Designer XI

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Schmidt Ink, Inc.

Creating Universes with Designer XI

Business Objects XI - CBT

Published by

Schmidt Ink, Inc.San Diego, CA 92122

Printed in USA

Copyright 2006, 2007 by Robert D. Schmidt. All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced

or transmitted in any form, by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher.

For authorization to reproduce this manual for corporate internal use only, not for resale, but for training in a

classroom environment, contact:

Schmidt Ink, Inc.

email: [email protected]

www.schmidtink.com

Other Schmidt Ink, Inc. Publications:Creating Documents with BusinessObjects

Creating Documents with BusinessObjects: Report Writing Course

Creating Documents with BusinessObjects: Web Intelligence Course

Creating Documents with BusinessObjects: Desktop Intelligence Course

Creating Documents with BusinessObjects XI: Web Intelligence XI Course

Creating Documents with BusinessObjects XI - CBT: Web Intelligence XI Course

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty

The author and publisher of this book have used their best efforts in preparing the book and the examples

contained in it. These efforts include the development, research and testing of the theories and examples to

determine their effectiveness.

The Author and Publisher make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, with regards to the examples and

documentation in this book. The Author and Publisher shall not be liable in any event for incidental or

consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the furnishing, performance or use of the examples

contained in this book.

Trademarks:

BusinessObjects, Designer, and Universe Repository are trademarks of Business Objects, SA.

Mi ft d E l t d k f Mi ft C ti


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I dedicate this book to my family. I also dedicate it to all the readers that trust my books to help further

their knowledge and careers. I appreciate your trust and thank you for the motivation that you give me.


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Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Creating Universes with Designer XI computer-based training (CBT) course. I

hope it provides you with the reference and training material that will help you to become a competent Business

Objects professional. Throughout this course, we will examine many topics on creating universes. Most of these

topics will reference a database called SI Data.

The SI Data database is delivered on the accompanying CD in a Microsoft Access database. You may use this

database directly, or import it into SQL Server. Importing it to SQL Server is recommended, because some of the

functions in this book are SQL Server specific. However, the completed universe should work with SQL Server

or Oracle. The database contains data from an investment company that had a one-year portfolio fund. In this

fund there were six portfolios that traded stocks from their respective industries. The data also includes calls to

clients and the daily prices of included stocks.

It is also better if you can export your universe into a Business Objects repository, as we will create a linked

universe in this course. Link universes require a repository for security (CMS). If you do not have a repository

set up, you will still be able to do most of the examples in the book.

The CD does not contain a demo version of Business Objects software. It is assumed that you have the product

and that it is set up and running.

The CD does contain a PDF presentation file. This presentation can be used to present the material to your fellow

employees. You may not print this PDF or distribute it to anybody, other than yourself, as this is a copyright

violation. However, you may purchase the books directly from the distributor at a discounted price so that

everybody viewing the presentation has a book. Please contact me at [email protected] for discount

information.

If your company has many people to train in Business Objects Designer, Web Intelligence, and Desktop

Intelligence, then you may be interested in the Corporate Training Package. This package gives a companylimited rights to reproduce the manuals in order to train their employees. Please contact us at

[email protected] for more information. You may also contact me at this address, if you have any

questions on any of the exercises in the book. Please also send any comments and suggestions that you may have.

Business Objects often seems like a very complicated application and there may be times that you become

confused and need help. To search for help on specific issues, you can visit: http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj,

which is an exceptional forum, known as BOB.

I very much appreciate you trusting my book/CBT to help further your understanding of Business Objects

universes. I have spent many hours developing the course in hopes that it will be the best computer course that

you have ever taken.

Sincerely,


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Creating Universes with Designer XI Copyright 2006, 2007 Robert D. Schmidt

Chapter 1: Build a Basic Universe 1

In the Beginning, There was Nothing... 3Windows NT using the Network Login ID 5

Start and Login to Designer 7

Quick Design Wizard 9

Universe Parameters - Definition 11

Define a New Connection 13

Define a New Connection (Continued) 15

Saving a Universe 17

Defining Controls and SQL 19Universe Parameters - Links and Parameters 21

The Designer Workspace 23

Lets Get Some Tables 25

Viewing Table and Column Values 27

Default Classes and Objects 29

Dimension Properties 31

Editing List of Values 33

Exporting a Universe 35Default Object Behavior 37

Measure Object Definition 39

Creating a Measure 41

Counting Measures using All and Distinct 43

Automatic Time Hierarchy 45

Using SQL Date Functions 47

Defining Object Report Format 49

Checking Universe Integrity 51

What We Have Learned So Far 53

Testing the Universe 55

Chapter 2: Conditions in Our Universe 57Conditions - Bring Back the Data that You Want 59

Creating Conditions 61

Prompted Queries in Desktop and WEB Intelligence 65Create All or Selected Conditions 67

Using a Subquery Condition 69

Date Conditions 71

Chapter Summary 73

Chapter 3: Inserting Tables and Joins 75Table Types - Fact and Dimension 77

Simple Joins 79

Table Field Types 81

Create Classes and Objects 83

Organize and Create New Objects 85Detail Objects 87

Join Cardinalities 89

Dealing with Property Tables 91

Using Detail Objects to Solve Property Table Chasm Trap 93

Aliasing Tables 95

More on Join Types 99

Using the Case Statement to Decode Property Flags 101

Our Universe, So Far 103

Chapter 4: Working with Multiple Fact Tables 105Add a Second Fact Table 107

New Fact Table Chasm Trap 109

Universe Context 111

Automatically Defining a Universe Context 113

Deleting and Manually Inserting Contexts 117Arranging the Universe Section 119

Working with Common Fields 121

Using SIDate Objects 123

Completed Universe 125

Create a Separate Company Universe 127

Linking the Universe 129

Loops in a Universe 131

Dimension Table Loops 133

Chapter Summary 135


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Chapter 5: More Design Considerations 137Add a Third Fact Table 139

Fan Traps 141

Multiple SQL Statements for Each Measure 143

Unsolvable Fan Traps 145

Invoice Type Fan Traps 147

Aggregate Awareness 149

Universe Hierarchies 151

Derived Tables 153

Joins on Different Data Types 155Chapter Summary 157

Chapter 6: Additional Topics 157Hierarchical Display 161

Cascading Lists of Values 163

Index Awareness 165

Using a Hierarchical LOV to Provide Index Awareness 167Hiding Items 169

Between Joins 171

Shortcut Joins 173

Advanced Join Properties 175

Refreshing the Structure 177

Arranging the Tables in the Structure 179

Printing the Universe Definitions 181

Chapter Summary 183

Course Summary 183Course Summary 184

Exercise Table of Contents (After Index)


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Creating Universes with Business Objects XI Copyright 2006 Robert D. Schmidt

Chapter 2: Conditions in Our Universe

In this chapter, we are going to learn how to create

conditions in our universe. Conditions that are

defined at the universe level make our universes more

friendly and complete. People appreciate having a

variety of conditions to use in their queries.

While universe-defined conditions are convenient for

people to use in their queries, it is also important to

note that some universe-defined conditions can not be

created on the query side and must be defined in the

universe.

In this chapter, we will also learn to create a variety of

conditions, including prompted conditions thatprompt for user input when a query is refreshed and

subquery conditions that allow us to use a summary

condition that is separate from the main query.

This chapter is called Conditions in our Universe.

However, it is important to note that these conditions

are also known as Query Filters in WEB Intelligence.

We will continue to call them conditions throughout

this book.

The @Prompt Funtion is Found in the @Functions Section


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Conditions Defined

Opps, forgot to place

conditions on a query!

Reports with No Conditions are Overwheming


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Chapter 2: Conditions in Our Universe - 59

Notes

Conditions - Bring Back the Data that You Want

Conditions are very important to any universe, because they allow people to isolate data of interest. Reports with no conditions are usually quite

overwhelming and, sometimes, even incorrect. We use conditions to limit data. We can also use them to make are reports correct. For example, someconditions inhibit multiple counts due to erroneous relationships in the universe.

Many times, conditions can be created in a document and dont really need to be created in a universe. Other times, the conditions are too complicated

for the reporting tool and must be created in a universe.

I have worked in companies that have very little conditions (only the complicated ones) in their universes and I have worked in others that have every

conceivable condition. I am not sure which is better, but Ill bet that it is somewhere in between the two extremes.

Conditions can be hard-coded, which means that they need no input from the person refreshing the report. They can also be parameterized, which

means that they will need user input when the query is refreshed. Most universes have both cases, and they should.

In this chapter, we are going to explore the different types of condition objects that we can create. In addition, we will continue to discuss conditions

throughout the course, as we will need to create additional conditions as we add more tables and objects to our universe.


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Creating Conditions

Edit Properties Dialog Edit Condition Dialog

To access the Conditions pane in theDesigner, click on the Yellow Filter Funnel

located beneath the Classes and Objects

(Universe) pane.


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Creating Prompted Conditions

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(s)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

The @Prompt

Allows User

Input at

Refresh

Time

Edit Condition Dialog for Company Ticker

The @Prompt Funtion is Found in the @Functions Section


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Notes

Creating Prompted Conditions

The BOBJ condition that we made in the previous exercise works well for objects with a few values, but what about objects with many values fromwhich people can select? Business Objects has provided the @Prompt function to allow us to create condition objects that prompt for user input when

a report is refreshed. We can use the @Prompt as the object for the operand of a condition. We can also use it with any of the logical operators.

The @Prompt consists of five arguments:

5. The prompt label: This is what is displayed when a document is refreshed. It instructs the user to enter the proper values.

6. The type of value: The type is important for the correct behavior of SQL. Numbers dont have quotes - Text does have quotes.

7. The list of values: Most objects have a list of values associated with them, we can use this list or we can use a custom list.

8. Multi/Mono: Multi for more than one value, Mono for one value.

9. Free/Constrained: If free, the user can type in the prompt. If constrained, the user must select from the list of values.

We customize the prompt function with the arguments. For example, suppose that you wanted everyone to select values from a prefabricated list, and

then the function could look something like:

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(s)', 'A', {'BOBJ','INTC','RMBS'}, multi, Constrained)

Exercise: Create a Prompted Condition

1. Click on the Yellow Condition Funnel located beneath the Classes and Objects window.

2. Click the Condition...toolbar button.

3. Enter Company Tickerinto the Name field.

4. EnterEnter Tickers at prompt. Can select Tickers from the Values list into the Description field.

5. Enter @Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(s)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)into the formula field.Hint: For the list of values, type a single quote, then double-click on the Ticker dimension object in the Classes and Objects section. This will enter

the list in the proper format. Sometimes, the object will enter the formula with the @Select function. If the @Select does appear, then simply delete

the function and parenthesis, but leave the argument, which will be in the correct format.


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Prompted Queries in Desktop and WEB Intelligence

Desktop Intelligence List of Values

The Prompt Dialog in Desktop Intelligence

Web Intelligence Prompt and List of Values


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Notes

Prompted Queries in Desktop and WEB Intelligence

When a person refreshes a document with a prompted query a dialog is displayed asking the refresher for input values. In Desktop Intelligence, the

dialog is separate from the List of Values. To use the List of Values, click on the Values...button in the Prompt dialog. Both Web and Desktop

Intelligence allow the List of Values to be refreshed by clicking on theRefreshbutton in the dialog.


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Create All or Selected Conditions

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

Or'*' IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

All or Selected Condition


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Notes

Create All or Selected Conditions

There are limits to how many values that can be selected from a list of values. The limits vary from database to database, and even with in different

versions. However, Business Objects only allows you to select 99 values from the list. This limit can be overridden by modifying the sqlsvr.prm file

and entering the following in the [RDBMS] section: MAX_INLIST_VALUES. It is probably is not very efficient to select all values in a list of values

either. So, to overcome this limitation, we can use the following statement:

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

Or

'*' IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

The first clause of the statement (the part before the Or), is exactly like the original. It simply allows people to select values from a list in the Promptdialog. The second clause looks for the value *. If an * is entered into the prompt dialog, then this second clause is true and all rows will be

returned. This is much more efficient than selecting all values in the list.

I have worked at companies that create a dimension object to hold the asterisk. This object could be calledFor All Constantand the Select field would

contain *. This object will not parse, because it is not associated with any table. However, it will work just fine when it is part of a query. The

statement would then change to:

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Ticker) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)Or

@Select(For All Constant) IN @Prompt('Enter Ticker(* for All)', 'A', 'Portfoliotransactions\Ticker', multi, free)

Exercise: Create All or Selected Condition

1. Double-click on the Company Ticker condition to display the Edit Properties dialog for the object.

2. Modify the existing Where formula to the formula shown in the graphic.

3. Click Parse to make sure the objects syntax is correct.

4. Click OKto exit the Edit Properties dialog.


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Using a Subquery Condition

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Price) * @Select(Portfoliotransactions\Number of Shares (Dem)) * (-1) >

(Select Avg(PORTFOLIOTRANSACTIONS.PRICE * PORTFOLIOTRANSACTIONS.NUMSHARES * (-1))

From PORTFOLIOTRANSACTIONS

Where Year(PORTFOLIOTRANSACTIONS.TRANSDATE) = 2001 )

Revenue Greater Than 2001 Average Edit Dialog


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Notes

Using a Subquery Condition

When a standard condition, such as Revenue Greater than 200,000, is applied to a query, it will work on the resolution of the Dimensions in the Result

objects section. This resolution is known as the context, so we can say that the condition will apply to the context created by the dimensions. This

means that if Trans Year and Revenue are selected in the Result objects window, then the condition Revenue Greater than 200,000 will return years

where revenue is greater than 200,000. If the same condition is used in a query with Trans Year, Trans Month, and Revenue, then the query will return

months where revenue is greater than 200,000.

Sometimes, we need this condition to be independent of the objects in the Results Objects section of the query, such as in the case Revenue Greater

than the Average Revenue. To create a condition that is independent of the Result Objects, we can use a subquery. The subquery works, because it will

return a value that is independent of the outer query.

Exercise: Create a Subquery Condition

1. Click the Yellow Condition funnel to enter into the Conditions section of the universe.

2. Right-Click on the class name and select | Condition... | from the pop-up menu.

3. Name the Condition: Revenue Greater Than 2001 Average.

4. Describe the object as: Returns Where Transaction Revenue Greater Than 2001 Average.

5. Enter the formula displayed in the graphic.

6. Parse the object to ensure the proper syntax.


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Date Conditions

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Transdate) BETWEEN'1/1/' + Cast(Year( @Prompt('Enter Date', D, 'Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,)) As Varchar(4)) AND@Prompt('Enter Date', D, 'Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,)

Prompted YTD

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Transdate) BETWEENDateAdd(dd, -90, @Prompt('Enter Date', 'D, 'Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,)) AND@Prompt('Enter Date', 'D, 'Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,)

@Select(Portfoliotransactions\Transdate) BETWEEN

@Prompt('Enter End Date','D','Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,)@Prompt('Enter Begin Date','D','Portfoliotransactions\Transdate',,) ANDDate Range

Rolling 90 Days Prompted


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Chapter Summary

Revenue Greater Than 2001 Average Edit Dialog


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Notes

Chapter Summary

In this chapter, we learned the importance of condition objects. We also learned how to create simple and complex conditions. Many universes have

too many or not enough condition objects. I guess finding the right balance for your company will take some discovery. I also think that it is better to

err on the side of having too many conditions than not enough.

It is also important to know how people may use or interperate your conditions. For example, in this chapter, we created a subquery condition. This

subquery of this condition will return the average trade revenue in the year 2001. Then the complete condition wiill compare the revenue on each row

of the database to this average revenue. If it is larger, then it will return the row. If people do not understand this behavior, then they may assume that it

does something else.

Having standardized conditions allows all reports to use the same condition logic. This logic is usually based on business rules in the company.Therefore, they are very effective at keeping reports consistent throughout the company.


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Symbols!Unknown 85

@Aggregate_Aware 149

@Prompt 63, 67, 71

@Select 41, 43, 47, 53

AAggregate Awareness 149

ANSI92 21

Associate a List of Values 31

Automated Context Detection 113

BBetween Joins 171

Browser 25

Building-block universes 105

C

Candidate Contexts 113Cardinalities 113

Case Statement 101

Chasm Trap 93, 97, 109

Class folders 29

Classes

Default 29

Unique Names 61

Classes and Objects 61

Create 83

Default 83

Columns

Viewing Values 27

Conditions

All or Selected 67

Creating 61Creating Prompted 63

Date 71

Date Table 123

Defined 59

Pane 61

ODBC 11

Context Candidates 113

Contexts 111

Automatic Definition 113

Deleting 117Insert 139

Join Cardinality 117

Manual Creation 117

Viewing 115

D

Data Manager 37DateAdd 71

Decode Property Flags 101

Derived Tables 153

Detail Objects 87

Dimension Table 77

Dimension Table Loops

Universes

Table Loops 133Dimensions 29

Properties 31

Distinct 43, 51

DSN 3

Duplicate row aggregation 53

duplicate row aggregation 37

EEdit Properties

Condition 61

Exporting 35

F

Fact Table 77Fan Traps 141

Invoice Type 147

Unsolvable 145

G


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Manual Creation 47

IImport 35

Index Awareness 165, 167

Index Prompt 167

Integrity Check 51, 53, 177

JJoin Cardinalities

Joins Cardinality 89

Joins 79Advanced Join Propertie 175

Between 171

Chasm Trap 93

Different Data Types 155

Fan Traps 141

Inner Join 79, 99

Outer Join 99

Shortcut 173

LList Mode 115

List of Values 33

Cascading 163

Export with Universe 161, 167

Hierarchical Display 161, 167Login 7

Look-up Table 77

LOV 167

LOVs

161

Cascading 163

Export with Universe 161Sortings 159

MMeasures 39

C ti 43

Behavior 37

Default 29

Detail 87

Dimension 29

Formatting 49Hiding 169

List of Values 33, 159

Measure 39

Qualification 31

Using Conditions 93

ODBC 13

PParameters

Controls 19

Links 21

Parameters 21

SQL 19

Strategy 19

Summary 19Parse 41, 51, 53

Primary Key 165

Printing 181

Property Tables 91

Q

Quick Design Wizard 9

RRefreshing the Structure 177

repository 17

S

Shortcut Joins 173SQL 55

SQL Function

Cast 71

DateAdd 71

Y 71

C ti U i ith D i XI C i ht 2006 2007 R b t D S h idt


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!Unknown 85

Alias Tables 95

Aliasing 133

Date 121

Derived 153Dimesion 77

Fact 77

Field Types 81

Insert 25

Locate 115

Look-up Table 77

Multiple Fact 107

Show Format 81

Show Row Count 81

Transactions table 77

Underline Keys 81

Viewing Values 27

U

UniverseArranging 119

Exporting 35

Universe Parameters 13

Controls 19

Definition 11

Links 21

Parameters 21

SQL 19

Universes

Export 125

Heirarchies 151

Insert Context 139

Integrity 51

Linking

Linking Universes 129Logical Groups 127

Loops 131

Multiple Fact Tables 139

Save 125

Summary 135

YYear 71

Creating Universes with Designer XI Copyright 2006 2007 Robert D Schmidt


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Exercise Table of Contents

Exercise: Populate the Universe Parameters Definition Tab 11

Exercise: Save Your Universe 17

Exercise: Set the ANSI92 Option to Yes 21

Exercise: Insert a Table into the Workspace 25

Exercise: View the Values in a Table 27

Exercise: Drag the Table to the Classes and Objects Pane 29

Exercise: Modify Some Dimensions 33

Exercise: Export the universe 35

Exercise: Create a Default Report 37Exercise: Create the Number of Shares Measure 39

Exercise: Create the Revenue Object 41

Exercise: Create the Num Transactions and the Number of Companies Measure Objects 43

Exercise: Automatic Time Hierarchy 45

Exercise: Create the five date objects listed on the graphic page also change the Transdate object name to Trans Date. 47

Exercise: Override the Default Formats 49

Exercise: Check Universe Integrity 51

Exercise: Create a Simple Condition Object 61Exercise: Create a Prompted Condition 63

Exercise: Create All or Selected Condition 67

Exercise: Create a Subquery Condition 69

Exercise: Create the Three Date Conditions Shown in the Graphic 71

Exercise: Insert all of the tables shown in the graphic 77

Exercise: Join the tables shown in the graphic 79

Exercise: Show Field Types and Row Counts 81

Exercise: Create Classes and Objects from the Dimension tables 83

Exercise: Organize the Objects 85

Exercise: Create a Detail Object 87

Exercise: Set the Cardinalities in Our Universe 89

Exercise: Join SIProperties to Company 91

Exercise: Create the Property Dimension and Detail Objects. 93

Exercise: Alias the SIProperties Table 95

Exercise: Join the Tables and Create the Dimension Objects 97Exercise: Use the Case Statement to Decode Risk and Buy Sell Recommendation 101


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Exercise: Place EQUITY PRICES in the SIEquity Universe 107

Exercise: Join the EquityPrices table to Company 109

Exercise: Automatically Detect Contexts in Our Universe 113Exercise: View the Universe in List Mode 115

Exercise: Delete Portfolio Transaction Context and Manually Redefine It 117

Exercise: Create Easy to Use Universe Structure 119

Exercise: Remove all Date Objects and Replace with Common SIDate Objects 123

Exercise: Save and Export Universe 125

Exercise: Create Separate Company Universe 127

Exercise: Link the Company Universe to the SI Equity Universe 129

Exercise: Add the SICALLS Table 139Exercise: Add the CallCompanyContacts table to the Universe Structure 141

Exercise: If you have a Reporting Tool Create the Query With and Without the Option 143

Exercise: Create a Universe with XBCustomer, XBINVOICE, and XBINVOICEITEM 147

Exercise: Create Aggregate Awareness in Paintball Invoice Universe 149

Exercise: Create a Custom Heirarchy 151

Exercise: Create a Derived Table 153

Exercise: Sort the LOV for Portfolio Name 159

Exercise: Create a Hierarchical List of Values 161

Exercise: Create a Cascading List of Values 163

Exercise: Define Index Awareness for Mgr Name 165

Exercise: Create an Index Prompt 167

Exercise: Print Preview SI Equity - Designer Course 181

Designer XI

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