Comments on: What is Query as a Web Service (QaaWS)?

By: smalltownjava

smalltownjava — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:14:11 +0000

How would you see legacy web services consumed in a BobJ Universe when P2P on the DB is unavailable?

By: Franc

Franc — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 03:01:51 +0000

Hi Mike,
Yes, this product can definitely provide the medata I’m after and much more. Thank you for the document link.
However, to me it sounds absurd that to obtain information from your Business Intelligence product you need another Business Intelligence product.
Situations like this might make “business intelligence” sound as oxymoronic as “military intelligence”.
Anyway, thanks again for your help, Mike. Great site, great tips.
Franc.

By: Mike Allison

Mike Allison — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 12:40:38 +0000

Ok I understand what you are refering to as "Metadata" now. SAP BusinessObjects has a product called Metadata Management (for 3.x) or Metadata Manager (for XIR2) that I believe might help get you closer towards your end goal. Here is the link to the 3.1 documentation Hopefully this helps you out. Mike

By: Franc

Franc — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:54:46 +0000

First of all, thank you for the article links. They are clear and objective, and yet provide the information suggested by the title.

In regards to my query, please note I think I used “metadata” in a different meaning (or at least layer) than you did, so allow me to explain myself better.

Suppose you have Table ‘T1′, which is referenced by Universe ‘A’, linked to reports ‘R1′, ‘R2′ and ‘R3′.

Also assume report ‘R1′ uses dimensions (or measures, it does not matter for the purpose of this query) ‘Alfa’ and ‘Beta’, report ‘R2′ uses dimensions ‘Beta’ and ‘Gamma’. Report ‘R3′ uses dimensions ‘Beta’ and ‘Theta’. All reports are linked to Universe ‘A’, and all dimensions (or measures) from that Universe reference Table ‘T1′.

The information about the reports (and universes as well) is what I mean by metadata, not the universe layer itself. So I am trying to find a way to query the CMS (CMS_INFOOBJECTS6) so it can let me know which reports are linked to which universe (that much I can do with the “Query Builder”) and which dimensions/measures/details each report uses, and which table(s) those dimensions/measures/detais reference.

So to use the example I described above, I am trying to query BOXI so that it replies with its metadata all the way to the SQL code level:

| Universe | Report | Objects | SQL |
| ‘A’ | ‘R1′ | ‘Alfa’ | SELECT T1_alfa from T1
| ‘A’ | ‘R1′ | ‘Beta’ | SELECT T1_beta from T1
| ‘A’ | ‘R2′ | ‘Beta’ | SELECT T1_beta from T1
| ‘A’ | ‘R2′ | ‘Gamma’ | SELECT T1_gamma from T1

and so on…

As I said, I have been able to use the Query Builder to get which reports are linked using the tips from here (http://www.businessobjectstips.com/tips/query-builder/using-bo-query-builder-to-detect-report-universe-binding-status/).

I have also been able to use Dwayne Hoffpauir’s coded XLS (http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=59650) to collect a lot of useful universe metadata. I also tried Sushir Patel’s Documentator XLS (http://www.forumtopics.com/busobj/viewtopic.php?t=143071) and it also provided a lot of useful information, but none provided report metadata, only universe metadata.

Finally, I also tried using the Audit universe, and it will bring up the whole query SQL for the reports, but ONLY if the report is run on InfoView and on demand (it does not show if you schedule it). So that is my workaround for now, but it means I have to run reports to get metadata from them, and that is far from ideal.

Most writtings on the subject suggest that only by using SDK or Metadata Integrator can this kind of metadata be acquired. But I’ve read somewhere that it is possible to query metadata using Qaaws, and that is my query: how can you use Qaaws to obtain metadata on DeskI reports?

I have already configured Qaaws, and found it useful and interesting, but it does not seem to provide the metadata I am after. If I missed anything and it can, please let me know.

Thanks again and regards,

Franc.

By: Mike Allison

Mike Allison — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:08:02 +0000

Hi Franc, QaaWS shares metadata with WebI, DeskI and Crystal reports by leveraging a universe. Here is a post on what a universe is: What is a BusinessObjects Universe As far as your second question, check out the following post, It should clear up how QaaWS uses metadata (Universes): Quick and Dirty Guide on How to Create a QaaWS Best, Mike

By: Franc

Franc — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:24:23 +0000

Would you please clarify what you mean by “Shares metadata with WebIntelligence, Desktop Intelligence and Crystal Reports”?
How can you use Query as a web service to reference metadata tables?
Thanks.

By: Mike Allison

Mike Allison — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:10:58 +0000

No problems there. Feel free to post links out to our blog as you want.

By: Y'golobear

Y'golobear — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:15:36 +0000

Would it be possible to get permission to use some of your posts on forums with a link?

By: Altek Solutions Blog » Using QaaWS to drive your Xcelsius Dashboards

Altek Solutions Blog » Using QaaWS to drive your Xcelsius Dashboards — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:41:32 +0000

[...] right in line with the other blogs that I have written about QaaWS (What is a QaaWS and Quick and Dirty Guide to Creating a QaaWS) I decided to put together a quick one and a [...]

By: Altek Solutions Blog » A Look at Lifecycle Manager

Altek Solutions Blog » A Look at Lifecycle Manager — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:11:02 +0000

[...] allows most types of objects to be promoted, including folders, reports, universes, connections, QaaWS, events, calendars, access levels, business views, users, groups, and profiles.