exported to the BusinessObjects repository. Specify a valid location within the BusinessObjects repository where the universe will be exported. For BusinessObjects XI, specify a universe folder path, e.g. / For BusinessObjects 5.x or 6.x, specify a universe domain name, e.g. Universes If this parameter is left empty, the generated universe file is NOT exported to the repository. |
STRING |
Bridge Mapping
| Meta Integration Repository (MIR) Metamodel (based on the OMG CWM standard) |
"SAP BusinessObjects Designer (File)" Metamodel BoDesigner |
Mapping Comments |
| AggregationRule | Object | In case a Measure has multiple AggregationRules, multiple Objects of measure qualification are created, one for each AggregationRule |
| Rule | Select | |
| AliasClassifier | AliasTable | |
| Name | Name | |
| AliasFeature | AliasColumn | |
| Name | Name | |
| Association | Join | Equi-joins are created to represent the primary key foreign key integrity constraints between the tables of the model |
| AssociationRole | Join | Represent both ends (Table1 and Table2) of the join |
| Multiplicity | Cardinality and OuterJoin | |
| AssociationRoleNameMap | Associates the columns of table1 to the column of table2. | |
| Attribute | Column | |
| Name | Name | |
| PhysicalName | Name | |
| BaseType | Object Type | BaseTypes are created to represent the columns and objects datatype |
| DataType | See datatype conversion array | |
| CandidateKey | Column | The primary key property is set on the primary key columns |
| Class | Table | |
| Name | Name | |
| PhysicalName | Name | |
| ClassDiagram | Structure Pane | The Structure pane is populated with tables and views defined in the model and available via the connection to the database |
| DatabaseSchema | Owner | Only used to identify the tables in owner-supported universes |
| DesignPackage | Classes and associations of all packages of the model are exported, if possible | |
| Dimension | Class | |
| Description | Description | |
| Name | Name | |
| UserDefined | The dimension is exported only if the dimension is userDefined | |
| DimensionAttribute | Object | An object of qualification 'dimension' or 'detail' |
| Description | Description | |
| Name | Name | |
| DrillPath | CustomHierarchy | Custom Hierarchies are imported as MIRDrillPath because they can span multiple MIRDimension (Classes) |
| Name | Name | |
| DrillPathLevelAssociation | CustomHierarchy Element | |
| Name | Name | |
| FeatureMap | Object | Used to export the traceability of dimensional features |
| Description | Description | |
| Operation | Select | |
| ForeignKey | A foreign key is created to represent the columns involved in the join | |
| Generalization | Join | Equi-joins are created to represent the primary key foreign key integrity constraints between the tables of the model |
| GeneralizationRole | Join | Equi-joins are created to represent the primary key foreign key integrity constraints between the tables of the model |
| Hierarchy | CustomHierarchy | |
| Name | Name | |
| HierarchyLevelAssociation | CustomHierarchy | CustomHierarchy |
| Position | used to order the objects in the CustomHierarchy | |
| Index | An index is created for each join foreign key and for each primary key | |
| IndexMember | Used to create joins when associated with primary and foreign columns | |
| JoinGroup | Join Context | |
| Name | name | |
| LevelAttribute | Object | used to carry the traceability of its DimensionAttribute |
| LevelKey | CustomHierarchy member Object | The attribute of the key is exported as a member Object |
| Measure | Object | An object of qualification 'measure' |
| DefaultAggregation | Function | |
| Description | Description | |
| Name | Name | |
| Projection | Table Display | Graphical Information |
| X | x | |
| Y | y | |
| SQLViewAttribute | Column | View columns are managed as regular Table columns in the tool |
| Name | Name | |
| PhysicalName | Name | |
| SQLViewEntity | Table | Views are managed as regular Tables in the tool |
| Name | Name | |
| PhysicalName | Name | |
| StoreConnection | Qualifier | Only used to identify the tables in qualifier-supported universes |
| StoreModel | Universe | The Universe is built using the tables that are both defined in the model and available via the connection to the database |
| Comment | Comments | |
| Description | Description | |
| Name | LongName | |
| PhysicalName | Name | name of the .UNV file (8 characters) |
| TypeValue | Object List of Values | |
| Position | In the order returned by the Designer API. | |
| Value | Value |