How to Convert VirtualBox / OVA to Vmware

 

These are the steps I followed to convert a VirtualBox OVA archive to Vmware using Vmware Player.

Tested on Windows 7 x64

Step
Install Vmware Player
Vmware Player->File->Open
Choose image
Choose path to store virtual machine
Click Retry on warning message
Wait for Import to complete (up to 1 hr)
Vmware Player shows imported machine
Check Virtual Machine Settings: Voila

Setting up Google Maps API

Obtain a Google Maps API key as per instructions:

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/tutorial#api_key

Copy API Key

Paste to Map Viewer, Google Maps, Map Tile Layer

Alternatively, simply clear this field, and use no API key.

OBIEE Charts Blur in Chrome

 

OBIEE 11g (11.1.1.6.2 BP1) charts blur in Chrome (Version 24.0.1312.57 m).

This is caused by the Flash Plugin. Version info found with chrome:plugins

Two versions are available, I disabled the first.

And refresh dashboard page, result is good:

Links -

https://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=2456673

ODBC Problem: Excel & OBIEE 11g on Windows

 

I want to use an Excel worksheet as a source on my Windows 7 x64 laptop. I have OBIEE 11g (11.1.1.6.2 BP1) installed and MS Office 2010 32-bit.

So I first setup the ODBC source, using the 32-bit version of the ODBC Administrator tool, since I have MS Office 2010 32-bit installed. From: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942976

A 64-bit version of the Microsoft Windows operating system includes the following versions of the Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) Data Source Administrator tool (Odbcad32.exe):

• The 32-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\SysWoW64 folder.
• The 64-bit version of the Odbcad32.exe file is located in the %systemdrive%\Windows\System32 folder.

(Confusing…)

Done.

Through the OBIEE 11g Admin Tool (11.1.1.6.2 BP 1), I can import ODBC Excel metadata.

After deploying it through Enterprise Manager however, OBIEE 11g BI Server does not like the 32-bit Excel ODBC driver, as the Answers request below shows. (This driver comes bundled with MS Office 2010 32-Bit)

[Microsoft][ODBC Driver Manager] The specified DSN contains an architecture mismatch between the Driver and Application. (HY000

So the solution is to install the 64-bit Microsoft Access components?

Unfortunately not …

What is the solution?

Perhaps this ?

Use the /passive parameter to force install of the 64-bit ODBC drivers:

AccessDatabaseEngine_2010_x64.exe /passive

Add ODBC source to 64-Bit ODBC with same DSN name:

%systemdrive%\Windows\System32\odbcad32.exe

Refresh request page:

Voila. Hardly elegant, but at first glance this works…

Useful Links -

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/adodotnetdataproviders/thread/abf34eea-1029-429a-b88e-4671bffcee76/#b6deab32-c1e0-436d-b783-8a4948ff99ec

http://spotfirecommunity.tibco.com/community/Themes/leanandgreen/Forums/viewIphoneThread.aspx?PostID=4863

First glance, was not enough … next time you open Excel:

Warning: This occurs every time you open Excel, Word, and breaks my Xobni add-in to Outlook! This approach effectively breaks your existing Office 32-bit install.

 

Fortunately, at first glance, my Answers request still works -

The following link details installing ODBC drivers for Linux:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/401358/how-do-i-create-a-dsn-for-odbc-in-linux

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7116019/hand-install-of-64-bit-ms-access-odbc-drivers-when-32-bit-office-is-present

Passing parameters with Hierarchical Col in Report

OBIEE notes :

• The create prompted link menu item provides a good example of how to pass parameters to a dashboard page
• This URL can be embedded within an analysis to pass parameters between hierarchical summary report and a detail report without hierarchy. Action links fail with Javascript error on reports with hierarchical columns. 

Parent Child Hierarchies– OBIEE Wizard Script

 

As per the OBIEE documentation, the parent-child table requires the following columns -

• member_key
• ancestor_key
• distance
• is_leaf

We will work with the following very simple employee hierarchy

• bob
• jill
• pete
• phil

This is represented in the table EMPS as follows

The parent child map table EMPS_H, created via the OBIEE wizard, has the following rows in it

Ten rows have been created. (ignore hierarchy col)

What has the script done?

In effect, it has created a link between each member and each of its ancestor, while calculating the distance between member and ancestor.

For our example, then:

• bob has two rows, one identifying him as a root node (ancestor_key is null) and another self-referential row
• jill has two rows, one link to only ancestor bob, and self-referential
• pete has three rows, two links to ancestors bob and jill, and self-referntial
• phill has three rows, two links to ancestors bob and jill, and self-referential

So in effect, for each member, there will N rows created, where N = 1 + number of ancestors. The exception is top level members, these will always have two rows, one for self-referential, and one link to a null ancestor (this is how OBIEE identifies top-level nodes).

So we can calculate the number of rows as follows

• Bob =  top-level member = 2 rows
• Jill = 1 + 1 ancestor = 2 rows
• Bob = 1 + 2 ancestors = 3 rows
• Pete = 1 + 2 ancestors = 3 rows

Total = 10 rows

The script actually performs the following steps

• Issue a hierarchical subquery (CONNECT BY PRIOR) => returns 4 rows
• Issue a levels subquery => returns 3 rows (levels: null, 1, and 2)
• Cross join hierarchial results with levels results and set ancestors => 3*4 = 12 rows
• Set distance, and prune null ancestors => remove 3 rows = 9 rows
• Add row for each top-level member => add 1 row => 10 rows

 

 

Can a single simple CONNECT BY PRIOR SQL be used instead?

• No because a link and the distance between each member and ancestor is needed
• CONNECT BY PRIOR  can start at the bottom “mgr = prior emp” or start at the top “emp = prior mgr” but in both cases do not get the ancestor and distance cols as needed for OBIEE. (and number of rows is different for top-down)

Parent Child Hierarchies–Multiple Roll Ups

 

Is it possible to roll up a member to multiple ancestors in a parent child hierarchy?

I have the following two hierarchies in the same table:

Management hierarchy:

• bob
  • jill
    • phil
    • pete

Sales hierarchy:

• barbara
  • jenny
    • pete
    • pat

Modelled in the RPD

And shown in Answers

As can be seen, pete rolls up to two different ancestors: bob and barbara.

Using a standard OBIEE parent child hierarchy, however, the dipslay control only shows pete once when both hierarchies are shown.

If each individual hierarchy is shown, then pete appears under both.

Interestingly, the underlying SQL is rolling up pete twice correctly.

 

In conclusion, it appears that the front-end control does not like multiple roll ups.

The problem occurs even if you using a session variable to choose one of the underlying hierarchies.

Notes on parent child tables:

No join needed for map