© 2009 IBM Corporation Mark Karas Senior Consultant BrightStar Partners, Inc. Top Ten Tips and...

© 2009 IBM Corporation

Mark KarasSenior ConsultantBrightStar Partners, Inc.

Top Ten Tips and TechniquesFrom the Field

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Top Ten Tips and Techniques from the Field

This technical presentation highlights numerous challenges that BSP consultants and software

developers have overcome during the course of delivering superior solutions to our clients

1. Security-driven columnar data display2. Dynamically nesting data in a report3. Express vs. Professional authoring4. Running Cognos reports from URLs5. Preserving Top-N functionality in drill-downs6. Effective dashboard navigation7. Performance Tuning – Native vs. Cognos SQL8. Automated Promotion of PowerCubes9. Dynamically showing/hiding in-report prompts10. Framework Model Namespaces and Folders

1. Security-driven columnar data display

This technique is a simple yet functional way to restrict sensitive data so only a certain group of users will “See” the sensitive data’s values.

Requires:

– Creating a group in the Cognos namespace

– Adding the appropriate members to the new group

– Creating a derived query item to use in place of the standard query item

1. Security-driven columnar data display, cont’d

Create a Security Group in Cognos namespace (See_Cost in this example)

– This security group should have all members that are allowed to see the secured data


Modify the definition of the column to be secured. The definition should refer to the security group.

Publish the package

Create a report using the modified column in the layout (Unit cost in this example)


Run the report as a member of security group

Run the report as a non-member of security group


Advanced Report Studio

2. Dynamically nesting data in a report

Nice usage of some relatively simple JavaScript that can transform a grouped list into a decent drill-down-like, nested style replacement for true OLAP analysis, when you are working with relationally modeled data.

Some simple JavaScript, a couple of new image files and a little creativity is all that is required!!

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2. Dynamically nesting data in a report, cont’d

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2. Dynamically nesting data in a report, cont’d

3. Express vs. Professional authoring

Facts about, and prerequisites for the Express Authoring mode:

Main purpose: Provide non-Cognos report authors the ability to create Financial reports

Works best with a package that contains a multi-dimensional data source (DMR, Cube)

Reports created in either authoring mode can be edited using the other mode

The mode that is set in Report Studio at the time of authoring a report is not tied to the report specification or vice-versa

Like Query and Analysis Studios, the default Express authoring environment works with live data

3. Express vs. Professional authoring, cont’d

Express Authoring facts, cont’d

The Express Authoring mode works only with Crosstabs. Lists and Charts are not available in the tool set, nor are there any prompting capabilities.

By default, the reports authored in Express mode are not Drill-Down enabled, but drilling up and down is available

Levels are not part of the toolset, strictly entire hierarchies and the members, a la Analysis Studio

To get an understanding of the differences in the two modes, I used the GO Finance cube as a data source to create a Balance Sheet report in both authoring modes. My findings are as follows:

Positives/Neutrals

Formatting is similar from the toolbar aspect. There is no properties window like in Professional mode, so the toolbar is the place to change font, justification, add borders, indenting (padding), etc.

Creating a Balance Sheet report in Express mode was indeed faster than using the Professional mode

From the Financial Analyst’s viewpoint, he or she will be working with the accounts and account roll-ups… things they are already very familiar with, as opposed to levels of a hierarchy which is often confusing to them.

Negatives

Changes in the underlying hierarchies will probably break these member-only reports.

Additions to the Chart of Accounts will not be picked up automatically as they would if levels were used.

Lack of flexibility in object usage and setting.

No way to turn off the data preview



In Summary:

I found Express Mode to be fairly easy to use for creating a quick financial report. It is probably not, however, going to replace a truly professionally authored and formatted report when it comes to the total end user/consumer experience, given its “Ad Hoc” feel.

Cognos offers the ability to run reports through a URLYou can pass along information such as:

• Format• Runtime Parameters

•Items per page•Locale•Many more…

•User Interface Options•Hide the toolbars or buttons•‘Return’ button behavior

•Action•Run report or view saved output

•Prompt values

4. Running Cognos Reports using URLs

Why would I want to run a report using a URL?

•Integration with other web applications•Embed the reports in an IFrame to make it part of the page•Replace data driven web pages with Cognos reports

•Cut down on development time•No need for a developer

•Create interactive reports•Create expand/collapse sections within a report to display details using a second report

•Only run the detail data as needed, cut down on query time!•Use more advanced AJAX techniques to create Fly-outs

•Special output format ‘HTMLFragment’

•Impress your friends

4. Running Cognos Reports using URLs, cont’d

Some Simple HTMLin any web page…

…embeds a report within it.


A little JavaScript anda few HTML items…

…and you get a custom master / detail report


URL Format

Starts with the path to your Cognos installationhttp://servername/cognos8/cgi-bin/cognos.cgi ...or...http://server:9300/p2pd/servlet/dispatch

Required values•b_action=cognosViewer•ui.action=run ( or view)•ui.object=<search path goes here>

Optional values•p_<prompt name>=<value>•ui.outputFormat=<format>•cv.header=false•cv.toolbar=false


Where can I get more information?

Chapter 17 of the Cognos SDK Developer Guide isdedicated entirely to performing tasks with URLs.

Cognoise.com

4. Running Cognos Reports using URL, cont’d

1. Security-driven columnar data display2. Dynamically nesting data in a report3. Express vs. Professional authoring4. Running reports from URLs5. Preserving Top-N functionality in drill-downs6. Effective dashboard navigation7. Performance Tuning – Native vs. Cognos SQL8. Automated Promotion of PowerCubes9. Dynamically showing/hiding in-report prompts10. Framework Model Namespaces and Folders

5. Preserving Top-N functionality in Drill-Downs

Goal: Have a drill-down enabled report showing only the Top 2 values rather than showing all values, at any level of the hierarchy

Problem: While the simple usage of an MDX function, TopCount() will provide the desired effect on the report’s initial output, when the user drills-down on one of the Top 2 values, however, the TopCount functionality is lost.

Solution:

– Utilize the Children() MDX function

– Incorporate Member Sets

– Set Advanced Drill Behavior

5. Preserving Top-N functionality in Drill-Downs, cont’d

Example:

– Uses DMR package, GO Sales

– Query:• Series: [Sales].[Time].[Time].

[Year]

• Measure: [Sales].[Sales].[Revenue]

• X-Axis: TopCount([Sales].[Product].[Product].[Product line],2,[Measure])


We want to see the breakdown of Revenue by Product Types under Camping Equipment so we drill-down on Camping Equipment.

Note how the Top 2 is lost…we see 5 product types. Our desire is to still only see the top 2, Tents and Packs in this case


Changes:

– Query updated:• All Products (new)

[Sales].[Product].[Product].[Product(All)]->[all]… is a MUN (member unique name) where [Sales].[Product].[Product].[Product(All)] represents the Top or “All” level of the Product Hierarchy and ->[all] represents the member of this level

• Product Lines (new): children([All Products])

• X-Axis (changed): TopCount([Product Lines],2,[Measure])

• Query Property Define Member Sets set to Yes.


Changes cont’d:

– Define Member sets:• From the Insertable Objects window in the upper left, drag the

Product Lines query item into the member sets window (on the right, currently empty). Rename this item Product Lines MS

• From the Insertable Objects window in the upper left, drag the X-Axis query item into the member sets window and onto the existing Product Lines MS member set. Rename this to X-Axis MS


Changes cont’d:• Modify the Report’s Drill

Behavior– From the Data menu, select

Drill Behavior…– Click the Advanced tab– Click the Product Lines data

item– Set both the Drill-Up and

Down behavior to “Replace Expression”

– Click the X-Axis data item– Set both the Drill-Up and

Down behaviors to “Preserve”

Allows easy intuitive navigation between summary and detail views of data using Table of Contents panel

Table of Content panel contains links to detail reports which is displayed on each report

Simple and quick setup in Report Studio

Easy replicable, flexible, and efficient design

Setup uses the following major components:

– Cognos Connection Portlet Tab – Layout component reference– Drill-through– Summary report– Detail reports

6. Effective Dashboard Navigation

7. Performance Tuning – Native vs. Cognos SQL

You can optimize your report performance by analyzing the Native and Cognos SQL produced by a slow performing query.

Cognos SQL is SQL which is required to be processed in order for Cognos to produce the report.

The Native SQL is the query which is passed to database for execution. Native SQL is subset of Cognos SQL.

Native SQL

select "RETURNED_ITEM"."RETURN_REASON_CODE"

from "GOSL"."dbo"."RETURNED_ITEM" "RETURNED_ITEM"

order by 1 asc

select "RETAILER"."RETAILER_CODE"

from "GORT"."dbo"."RETAILER" "RETAILER"

order by 1 asc

Cognos SQL

select1 as C_____CubeDetailsItem,XSUM(RETAILER.RETAILER_CODE ) as RETAILER_CODE,XSUM(RETURNED_ITEM.RETURN_REASON_CODE ) as RETURN_REASON_CODE

fromGOSL.GOSL.dbo.RETURNED_ITEM RETURNED_ITEM

left outer join

GORT.GORT.dbo.RETAILER RETAILERon (RETAILER.RETAILER_CODE = RETURNED_ITEM.RETURN_REASON_CODE)

group by 1

7. Performance Tuning – Native vs. Cognos SQL, cont’d

The Native SQL consists of two separate select statements. You may notice that the qualifications are different. This indicates that each of the two columns come from a table in a different schema.

The Cognos SQL shows that the query requires a left outer join relationship between the two tables. However, since this relationship is not included in the Native SQL, it is being processed locally. Depending on the size of the tables involved, this may impact performance

Actual source of the problem is the tables were imported as two different data sources.


The model will need to be updated to include both tables under the same data source

This will change the Native SQL toselect distinct "RETAILER"."RETAILER_CODE" "RETAILER_CODE",

"RETURNED_ITEM"."RETURN_CODE" "RETURN_CODE"

from "GORT"."RETAILER" "RETAILER" LEFT OUTER JOIN

"GOSL"."RETURNED_ITEM" "RETURNED_ITEM" on

"RETAILER"."RETAILER_CODE"="RETURNED_ITEM"."RETURN_REASON_CODE"


IBM Cognos 8 creates a file lock when a user accesses the cube through any studio of IBM Cognos. Even after user closes the cube, IBM Cognos keeps those locks for a specific time.

You will get an error if you try to build cube while the file is locked.

Steps involved in building cubes in Cognos 8 - disable cube, build the cube, and enable the cube.

PCConn – PCConn is Cognos utility which accepts Cognos commands in batch mode. It accepts file as input. It is under c8\webapps\utilities directory. This will be used to disable and enable the Cube

CogTr – Cognos Transformer command line utility. It is under c8\bin directory. This is used to build the Cube

8. Automated Promotion of PowerCubes

Create one file as DisableCube.txt under D:\Script directory

connect

<Domain Name> <CognosLogon> <Cognos Password>

Disable <Data Source Name>

Exit

Create another as EnableCube.txt under D:\Script directory

connect

<Domain Name> <CognosLogon> <Cognos Password>

Enable <Data Source Name>

Exit

8. Automated Promotion of PowerCubes, cont’d

Create batch file CubeBuild.bat under the D:\Script directory

cd “C:\Program Files\cognos\c8\webapps\utilities\PCConn"

cmd /c PCConn -f "D:\Script\DisableCube.txt"

ping localhost -n 300 > nul

cd "D:\Program Files\cognos\c8\bin"

cmd /c cogtr -n -p"D:\Cognos OLAP Models\PNL Reporting.pyj"

cd "D:\Program Files\cognos\c8\webapps\utilities\PCConn"

cmd /c PCConn -f "D:\Script\EnableCube.txt"

8. Automated Promotion of PowerCubes, cont’d

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9. Dynamically showing/hiding in-report prompts

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9. Dynamically showing/hiding in-report prompts, cont’d

Namespaces ( ) are part of the Object ID. [Data Source View].[Sales Fact].[Revenue]

Namespaces can be used to create required unique Object IDs for Query Items. [Data Source View].[Sales Fact].[Revenue] [Data Source View].[Invoices].[Revenue]

Namespaces must be unique across the model.

Any changes made to published namespaces will break reports. ***Shameless Plug Alert!!! ***

Folders can be used to organize content without affecting Object IDs or authored reports. Changes to folder names will not affect reports.

10. Framework Model Namespaces and Folders

Questions?

Thank you and enjoy the rest of the Event!!!

Mark Karas

[email protected]

www.brightstarpartners.com

BSP Toll free: (888) 915-6200

BSP Direct: (847) 439-0308

© 2009 IBM Corporation Mark Karas Senior Consultant BrightStar Partners, Inc. Top Ten Tips and...

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