xcelsius connectivity with mssql database

system · January 7, 2008, 12:39pm

Hi,

I have some data in a mssql database and i want to generate reports corresponding to that data. Is there any way through which i can generate the reports directly by using the database as the input source to the xcelsius.
In the database new data is continuously getting added, so I am interested in developing some real-time application using xcelsius where it can fetch data from the database and display it on report.

Please help me either by giving direct input or by giving some links for pdfs or web pages. I am a newbee with xcelsius.

Thanks
Parang Saraf
parang.saraf@gmail.com

parang.saraf (BOB member since 2008-01-07)

system · January 7, 2008, 3:37pm

You have to create a BO universe and use live office or QAAWS to work with live data.And you need CX workgroup edition.

abhi234u (BOB member since 2007-02-12)

system · January 7, 2008, 5:00pm

Can you be more explicit about using BO universe and the process that you are talking about?
Dont you think in order to create a BO universe I have to take a membership/subscribe to BO, which will cost me.

Someone told me that we can achieve this by using Microsoft Reporting tools Any ideas or lead on that?

parang.saraf (BOB member since 2008-01-07)

system · January 7, 2008, 6:00pm

xCelsius can consume web services. One method (as mentioned) is to use the BusObj Query as a Web Service. But if you have another method to create web services against your SQL Server database, you can consume that. But you can’t create a direct connection (e.g. ADODB, ODBC) from xCelsius to a database platform.

gjelmore (BOB member since 2006-02-06)

system · January 7, 2008, 6:35pm

There is no way you can connect CX directly to database.You have to use a medium ie: Live Office or QAAWS , which inturn needs a business objects universe against the database.

So,

You need a business objects universe.
You need live office or QAAWS
You need CX workgroup.

abhi234u (BOB member since 2007-02-12)

system · January 8, 2008, 7:01am

Thanks a lot for responding back.
I am quite new with the xcelsius. I would greatly appreciate if you can give me a link to an article or some pdf that explains the process that you guys are talking about.
If possible can i have your email ids so that i can contact you directly for getting a quicker reply.

Thanks
Parang
parang.saraf@gmail.com

parang.saraf (BOB member since 2008-01-07)

system · January 8, 2008, 3:00pm

Go to the Business Objects site (www.BusinessObjects.com) and go to Support -> Documentation. Select Product Guides. Then select Business Objects XI Release 2 and Productivity Pack. One of the documents is Query as a Web Service. It’ll walk you through the technology and the integration to xCelsius.

But using QaaWS requires an installation of Business Objects Enterprise.

gjelmore (BOB member since 2006-02-06)

system · January 9, 2008, 11:13pm

You don’t need Qaaws or Liveoffice or web services to get the data. You can actually get the data into Excel as a query in XML format.
If you have Excel 2003 or above from Excel go to Data - Import External data and select New Database Query.

You can similarly link to any XML file also and get the data.

Details at this location: http://www.xcelsius.com/Learning/Center3.html

Read all 3 pdfs for a better understanding.

HTH
Maloy

itsmaloy (BOB member since 2007-01-25)

system · January 23, 2008, 4:25pm

Hey Maloy,

Thanks a lot, that was a great help.

Parang

parang.saraf (BOB member since 2008-01-07)

system · January 28, 2008, 10:24pm

Even better than that you can check out Flynet…I believe they support mssql.

http://www.flynetviewer.com/Business-Objects/Web-Service-Generator-For-Applications/104.aspx

Otherwise you can use the MS reporting services component built right into Xcelsius.

Hope this helps,

rgoodman (BOB member since 2007-02-06)

system · March 7, 2008, 10:07pm

As a newbee all this is very helpfull to me.

Just some additional questions?
Which version off Xcelsius do you need to build? (i have standard version)
Does a user need a viewer to use for exemple a swf file?

Haag

haag (BOB member since 2007-06-22)

system · August 15, 2008, 1:43pm

User does not need an “Xcelsius” viewer. You can implant a Dashboard into MS Office Product or Web Application, anything that can consume flash input.

shaffner (BOB member since 2004-07-22)

system · August 20, 2008, 3:04pm

Parang:

Here are some of the options:

If you have BO at your Org, Create a Universe and then generate a Web Service using QaaWS (Query as a Web Service). QaaWS is a BO technology.

If you dont have BO at your Org, you can use a 3rd party Web Service Generator like “Flynet Web Service Generator for Databases” to generate web services from a variety of Databases.
More: http://www.flynet.co.uk/Products/Flynet-Viewer-Web-Service-Generator-For-Databases/5.aspx
Note: Web Service Generator for Databases is included with every copy of Xcelsius Engage Server.
List of Compatible data-sources:
http://www.flynetviewer.com/Business-Objects/Xcelsius-Engage-Server—Compatible-data-sources/142,0,0-0-0,0,0,0.aspx

If you are good at XML and SQL Server, here is a great article on “Retrieving Dynamic XML from SQL Server”
http://www.15seconds.com/issue/001102.htm

HAAG:
If you want to Create Static Dashboards using MS Excel as your Data Source, you can use any edition of Xcelsius. However, if you are trying to create Dynamic Live Dashboards, you need to have one of the following:

Crystal Xcelsius Workgroup
All Xcelsius 2008 Editions, except Xcelsius Present 2008

Im afraid you cannot use Crystal Xcelsius Standard 4.5 to create Live Dashboards.

The Recipients dont need any Kind of a Viewer to open and interact with the Dashboards. All they need is the latest version of Adobe Flash Installed on their machine. You can download it here:
http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

MyXcelsius (BOB member since 2008-07-18)