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SAP BusinessObjectsDocument Version: 4.2 – 2015-11-12

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User Guide

Content

1 Document History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 About this Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3 Getting Started. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.1 Key concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5Dashboards Data Connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Dashboards data in the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3.2 Key tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.3 Naming conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Variables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

4 Creating a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114.1 To create a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114.2 To configure the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5 Using Dashboards WebSphere Portlets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.1 Modifying Dashboards WebSphere Portlet parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145.2 To configure communication between Dashboards WebSphere Portlets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2 © 2015 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User Guide

Content

1 Document History

The following table provides an overview of the most important document changes.

Version Date Description

SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.1 August 2012 Initial release.

SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.2 November 2015 Updated the guide with branding changes.

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User GuideDocument History © 2015 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. 3

2 About this Guide

This guide is intended for business intelligence users who need to create Dashboards WebSphere Portlets from a variety of Dashboards models in a corporate environment.

For more information about features and capabilities, see the Dashboards and Presentation Design User Guide.


About this Guide

3 Getting Started

3.1 Key concepts

3.1.1 Dashboards WebSphere Portlet

A Dashboards WebSphere Portlet allows you to integrate a Dashboards model (in .swf format) with a portal server. You can modify the default parameters of the portlet, and allow multiple portlets to communicate with each other.

You must create a new portlet for each model that you publish on a portal. Then, you can use an account with Administrator credentials to install your portlet.

NoteThe portlet discussed in this guide is a template that you can use to build new portlets.

3.1.1.1 Integration

The Dashboards WebSphere Portlet complies with the JSR 168 standard. However, while it can be deployed on any portal server, only IBM WebSphere Portals support communication between portlets.

NoteFor best performance, deploy the portlet on IBM WebSphere Portal 5.1.

For more information, see the following documentation:

● WebSphere Portal information and product documentation on the IBM Support Portal

● Portal Integration Kits documentation on the SAP Support Portal (Click Release & Upgrade InfoInstallation & Upgrade Guides SAP BusinessObjects SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence (BI)Portal Integration Kits )

● Java™ Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) Reference Guide for the Java™ 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v 1.4

3.1.2 Dashboards Data Connections

When you create a Dashboards model, you can establish a Portal Data Connection or a Web Service Connection. You can access these connections in the Dashboards Data Manager.

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User GuideGetting Started © 2015 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. 5

There are three Portal Data Connection types: Provider, Consumer, and None (Parameter).

NoteA single model can contain an unlimited number of None (Parameter) and Web Service Connections, because these connections are independent from consumers and providers. However, a model can contain one Provider Data Connection, one Consumer Data Connection, or neither. In addition, a model must have at least one Portal Data Connection.

3.1.2.1 Portal Data Connections

3.1.2.1.1 Provider Data Connections

There are three Provider Data Connections:

● Cell Providers transmit the values of a single cell.● Row Providers transmit the values of a one-dimensional group of cells.● Table Providers transmit the values of a two-dimensional group of cells.

3.1.2.1.2 Consumer Data Connections

There are three Consumer Data Connections:

● Cell Consumers map data to a single cell.● Row Consumers map data to a one-dimensional (horizontal or vertical) group of cells.● Table Consumers map data to a two-dimensional group of cells.

This is an example of ranges for a Cell Consumer (a), a Row Consumer (b), and a Table Consumer (c).

NoteFor Row Consumers, the range can be horizontal (b) or vertical (d).


Getting Started

Figure 1: Ranges for Consumer Data Connections

3.1.2.1.3 None (Parameter) Data Connections

To modify the values of your Dashboards model, you can enter Edit Mode in the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet and enter parameters.

NoteThe parameters must be linked to a cell in a spreadsheet. When you link a parameter to a cell, the parameter receives a default value. If the cell is empty, the default value of the parameter is zero.

There are different types of parameters:

● text● number● check box● date● list box

The expected value for check box is (-1) for checked and (null) for unchecked. Although each parameter has an expected value, you can assign different values to the parameters.

Related Information

Modifying Dashboards WebSphere Portlet parameters [page 14]


3.1.2.1.3.1 User information in None (Parameter) Data Connections

If a text parameter includes a special value, the parameter is replaced with information about the portal user who uses the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet. This functionality allows you to personalize a Dashboards model (for example, by inserting a user name into a welcome message).

NoteParameters with names that begin with USER_INFO do not appear when the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet is in Edit Mode. To avoid replacing a parameter with user data, avoid including USER_INFO in the parameter's name.

The portlet supports the following special values:

● USER_INFO.user.name.given● USER_INFO.user.name.family● USER_INFO.user.name.prefix● USER_INFO.user.name.middle● USER_INFO.user.name.employer● USER_INFO.user.name.department

RestrictionSome portals have fields that do not contain special values. For more information on the special values supported by the user registry of your portal, contact your portal administrator.

3.1.2.2 Web Service Connections

Your Dashboards model can receive data from web services. If the web service is a web service query (Query as a Web Service) connection, your model will connect to the SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform server specified in the URL of the web service query connection.

3.1.3 Dashboards data in the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet

The data in your Dashboards model comes in contact with the Dashboards WebSphere Portlet in the following ways:

● It is transmitted between physically-connected portlets.

NoteThe portlet does not modify transmitted data.


Getting Started

● The user sets data for parameters in the portlet's Edit Mode.

Portal Data Providers and Portal Data Consumers exchange data in XML format.

ExampleXML-formatted data

<data> <row> <column> DATA </column> </row> </data>

<data> <row> <column> DATA </column> <column> DATA </column> <column> DATA </column> </row> </data>

<data> <row> <column> DATA </column> <column> DATA </column> </row> <row> <column> DATA </column> </row> </data>

The data that your model receives is set as a .swf variable.

For Consumers, the portlet does not impose restrictions on the data sender. However, to transmit data between a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet and another type of portlet, you must wrap your data in the same XML format. Communication between different portlet types must be set similarly to communication between Dashboards WebSphere Portlets.

Related Information

None (Parameter) Data Connections [page 7]To configure communication between Dashboards WebSphere Portlets [page 14]

3.2 Key tools

3.2.1 Dashboards Portlet Generation UtilityThe Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility can create Dashboards WebSphere Portlets for your Dashboards model. The utility packages the portlets into web application archive (.war) files. You can install the .war files on a portal server.

The utility is located in <PIKPORTALDIR>\XCelsiusPortletGenerationUtility_win32.zip

NoteYou need Java Runtime Environment 1.4.2 (or later) to run the utility.


Related Information

Variables [page 10]To create a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet [page 11]To configure the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility [page 11]

3.3 Naming conventions

3.3.1 Variables

This guide uses the following variables.

Variable Description

<PIKPORTALDIR> The directory where required files are located on the Dashboards media.

D:\Portal Integration Kits\WebSphere Portal


Getting Started

4 Creating a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet

4.1 To create a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet

1. Extract the contents of <PIKPORTALDIR>XCelsiusPortletGenerationUtility_win32.zip2. Run XcelsiusPortletCreationUtility.bat.

The Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility - Step 1 of 2 page appears.3. Click Browse next to the SWF File field and select your Dashboards model (.swf).

NoteEnsure that your model contains Portal Data Connections.

4. Click Browse next to the Destination Folder field and select the location for your web application archive (.war) file, and then click Next.The Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility - Step 2 of 2 page appears, displaying suggested values for each field. For more information about the fields, see the “To configure the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility” section.

5. If necessary, make changes to the values, and click Finish.The utility begins to generate the portlet. When the process is complete, the Dashboards Portlet Creation Utility - DONE page appears.

6. Note the location of the new portlet, and click OK.

Related Information

Variables [page 10]Dashboards Data Connections [page 5]

4.2 To configure the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility

You can configure the default settings of the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility.

1. Extract XcelsiusPortletCreationUtility.properties from the .jar file contained in the <PIKPORTALDIR>\XCelsiusPortletGenerationUtility_win32.zip file, and open the .properties file in a text editor.

2. Edit the values for the fields (these are the same values that appear on the Dashboards Portlet Generation Utility - Step 2 of 2 page).

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User GuideCreating a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet © 2015 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. 11

Table 1:

Field Description Sample

Portlet Id The internal identification string used by the IBM WebSphere Portal. You can enter letters, numbers, periods (.), and underscores (_).

xcelsiusportlet.RowProvider.1197315029777

Portlet Name The portlet's name. This name also determines the name of the web application that the utility generates. You can enter letters, numbers, periods (.), and underscores (_).

RowProvider

Display Name The name that appears when the portlet is displayed.

RowProvider

Portlet Title The title of the portlet is displayed in the portlet's title bar.

RowProvider Portlet

Portlet Short Title The short title of the portlet may be used instead of the portlet title. May be used instead of the Portlet Title.

RowProvider

Portlet Description The description of the portal is displayed on the Portal Administration page.

NoteKeep this description as short as possible.

Portlet wrapping Dashboards file RowProvider.swf

Portlet Keywords The keywords that describe the portlet. swf, Dashboards, RowProvider, RowProvider.swf

NotePortlet Title, Portlet Short Title, and Portlet Keywords are locale-dependent.

3. (Optional) Edit the value of the template web application file name.

CautionDo not edit the template web application's placeholders for special values. The utility may not be able to create portlets if the template web application becomes corrupted.

4. Save your changes to XcelsiusPortletCreationUtility.properties

If you need a different template web application (to edit the text or layout of your Dashboards WebSphere Portlet's JavaServer Pages (JSP) or add supported languages), you must make a copy of template.war included in the .jar file.


Creating a Dashboards WebSphere Portlet

5 Using Dashboards WebSphere Portlets

5.1 Modifying Dashboards WebSphere Portlet parameters

Various parameters of your Dashboards WebSphere portlet appear as HTML input fields when the portlet is in Edit Mode.

Parameter Type HTML Control

Text Input Field

Number Input Field

Date Input Field

Check Box Check Box

List Box Drop-Down Box

NotePortlets have the default height and width of the Dashboards models (.swf files) that they contain. The Adobe Flash Player Plug-In allows your web browser to display these files.

5.2 To configure communication between Dashboards WebSphere Portlets

You need to configure your Dashboards WebSphere Portlet only if you need to enable communication between portlets.

NoteEnsure that your Provider and Consumer wiring is correct: allow Cell Providers to communicate with Cell Consumers; allow Row Providers to communicate with Row Consumers; allow Table Providers to communicate with Table Consumers.

1. Log onto your IBM WebSphere Portal with an account that has permission to edit pages, and click Administration.The Manage Pages page appears.

2. Select the page to which you have published your portlets, and click Edit.The Edit page appears.

3. Click Wires, and select wires from the following lists:


Using Dashboards WebSphere Portlets

Wire Description

Source portlet The portlet that contains the Provider.

Sending The field that you want to send.

Target page The page where your consumer portlet is published.

Target portlet The portlet that contains the Consumers.

Receiving The field that you want to receive.

Wire Type The type of wire that you want to use.

NoteDashboards WebSphere Portlets have only one available option for the Sending and Receiving wires.

4. Click Add.The portal creates the wires. Your portals can now communicate with each other.

5. Click Done.

RememberWebSphere does not differentiate between Provider and Consumer portlets. Portlets that contain only consumers may appear in the Source portlet list, and portlets that contain only Providers may appear in the Target portlet list.

Related Information

Dashboards Data Connections [page 5]Provider Data Connections [page 6]Consumer Data Connections [page 6]

Dashboards WebSphere Portlet User GuideUsing Dashboards WebSphere Portlets © 2015 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved. 15

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