Configuring Blox Sampler for Hyperion Essbase

For use with Hyperion Essbase, this Blox Sampler example set requires the following:

To use the files in Blox Sampler, you need to make sure that the following steps have been performed:

  1. Define an IBM Alphablox data source for QCC.
  2. Create a comment database repository.
  3. Define an IBM Alphablox data source to access the comment repository.

1. Install the QCC data on a Hyperion Essbase server

Follow the steps described in the QCC-README.html file on IBM Alphablox installation CD's sampledata directory. The same instructions are also provided in the Getting Started guide in the IBM Alphablox Information Center.

2. Define the QCC-Essbase data source on IBM Alphablox

Once the sample data is installed, it needs to be defined to IBM Alphablox through the Admin Pages. Instructions for defining data sources are available through the QCC-README.html file on IBM Alphablox installation CD's sampledata directory as well as online on the Admin Pages. The following are the configuration values to use:

Note: After the QCC-Essbase data source is configured, you can use all of the Blox Sampler examples, except for those in the Commenting Data section. To use those examples, continue with steps below.

3. Create a Comments database repository

In order to use examples in the Commenting Data section, you first need to configure a CommentsBlox database repository to store and use comments. This only requires that you create a database using any of the IBM Alphablox-supported relational databases. IBM Alphablox will automatically create any required tables it needs. After creating this database, you need to define a IBM Alphablox data source.

4. Create a IBM Alphablox data source for the comments repository

For IBM Alphablox to use the comments database you created, you need to define a IBM Alphablox data source using the Admin Pages. Instructions for defining data sources are in the online help available in the Admin pages as well as in the Administrator's Guide. After you select the appropriate adapter for your database, fill in the required fields and make sure to define a default username and password. For the data source name, use CommentsCollection.

5. Creating a Comments Collection

After you have created a database for your comments repository, follow these steps to create a comments collection (within your comments repository) for storing comments:

  1. Go to the IBM Alphablox Admin Pages, click on the Administration tab, then click on the General tab.
  2. Under Runtime Management, click the Comments link to open the Comments Management window.
  3. Select the CommentsCollection as your data source, enter your username and password, then press the Connect button. The Collection area (below Datasource) should become available.
  4. To create a new collection, press the Create button. In the right side of the window, three new sections (Name, Fields, and Dimensions) should appear.
  5. In the Name section, enter the name of your comments collection -- for Blox Sampler, use CommentsCollection as the collection name too.
  6. In the Fields section, three required default fields are included: the Author, Timestamp, and CommentText fields. You can add additional fields, defining their names, and optionally, descriptions for each field you define. For this collection, you can use the default fields.
  7. In the Dimensions section, select the QCC-Essbase from the list of defined data sources. A list of available dimensions should appear.
  8. For the Blox Sampler examples, select all of the available dimensions by Shift-clicking or Control-clicking on the dimensions in the list. [Note: For comments collections created using DB2, choose up to 10 dimensions only.]
  9. Press the Save button. At this point, the name of the newly defined collection should appear in the Collection listing.

The Blox Sampler comments-related examples should work properly now.