MANAGERO Universe

security Supervisor (4.x - 6.x)
1

Hi all

Does anybody know where i can get a MANAGERO universe for

DB2 for NT
DB2 for MVS or
SQL Server 6.5 ?

Any help at all of any kind would be appreciated!

Christoph Baumann (Technical Consultant/Object Engineer) tel.: +47 2247 5122, e-mail: christophb@ch.continuum.no CSI Computer Sciences International AS
&vre Slottsgate 8, PO Box 635 Sentrum
N-0106 Oslo, Norway

Christoph Baumann

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2

Welcome to the club. I (and several others) had requested for the manager universe for Sybase quite a while ago. Maybe you are luckier :wink:

-Sai

PS: If you get it, could you be so kind enought as to share it with me.

Christoph Baumann (Technical Consultant/Object Engineer) wrote:

Does anybody know where i can get a MANAGERO universe for

DB2 for NT
DB2 for MVS or
SQL Server 6.5 ?

Any help at all of any kind would be appreciated!

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

3

Christoph Baumann wrote:

Does anybody know where i can get a MANAGERO universe for > DB2 for NT
DB2 for MVS or
SQL Server 6.5 ?

There is no “offical” Manager universe for DB2/MVS. I have been building my own with ManagerO as a starting point. To my knowledge, Oracle is the only database that Business Objects ever created a Manager universe for.

Barbara Rosen
Global Database Architecture
Salomon Smith Barney
New York, NY
e-mail: barbara.rosen@ssmb.com

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4

Barbara Rosen schrieb:

Christoph Baumann wrote:

Does anybody know where i can get a MANAGERO universe for > DB2 for NT
DB2 for MVS or
SQL Server 6.5 ?

There is no “offical” Manager universe for DB2/MVS. I have been building my own with ManagerO as a starting point. To my knowledge, Oracle is the only database that Business Objects ever created a Manager universe for.

Isn’t it possible to simply change it to DB2/whatever connection you use? I’m not sure if they use something special in the object definitions of the Universe… And if, it should not be too complicated to transform it into sybase, db2, whatever…

Walter.

Walter Muellner
Delphi Software GmbH, Vivenotgasse 48, A-1120 Vienna, Austria Tel. +43-1-8151456-12, Fax: +43-1-8151456-21 e-mail: w.muellner@delphi.at, WEB: http://www.delphi.at

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5

Isn’t it possible to simply change it to DB2/whatever connection you use? I’m not sure if they use something special in the object definitions of the Universe… And if, it should not be too complicated to transform it into Sybase, db2, whatever…

I know it seems like it should be so easy, but it is not. If you would like to convert it to Sybase or DB2 AND have it correctly report the data, I am SURE there would be some very grateful people around here. There are many Oracle specific syntax conventions in the definitions. Furthermore and worse, there are restrictions in the use of outer joins in both Sybase and DB2 that make proper retrieval of the data much, much more difficult. I suspect this is why we don’t see BusinessObjects or anybody else freely providing other versions of this universe. I think BusinessObjects copped out on this one. Since they don’t provide features within the product to properly report information, I think they should put more effort into providing repository universes for the other connections - that work.

Thanks,

Greg Mills

s-greg.mills@usa.conoco.com
ETN/DUCOM 442-5597
(580) 767-5597

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

6

In a message dated 98-06-09 17:12:27 EDT, you write:

Isn’t it possible to simply change it to DB2/whatever
connection you use? I’m not sure if they use something special in the object definitions of the Universe… And if, it should not be too complicated to transform it into Sybase, db2, whatever…

I know it seems like it should be so easy, but it is not. If you would like to convert it to Sybase or DB2 AND have it correctly report the data, I am SURE there would be some very grateful people around here. There are many Oracle specific syntax conventions in the definitions. Furthermore and worse, there are restrictions in the use of outer joins in both Sybase and DB2 that make proper retrieval of the data much, much more difficult.

This is a difficult issue. Oracle allows enough flexibility with outer joins and some other features that a rudimentary ManagerO universe is possible. I say rudimentary because there are still things that are not fully reported even against an Oracle repository.

Outer joins are one of the biggest issues; Sybase and SQL Server both have a limitation of only one outer join per table. DB2 for a long time didn’t even support outer joins, although later versions do.

Standard SQL does not support recursion, which is required to fully parse the relationships between users and universes (or users and documents, or anything else that can be granted or revoked). Oracle (are you tired of hearing this yet?) does have a recursion feature in the “Connect By” clause. But since this is non-standard SQL, BusinessObjects does not generate it in their SQL code.

One possible solution that I spent the better part of a weekend on was to write generic queries using subsets of the repository tables, and use the BusinessObjects “join” between data providers to show the results. A BusinessObjects data provider “link” is automatically an outer join. If you are trying to develop reports against a non-Oracle repository then perhaps this idea will give you a fresh start.

Another idea that I have toyed with is to again create queries that download the basic data (user list, class list, object list, document list, resource list, etc) into text files, import the data into MS Access and process there.

Yet another idea is to download text files and process / analyze using the file I/O functions of the Business Objects scripting language. In other words, run basic queries and export to text files. Then using the scripting language, process text files and output to new expanded text files. Finally, use these new (analyzed) text files as a data source for a BusinessObjects report. Yuk, maybe, but possible.

None of these solutions are pretty. None of them are possible without a reasonable amount of work. But they are alternatives to creating a full-blown repository universe against a database other than Oracle. And, before you ask, I have not completed any of these projects so I can only share my ideas… not a final product.

Regards,
Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions
www.islink.com

See you in Orlando in '98!

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7

Sailesh.Thakker@GEPEX.GE.COM

Without going thru all the Pain and investing Time & Resources to build a DB2/Sybase
MANAGERO universe or writing complex scripts, I would rather do the following

  • Buy Personal Oracle 7 ($ 1000+)
  • Write a script to migrate all the repository data from DB2/Sybase to Personal Oracle7
    (Using ODBC… etc.)
  • Use the existing Oracle MANAGERO Universe.

If you value time & resources, this is definitely a cheaper solution. BTW, I’m nowhere linked to Oracle or BusinessObjects Corp. Regards

Date: Tue, 9 Jun 1998 23:10:40 EDT

In a message dated 98-06-09 17:12:27 EDT, you write:

Isn’t it possible to simply change it to DB2/whatever
connection you use? I’m not sure if they use something special in the object definitions of the Universe… And if, it should not be too complicated to transform it into Sybase, db2, whatever…

I know it seems like it should be so easy, but it is not. If you woul=
d
like to convert it to Sybase or DB2 AND have it correctly report the data, I am SURE there would be some very grateful people around here. There are many Oracle specific syntax conventions in the definitions. Furthermore and worse, there are restrictions in the use of outer join=
s
in both Sybase and DB2 that make proper retrieval of the data much, mu=
ch
more difficult.

This is a difficult issue. Oracle allows enough flexibility with outer jo= ins
and some other features that a rudimentary ManagerO universe is possible.=
I
say rudimentary because there are still things that are not fully reporte= d
even against an Oracle repository.

Outer joins are one of the biggest issues; Sybase and SQL Server both hav= e a
limitation of only one outer join per table. DB2 for a long time didn’t e= ven
support outer joins, although later versions do.

Standard SQL does not support recursion, which is required to fully parse=
the
relationships between users and universes (or users and documents, or any= thing
else that can be granted or revoked). Oracle (are you tired of hearing th= is
yet?) does have a recursion feature in the “Connect By” clause. But since=
this
is non-standard SQL, BusinessObjects does not generate it in their SQL co= de.

One possible solution that I spent the better part of a weekend on was to write generic queries using subsets of the repository tables, and use the BusinessObjects “join” between data providers to show the results. A BusinessObjects data provider “link” is automatically an outer join. If y= ou
are trying to develop reports against a non-Oracle repository then perhap= s
this idea will give you a fresh start.

Another idea that I have toyed with is to again create queries that downl= oad
the basic data (user list, class list, object list, document list, resour= ce
list, etc) into text files, import the data into MS Access and process th= ere.

Yet another idea is to download text files and process / analyze using th= e
file I/O functions of the Business Objects scripting language. In other w= ords,
run basic queries and export to text files. Then using the scripting lang= uage,
process text files and output to new expanded text files. Finally, use th= ese
new (analyzed) text files as a data source for a BusinessObjects report. = Yuk,
maybe, but possible.

None of these solutions are pretty. None of them are possible without a reasonable amount of work. But they are alternatives to creating a full-b= lown
repository universe against a database other than Oracle. And, before you=
ask,
I have not completed any of these projects so I can only share my ideas…= . not
a final product.

Regards,
Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions
www.islink.com
Regards
Sailesh Thakker
IMO, GE Plastics, Singapore.

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

8

Dave, I think we need a repository warehouse solution from BusinessObjects!!

This is why I think some of these more common reporting issues should be part of the product. This would be very simple with an application such as the Supervisor. Simply building a universe against a database designed for transaction processing is not always good for query and reporting. The physical structure is not necessarily conducive to this kind of application. Isn’t this something we all knew? For a company that sells a query and reporting tool they seem to be lacking in providing easy access to data in their own database.

Thanks,

Greg Mills

s-greg.mills@usa.conoco.com
ETN/DUCOM 442-5597
(580) 767-5597

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

9

Hi All,

I’m an Oracle user and am not sure what features are part Sybase/DB2/etc., but could stored database functions be used to get around the limitations that have been discussed? i.e. write a function that returns a value which can be used to evaluate whether two rows of data should be joined? I’ve used this technique to modify the ManagerO universe so it can reports on sections of the security domain which would be inaccessible otherwise.

As an example, one stored database function I wrote for the extended ManagerO universe follows. If this function can be rewritten to work with your database, you should be able to make ManagerO compatible with your RDBMS. The Oracle-specific CONNECT BY clause should be able to be replaced using a WHILE loop which opens a cursor with the current iteration’s details.

FUNCTION display_nested_classname(id_universe IN NUMBER,
id_class IN NUMBER)
RETURN VARCHAR2 IS
/* Displays the complete ‘path’ to a class within a universe. This is a

  • string consisting of the current class and all of its parent classes, each
  • separated by a backslash.
    */

/* This cursor does not specified ‘fully qualified’ column names

  • (i.e. .) because a SELECT statement based on a CONNECT BY
  • cannot reference more than one table.
    */
    CURSOR class_hierarchy IS
    SELECT cls_name,
    level
    FROM unv_class
    START WITH class_id = id_class
    AND universe_id = id_universe
    CONNECT BY PRIOR cls_baseclassid = class_id
    AND universe_id = id_universe;

    • nm_class_output VARCHAR2(2000) := NULL;
    BEGIN
    /* Adds each class in the hierarchy to the string. The cursor works from

    • the inner most class (that specified in the function parameter) to the
    • root class for this branch of the universe. /
      FOR pt_record IN class_hierarchy
      LOOP
      /       Only add a backslash character if class names are being concatenated.*/
      IF nm_class_output IS NULL
      THEN
      nm_class_output := pt_record.cls_name;
      ELSE
      nm_class_output := pt_record.cls_name || '' || nm_class_output; END IF;
      END LOOP;

    RETURN nm_class_output; /* Return the nested class
    name. */
    END display_nested_classname;

    Note: This function is only used to format output, not to evaluate joins between tables. I would have provided one of the functions used to implement a join but it would have made this post at least twice as long, and much more confusing!

    Sorry about the long post.

    Matt

    From: David Rathbun Integra Solutions[SMTP:DRathbun@AOL.COM]
    Sent: Wednesday, 10 June 1998 13:10

    In a message dated 98-06-09 17:12:27 EDT, you write:

    Isn’t it possible to simply change it to DB2/whatever
    connection you use? I’m not sure if they use something special in the object definitions of the Universe… And if, it should not be too complicated to transform it into Sybase, db2, whatever…

    I know it seems like it should be so easy, but it is not. If you
    would
    like to convert it to Sybase or DB2 AND have it correctly report
    the
    data, I am SURE there would be some very grateful people around
    here.
    There are many Oracle specific syntax conventions in the
    definitions.
    Furthermore and worse, there are restrictions in the use of outer
    joins
    in both Sybase and DB2 that make proper retrieval of the data much,
    much
    more difficult.

    This is a difficult issue. Oracle allows enough flexibility with outer joins
    and some other features that a rudimentary ManagerO universe is possible. I
    say rudimentary because there are still things that are not fully reported
    even against an Oracle repository.

    Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)