十一 25

How to create a Time Dimension in Framework Manager

Cognos , Add Comment (0)

Description:
This document describes how to create a Time Dimension in Framework Manager which is similar to a Time Dimension created in Powerplay Transformer.

Steps:

  • Right-click on the Namespace and choose Create->Regular Dimension.
  • From Available Items drag the date column and drop it under Hierarchies.
  • Click the ellipsis in Source field to open Calculation Definition windows.
  • Change the name of the calculation to Year.
  • Use ‘cast’ and ‘extract’ functions to extract the years from the date column and convert it to character string, e.g.:
    cast(extract ( year, [].[].[] ) , char(8))
  • Back in the Dimension Definition windows, click the ellipsis in the Role field.
  • Assign _businessKey and _memberCaption roles.
  • Under Hierarchies, Add Levels for Month and Day.
  • Repeat the steps 3-7 for the Month and Day using expressions:
    cast(extract ( month, [].[].[] ) , char(8))
    cast(extract ( day, [].[].[] ) , char(8))

    • Note:
    ‘cast’ function has to be used to convert a numeric field to a string as _memberCaption Role cannot be numeric.


    九 7

    How to add additional Session Parameters to the available Parameters in Framework Manager

    Cognos , Add Comment (0)

    Description:

    This document describes how to make Custom User Properties for LDAP available to Cognos 8 Components.

    Environment:

    • Cognos 8 BI
    • LDAP or Active Directory Authentication Source

    Solution:

    You can use arbitrary user attributes from your LDAP authentication provider (ADS as well) in Cognos 8 components. To configure this, you must add these attributes as custom properties for the LDAP namespace. The custom properties are available as session parameters through Framework Manager.

    Steps:

    1. On every computer where Content Manager is installed open Cognos Configuration
    2. In the Explorer window, under Security, Authentication, click the LDAP namespace.
    3. In the Properties window, click in the Value column for Custom properties and click the Edit button.
    4. In the Value – Custom properties window, click Add.
    5. Click the Name column, and enter the name you want Cognos 8 components to use for the session parameter.
    6. Click the Value column, and enter the name of the account parameter in your LDAP authentication provider.
    7. Repeat the preceding two steps for each custom parameter.

      Example for using the NT User ID:

      Name Value
      ntUserDomainId ntUserDomainId

       
       

    8. Click OK.
    9. From the File menu, click Save.
    10. Restart the Cognos 8 Service 
    11. Open your Framework Manager Project
    12. Edit the Query Subject Definition
    13. Click the Filters tab
    14. Click Add to Insert a Filter
    15. Click the Parameters tab
    16. The new Session Parameter is called $account.parameters.<Name>, e.g.: #$account.parameters.ntUserDomainId#

      Example for such a filter:
      [Namespace].[QuerySubject].[NTUserID]  = #sq($account.parameters.ntUserDomainId)# 


    九 7

    How to create an optional prompt in Framework Manager

    Cognos , , , Add Comment (0)

    Description:

    How to create optional prompts in Framework Manager.

    Environment:

    Windows [ALL]

    Solution:

    How you create a filter in Framework Manager will depend on whether the filter is seen by a user in Query Studio and or Report Studio.
    Here is the expected behaviour seen in Query Studio based on a particular filter

    Filter using prompt Macro
    E.g.  [database].[query subject].[query item] like #prompt(‘Prompt name’, ‘Datatype’)#
    Because the example uses a macro filter in Framework Manager, then the filter is required and will be seen in Query Studio.

    Filter using ? ?
    E.g.  [database].[query subject].[query item] like ?QueryItem?
    To make this filter prompt optional you need to set the “Usage” as optional in Framework manager.

    When you then use this query item in Query Studio you will not be prompted for a value.  Please note that this is not the case in Report Studio.  In Report Studio, you will be prompted for a value, however, as the filter is optional, the user can press the OK button without selecting any data items.