QlikSense Server - Import
Bridge Requirements
This bridge:requires Internet access to https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/ and/or other tool sites to download drivers into <TDC_HOME>/data/download/MIMB/.
requires the tool to be installed to access its SDK.
Bridge Specifications
| Vendor | QlikTech |
| Tool Name | Qlik Sense |
| Tool Version | 11.11 to 14.x |
| Tool Web Site | http://www.qlik.com/us/products/qlik-sense |
| Supported Methodology | [Business Intelligence] Multi-Model, BI Report (Relational Source, Expression Parsing, Report Structure) via WebSocket API on QVF or QVD File |
| Data Profiling |  |
| Incremental Harvesting | |
| Multi-Model Harvesting |  |
| Remote Repository Browsing for Model Selection | |
SPECIFICATIONS
Tool: QlikTech / Qlik Sense version 11.11 to 14.x via WebSocket API on QVF or QVD File
See http://www.qlik.com/us/products/qlik-sense
Metadata: [Business Intelligence] Multi-Model, BI Report (Relational Source, Expression Parsing, Report Structure)
Component: QlikSenseServer version 11.2.0
DISCLAIMER
This import bridge requires internet access to download third-party libraries:
- such as https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/ to download open source third-party libraries,
- and more sites for other third-party software such as database specific JDBC drivers.
The downloaded third-party libraries are stored into $HOME/data/download/MIMB/
- If HTTPS fails, the import bridge then tries with HTTP.
- If a proxy is used to access internet, you must configure that proxy in the JRE (see the -j option in the Miscellaneous parameter).
- If the import bridge does not have full access to internet, that $HOME/data/download/MIMB/ directory can be copied from another server with internet access where the command $HOME/bin/MIMB.sh (or .bat) -d can be used to download all third-party libraries used by all bridges at once.
By running this import bridge, you hereby acknowledge responsibility for the license terms and any potential security vulnerabilities from these downloaded third-party software libraries.
OVERVIEW
This import bridge imports Business Intelligence (BI) reporting metadata from multiple Qlik Sense applications (QVF apps) in a Qlik Sense server.
REQUIREMENTS
This import bridge requires access to the Qlik Engine API (JSON over WebSocket).
In order to successfully import:
- User account utilized must have Read access granted to the folowing objects:
Measures
Script
Dimensions
Sheets
All UI Sheet objects
Stories
All UI story objects
Tables
Fields
Connections
- This may be accomplished by creating security rules for a specific application and user.
- Another alternative is if the application is published to a specific stream and the user has rights to read from this stream.
It is imperative that the user have appropriate permissions:
- Read all application objects (especially script)
- Read all data connections (or at least data connections specified in application).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: When do I need to generate execution log files?
A: Reports use data load scripts. The execution log files contain information that help the import bridge understand the scripts' expressions. Whenever the script contains variables, loops, or dynamic script statements, execution log files may be useful.
Q: How do I provide information to help the support team reproduce an issue?
A: Provide an archive of the files involved (QVF, QVD, execution logs, external scripts).
Q: How do I avoid the error: Handshake response not received
A: Make sure the host name used to generate the Certificate is the same as the one used in the URL parameter.
Q: I harvested a model with the "-force.no.data" option. However, the model still contains the table information. Since we are harvesting metadata, why do we need the data?
A: Because "-force.no.data" option was specified under the Miscellaneous parameter, the script was present for the specified document and is therefore used to parse table metadata by the import bridge. The import bridge will then import the document with the parsed metadata. The import bridge attains table metadata by invoking the getFieldList Qlik API. No actual document data is parsed nor imported by the import bridge.
Q: Why does my import produce incorrect lineage if the tables have the same names under different projects?
A: For example, the document loads data from X and Y table to Z table. Then store data from Z table to abc123.qvd. Then drop Z table.
Then loads data from Y and W table to Z table and stores qwe123.qvd. Then drop Z table.
Then loads data from T and X table to Z table and stores asd123.qvd.
This document is reusing the same table name Z for 3 different SQL SELECT statements. (SELECT > STORE > DROP)
In order to maintain the lineage we have to create all three of the aforementioned tables, but we cannot create 3 tables with the same name. Thus, the bridge detects dropped tables as temporary tables and makes them unique names. The format for this name is: name_Md5(application id)_removedTableNumber.
LIMITATIONS
Refer to the current general known limitations at https://metaintegration.com/Products/MIMB/Help/#!Documents/mimbknownlimitations.html
SUPPORT
Provide a troubleshooting package with:
- the debug log (can be set in the UI or in conf/conf.properties with MIR_LOG_LEVEL=6)
- the metadata backup if available (can be set in the Miscellaneous parameter with -backup option, although this common option is not implemented on all bridges for technical reasons).
Bridge Parameters
| Parameter Name | Description | Type | Values | Default | Scope |
| Server URL | The Qlik Sense URL server URL required for the connection to the Qlik Sense Engine API. In order to use the Qlik Engine API, you need to open a WebSocket to the engine using one of the following URIs: wss://server.domain.com:4747/app/ or wss://server.domain.com[/virtual proxy]/app/ |
STRING | wss://localhost:4747/app/ | Mandatory | |
| Server user directory | The Qlik Sense user directory required for connection to the Qlik Sense server. See the "Users" page of the Qlik Management Console, e.g. https://server.domain.com/qmc |
STRING | Internal | Mandatory | |
| User name | The Qlik Sense user required for authentication to the Qlik Sense server See the "Users" page of the Qlik Management Console, e.g. https://server.domain.com/qmc |
STRING | Mandatory | ||
| User certificate file | The client certificate required for authentication to the Qlik Sense server, e.g. client.pfx The client certificate can be exported from the Qlik Management Console https://server.domain.com/qmc using the following steps: 1. Select Certificates on the QMC start page or from the menu. The Export page for Certificates is displayed. 2. In the Machine name box, type the full computer name of the computer that you are creating the certificates for. E.g. MYMACHINE.mydomain.com or the IP address. 3. Using a password is optional. 4. Export file format for certificates has to be 'Windows format'. 5. Click Export certificates in the action bar. 6. When the export is finished, the dialog "Certificates Exported" is displayed. "Certificates will be exported to this disk location" displays the target directory where one folder for each computer is added. Under every folder the following certificates are created: - client.pfx - root.cer - server.pfx |
FILE | *.pfx | ||
| User certificate string | The binary content of client certificate converted to Base64 required for authentication to the Qlik Sense server The client certificate can be exported from the Qlik Management Console https://server.domain.com/qmc using the following steps: 1. Select Certificates on the QMC start page or from the menu. The Export page for Certificates is displayed. 2. In the Machine name box, type the full computer name of the computer that you are creating the certificates for. E.g. MYMACHINE.mydomain.com or the IP address. 3. Using a password is optional. 4. Export file format for certificates has to be 'Windows format'. 5. Click Export certificates in the action bar. 6. When the export is finished, the dialog "Certificates Exported" is displayed. "Certificates will be exported to this disk location" displays the target directory where one folder for each computer is added. Under every folder the following certificates are created: - client.pfx - root.cer - server.pfx The content of client.pfx has to be converted to Base64 format using https://www.base64encode.org/ and put resulted string to this parameter. If the export fails, the dialog displays Certificates export could not complete. |
PASSWORD | |||
| User certificate password | The password for client certificate. | PASSWORD | |||
| Applications | The Qlik Sense Application (QVF app) names or ids. If left empty, all applications are imported. Application name patterns using the syntax rules used by the LIKE operator in SQL: - Inclusion syntax: using %, e.g. A%; %B; %C%; D - start with A or - end with B or - contain C or - equal D - Exclusion syntax: using NOT, e.g. A%; %B; NOT %SYS; NOT 'SYS%' - WHERE (name like A% or name like %B) - and (name NOT like %SYS) - and (name NOT like 'SYS%') - Special characters: using single quote, e.g. OneWord%; 'Two Words%' |
REPOSITORY_SUBSET | |||
| Streams | The Qlik Sense Stream names or ids. If left empty, all streams are imported. Stream name patterns using the syntax rules used by the LIKE operator in SQL: - Inclusion syntax: using %, e.g. A%; %B; %C%; D - start with A or - end with B or - contain C or - equal D - Exclusion syntax: using NOT, e.g. A%; %B; NOT %SYS; NOT 'SYS%' - WHERE (name like A% or name like %B) - and (name NOT like %SYS) - and (name NOT like 'SYS%') - Special characters: using single quote, e.g. OneWord%; 'Two Words%' |
REPOSITORY_SUBSET | |||
| Server log folder | The network shared location of Qlik Sense Server's archive log folder. The archive log folder location is defined during the Qlik Sense Enterprise, e.g. \\server\share\ArchivedLogs\computerName\Script. This import bridge requires the QlikView document execution log, because some (or all) metadata details cannot be extracted from the source script due to their dynamic aspect (e.g. use of loops, subroutines, variable definitions). Note that the Miscellaneous parameter offers an option -log.notavailable (although not recommended). |
DIRECTORY | |||
| Server data folder | The network shared location of Qlik Sense Server's Qlik View Data (QVD) folder. | DIRECTORY | |||
| Multiple threads | Number of worker threads to harvest metadata asynchronously. - Leave the parameter blank to have the import bridge compute the value, between 1 and 6, based on JVM architecture and number of available CPU cores. - Specify a numeric value greater or equal to 1 to provide the actual number of threads. If the value specified is invalid, a warning will be issued and 1 will be used instead. If you experience out of memory conditions when harvesting metadata asynchronously, experiment with smaller numbers. If your machine has a lot of available memory (e.g. 10 GB or more), you can try larger numbers when harvesting many documents at once. Note that setting the number too high can actually decrease the performance due to resource contention. |
NUMERIC | |||
| Miscellaneous | INTRODUCTION Specify miscellaneous options starting with a dash and optionally followed by parameters, e.g. -connection.cast MyDatabase1="MICROSOFT SQL SERVER" Some options can be used multiple times if applicable, e.g. -connection.rename NewConnection1=OldConnection1 -connection.rename NewConnection2=OldConnection2; As the list of options can become a long string, it is possible to load it from a file which must be located in ${MODEL_BRIDGE_HOME}\data\MIMB\parameters and have the extension .txt. In such case, all options must be defined within that file as the only value of this parameter, e.g. ETL/Miscellaneous.txt JAVA ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS -java.memory <Java Memory's maximum size> (previously -m) 1G by default on 64bits JRE or as set in conf/conf.properties, e.g. -java.memory 8G -java.memory 8000M -java.parameters <Java Runtime Environment command line options> (previously -j) This option must be the last one in the Miscellaneous parameter as all the text after -java.parameters is passed "as is" to the JRE, e.g. -java.parameters -Dname=value -Xms1G The following option must be set when a proxy is used to access internet (this is critical to access https://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/ and exceptionally a few other tool sites) in order to download the necessary third-party software libraries. Note: The majority of proxies are concerned with encrypting (HTTPS) the outside (of the company) traffic and trust the inside traffic that can access proxy over HTTP. In this case, an HTTPS request reaches the proxy over HTTP where the proxy HTTPS-encrypts it. -java.parameters -java.parameters -Dhttp.proxyHost=127.0.0.1 -Dhttp.proxyPort=3128 -Dhttp.proxyUser=user -Dhttp.proxyPassword=pass MODEL IMPORT OPTIONS -model.name <model name> Override the model name, e.g. -model.name "My Model Name" -prescript <script name> This option allows running a script before the bridge execution. The script must be located in the bin directory (or as specified with M_SCRIPT_PATH in conf/conf.properties), and have .bat or .sh extension. The script path must not include any parent directory symbol (..). The script should return exit code 0 to indicate success, or another value to indicate failure. For example: -prescript "script.bat arg1 arg2" -postscript <script name> This option allows running a script after successful execution of the bridge. The script must be located in the bin directory (or as specified with M_SCRIPT_PATH in conf/conf.properties), and have .bat or .sh extension. The script path must not include any parent directory symbol (..). The script should return exit code 0 to indicate success, or another value to indicate failure. For example: -postscript "script.bat arg1 arg2" -cache.clear Clears the cache before the import, and therefore will run a full import without incremental harvesting. If the model was not changed and the -cache.clear parameter is not used (incremental harvesting), then a new version will not be created. If the model was not changed and the -cache.clear parameter is set (full source import instead of incremental), then a new version will be created. -backup <directory> Allows to save the input metadata for further troubleshooting. The provided <directory> must be empty. -restore <directory> Specify the backup <directory> to be restored. DATA CONNECTION OPTIONS Data Connections are produced by the import bridges typically from ETL/DI and BI tools to refer to the source and target data stores they use. These data connections are then used by metadata management tools to connect them (metadata stitching) to their actual data stores (e.g. databases, file system, etc.) in order to produce the full end to end data flow lineage and impact analysis. The name of each data connection is unique by import model. The data connection names used within DI/BI design tools are used when possible, otherwise connection names are generated to be short but meaningful such as the database / schema name, the file system path, or Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). The following option allows to manipulate connections. These options replaces the legacy options -c, -cd, and -cs. -connection.cast ConnectionName=ConnectionType Casts a generic database connection (e.g. ODBC/JDBC) to a precise database type (e.g. ORACLE) for SQL Parsing, e.g. -connection.cast "My Database"="MICROSOFT SQL SERVER". The list of supported data store connection types includes: ACCESS APACHE CASSANDRA DB2/UDB DENODO GOOGLE BIGQUERY HIVE MYSQL NETEZZA ORACLE POSTGRESQL PRESTO REDSHIFT SALESFORCE SAP HANA SNOWFLAKE MICROSOFT SQL AZURE MICROSOFT SQL SERVER SYBASE SQL SERVER SYBASE AS ENTERPRISE TERADATA VECTORWISE HP VERTICA -connection.rename OldConnection=NewConnection Renames an existing connection to a new name, e.g. -connection.rename OldConnectionName=NewConnectionName Multiple existing database connections can be renamed and merged into one new database connection, e.g. -connection.rename MySchema1=MyDatabase -connection.rename MySchema2=MyDatabase -connection.split oldConnection.Schema1=newConnection Splits a database connection into one or multiple database connections. A single database connection can be split into one connection per schema, e.g. -connection.split MyDatabase All database connections can be split into one connection per schema, e.g. -connection.split * A database connection can be explicitly split creating a new database connection by appending a schema name to a database, e.g. -connection.split MyDatabase.schema1=MySchema1 -connection.map SourcePath=DestinationPath Maps a source path to destination path. This is useful for file system connections when different paths points to the same object (directory or file). On Hadoop, a process can write into a CSV file specified with the HDFS full path, but another process reads from a Hive table implemented (external) by the same file specified using a relative path with default file name and extension, e.g. -connection.map /user1/folder=hdfs://host:8020/users/user1/folder/file.csv On Linux, a given directory (or file) like /data can be referred to by multiple symbolic links like /users/john and /users/paul, e.g. -connection.map /data=/users/John -connection.map /data=/users/paul On Windows, a given directory like C:\data can be referred to by multiple network drives like M: and N:, e.g. -connection.map C:\data=M:\ -connection.map C:\data=N:\ -connection.casesensitive ConnectionName... Overrides the default case insensitive matching rules for the object identifiers inside the specified connection, provided the detected type of the data store by itself supports this configuration (e.g. Microsoft SQL Server, MySql etc.), e.g. -connection.casesensitive "My Database" -connection.caseinsensitive ConnectionName... Overrides the default case sensitive matching rules for the object identifiers inside the specified connection, provided the detected type of the data store by itself supports this configuration (e.g. Microsoft SQL Server, MySql etc.), e.g. -connection.caseinsensitive "My Database" -connection.level AggregationLevel Specifies the aggregation level for the external connections, e.g.-connection.level catalog The list of the supported values: server catalog schema (default) -database.type <connection database type> If databases are accessed via generic ODBC connections, then it is critical to know the exact database type in order to properly parse that database specific SQL syntax for lineage. The supported database types for SQL parsing are: ACCESS CASSANDRA DB2 DENODO HIVE MYSQL NETEZZA ORACLE POSTGRESQL PRESTO REDSHIFT SALESFORCE SAP HANA SNOWFLAKE SQL SERVER SYBASE TERADATA VECTORWISE VERTICA Specify the default database connection without any connection name, e.g. -database.type ORACLE If multiple database connections are used, then specify each database type using the associated connection name, e.g. -database.type MyConnectionName=ORACLE It is possible to mix the default database type with multiple connection database types, e.g. -database.type ORACLE -database.type MyConnectionName1=TERADATA -database.type MyConnectionName2=DB2 QLIK OPTIONS -directory <statement> A Qlik document DIRECTORY statement is used to set the directory path for subsequent LOAD statements. If this directory is inaccessible, then use a DIRECTORY statement to redirect it to another directory. To do so, copy the DIRECTORY statement from a Qlik document execution log, add '=' and specify the path to another directory. In the following case, folder 'c:\folder' is redirected to 'd:\folder2' folder., e.g. -directory "c:\folder1=d:\folder2" When the path after the DIRECTORY statement is empty, all DIRECTORY statements are redirected to the specified directory, e.g. -directory "[]=d:\folder2" -file.path <file directory> A Qlik document may have statements such as Include, Store, Load statements which operate with file path. If the original file path is not accessible by this import bridge, then it logs the following errors: - "Unable to open Include file: '\\inaccessible\scripts\include.txt" - "Could not process the dependency because the source document '\\inaccessible\QVDs\file.qvd' is not accessible" You can resolve the errors by copying inaccessible files to accessible paths. If the necessary files are located in "\\inaccessible\folder", then copy them to C:\accessible\folder and instruct the import bridge to read them from the new location, e.g. -file.path "\\inaccessible=c:\accessible" The file.path option allows you to replace a portion of the original file path with a new one by specifying multiple file.path options, e.g. -file.path "\\inaccessible=c:\accessible" -file.path "\\inaccessible2=c:\accessible2" The import bridge applies multiple -file.path options in order provided. -file.path "\\a=c:\a" -file.path "\\aa=c:\aa" - The wrong way -file.path "\\aa=c:\aa" -file.path "\\a=c:\a" - The right way Make sure not to specify the file.path to be outside of the directory path where you have the QlikSense documents you would like to import. -log.notavailable The Qlik document execution log is required because some critical metadata (e.g. exact source data store tables for lineage) cannot be directly extracted from the Qlik scripts due to their dynamic aspect (e.g. use of loops, subroutines, variable definitions). This option allows to import even if the execution log is not available, in such case some critical metadata for lineage may be missing. -force.no.data If this option is specified, the Qlik server opens the document without data and table information. -no.data If this option is specified and execution log is present, the Qlik server opens the document without data and table information. If execution log is absent, the Qlik server opens the document with data. -hostname.whitelist If the user specifies an IP address in Server URL and gets error "javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: java.security.cert.CertificateException: No subject alternative names matching IP address xx.xx.xx.xx found". This option allows to add this IP address to the whitelist. -qvd.as.file If this option is specified, the bridge imports QVD files from LOAD, STORE statements as regular files(like CSV or TXT). QVD files may be inaccessible, as such there is no need to override inaccessible QVD file paths using -file.path. If this option is not specified, the bridge imports QVD files as OLAP models. QVD files have to be accessible by this import bridge (see -file.path for more detail). -websocket.timeout <timeout in seconds> Specify how many seconds the bridge waits for a websocket response. Default value is 30 seconds. -cluster.log.folder Specify log locations for multiple cluster configuration. -cluster.log.folder d:\cluster1\ -cluster.log.folder c:\cluster2\ -cluster.qvd.folder Specify qvd locations for multiple cluster configuration. -cluster.qvd.folder d:\cluster1\ -cluster.qvd.folder c:\cluster2\ -logs.count <count of log files> Specify how many log files the bridge imports for each application. |
STRING |
Bridge Mapping
Mapping information is not available