Creating Business Views in a Catalog

Designer includes the interactive Business View Editor to help you create any business views you need. This topic introduce how you can create and edit business views in a catalog using the functions the editor provides.

This topic contains the following sections:

Creating a Business View
Adding and Modifying Elements in a Business View

Defining Hierarchies in a Business View
Creating Predefined Filters for a Business View
Customizing Filter Resources for a Business View

Creating a Business View

To create a business view in a catalog, take the following steps:

Open the required catalog, then do either of the following:
- In the Catalog Manager, expand the data source in which you want to create the business view, then select the Business Views node or any existing business view in the data source and select New Business View on the Catalog Manager toolbar, or right-click the Business Views node in the data source and select New Business View from the shortcut menu.
- Select Home > New > Business View or File > New > Business View, specify the data source in which the business view will be created, then select OK.
In the Enter Business View Name dialog box, provide a name for the business view and select OK. Designer displays the Add Tables/Views/Queries dialog box.
In the All Tables/Views/Queries box, expand the resource nodes to add the corresponding resources based on which to create the business view to the Selected Tables/Views/Queries box, then select OK.
If the catalog data source is connected with multiple connections, you can mash up multiple data resources for the business view that come from all these connections, including tables, views, synonyms, imported SQLs, imported APEs, stored procedures, queries, and user-defined data sources. When you add a query, imported SQL, imported APE, stored procedure, or user-defined data source, Designer adds it as a single table with all of its columns. When two resources (for example, a table and a view) use the same name, you cannot add them at the same time, and when a table is already contained in a query, you cannot add the table and the query at the same time.

If the current catalog data source contains JDBC connections, the Show Tables/Views Already Added option is available. Select it if you want to show the tables, views, and synonyms in the resource tree in the All Tables/Views/Queries box, which you have already added to the Selected Tables/Views/Queries box. You can then add the tables, views, and synonyms of the JDBC connections for the business view as many times as you want by providing different names for the tables, views, and synonyms each time you add them.
If you add more than one data resource for the business view, Designer displays the Query Editor dialog box, in which you can edit the data resources you select for the business view in the same way you would do for a query. You can:
- Select the columns in each table that you want to use for the business view. To select all columns in a table, select * at the top of the table. However, for tables from MongoDB connections, you cannot select all columns by selecting *, because you cannot use the PrimaryKey and ForeignKey columns in such table for a business view.
- Add or delete the data resources used for creating the business view.
- Set up joins between the data resources.
- Create formula fields to use in the business view.
- Add filters to narrow data used in the business view.
After making the necessary changes, select the OK button at the bottom of the Query Editor dialog box to apply them. You can also select Menu > Query > Save As to save the data resources as a query.
Designer displays the Business View Editor dialog box. All the resources that you have selected for the business view, and the formulas and summaries in the current catalog data source that are valid for the selected resources are available in the Resource Objects panel on the left of the editor.
Add elements to the business view based on the available resources.
Define hierarchies on the business view to allow end users to drill report data to particular groups.
Create predefined filters on the business view for users to choose when using the business view to create reports.
Configure security for the business view to limit user access to the view elements.
Select Save on the toolbar to save the business view.
Select Menu > File > Close to close the Business View Editor dialog box and add the business view to the catalog.

Adding Elements to a Business View

Designer lists the data resources that you have selected for a business view with their DBFields, as well as the formulas and summaries in the current catalog data source that are valid to the data resources, in the Resource Objects panel in the Business View Editor. You can use the resources to create view elements in the business view.

Note icon In the Catalog Manager, you can also create, edit, rename, or delete an element in a business view by using the corresponding command on the element's shortcut menu.

Adding Elements by Dragging

In the Business View Editor, a data resource displays as a folder containing their DBFields. You can drag DBFields, a whole data resource folder with all its DBFields, formulas, and summaries from the Resource Objects panel to the business view or a category in the Business View panel. You can select multiple resources and drag them all at a time. Designer then converts the resources into corresponding view elements in the business view. The conversion is as follows:

DBFields and formulas are added as group objects.
A whole data resource folder with all its DBFields is added as a category with group objects.
Summaries are added as aggregations based on the same sum-on fields and summary functions.
You can convert the group objects to detail objects using the Edit View Element dialog box if you prefer to use them as detail objects.

When you drag a DBField whose data type is Timestamp/DateTime, Designer displays the Select Time Interval dialog box for you to specify how you want to create the group object. By default, Keep Original is selected in the dialog box which means to create a group object based on the DBField itself. If you also want to create a group object which uses an expression to retrieve the years/quarters/months/weeks/days of the DBField as its values, select the corresponding checkbox. In the meantime, you can use the Auto Create Hierarchy checkbox to specify whether to create a hierarchy in the business view automatically and edit the name of the hierarchy. The hierarchy contains all the group objects you have specified to create from the DBField, with the group objects listed based on the order of the corresponding checkboxes in the dialog box. You can further edit the hierarchy.

Select Time Interval dialog box

If you drag multiple DBFields of the Timestamp/DateTime data type, Designer displays the Select Time Interval dialog box multiple times for you to specify the settings for each DBField.

Creating and Editing Categories with Dialog

To create a category in a business view using dialog box:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select the business view or an existing category in the Business View panel, then do any of the following:
- Right-click and select New Category from the shortcut menu.
- Select New Category on the toolbar.
- Select Menu > New > Category.
Designer displays the Category Property dialog box.
In the General tab, set the display name of the category in the Display Name text box.
In the Description text box, type a description for the category to help others get an idea about it. The description displays when end users hover the mouse pointer over the category in the resources panel of Web Report Studio and Page Report Studio.
You can select the Security tab to configure business view security.
Select OK. Designer adds a new category to the business view or the selected category. You can then add elements to it.

To edit a category:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select the category from the business view resource tree in the Business View panel, right-click it and select Edit Category from the shortcut menu.
In the Category Property dialog box, edit its general information in the General tab and security information in the Security tab.
Select OK to confirm the changes.

Creating and Editing View Elements with Dialog

To create a view element in a business view using dialog box:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select the business view or any existing category into which you want to add the view element in the Business View panel, then do any of the following:
- Right-click and select New View Element from the shortcut menu.
- Select New Group, New Aggregation, or New Detail on the toolbar.
- Select Menu > New > Group/Aggregation/Detail.
Designer displays the New View Element dialog box.
In the General tab, decide the type of the view element by selecting the corresponding item from the Type drop-down list.
Select the ellipsis button to specify the mapping field of the view element.
When creating a group object, if you want to write an expression to retrieve values for it, select the By Expression checkbox, then select Settings. In the Formula Editor dialog box, compose the expression using resources in the current catalog data source. The expression should follow the record level pass one formula syntax.
In the Display Name text box, specify the display name of the view element. By default, the display name is the same as the mapping name.
If you choose to create an aggregation, select the function to calculate the mapping field from the Aggregate Function drop-down list. If you select DistinctSum, you should select the ellipsis button next to the Distinct On text box to specify one or more fields according to whose unique values to calculate DistinctSum using the Select Fields dialog box. Select the Customized option if you want to create a custom aggregation, then select the Settings button to open the Formula Editor dialog box to compose the expression using resources in the current business view.
Specify the tool tip and description of the view element in the Tip and Description text boxes respectively to help others get an idea about it. The tool tip displays when end users hover the mouse pointer over the view element in the business view resource tree at runtime.
You can select the Security tab to configure business view security.
Select OK to create the view element and close the dialog box.

To edit a view element:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select the view element from the business view resource tree in the Business View panel, right-click it and select Edit from the shortcut menu.
In the Edit View Element dialog box, edit its general information in the General tab and security information in the Security tab.
You can convert a group object to a detail object and vice versa, by selecting Detail or Group from the Type drop-down list in the General tab.
Select OK to confirm the changes.

You can also select multiple view elements of the Group and Detail types and edit them at a time using the Edit View Element dialog box to apply the same Tip and Description settings to them, and change their element type to Detail or Group.

Adjusting the Order of the Elements

In the Business View Editor dialog box, you can change the position of the view elements in any category or the categories in the business view in the resource tree of the Business View panel. The position here determines the display order of the elements and categories in any UI that shows the business view, except that in the Catalog Manager resource tree which applies its own sort rule. You can place the elements and categories alphabetically or based on their using frequency to help others easily locate the desired one.

You can use the following methods to change the position:

Select one or more categories or elements in a category and select the Move Up or Move Down button.
Right-click one or more categories or elements in a category and select Move Up or Move Down on the shortcut menu.
Select the Sort icon at the upper right corner of the Business View panel and select Ascending or Descending from the drop-down menu to make the resources excluding the elements in hierarchies display in either ascending or descending order.

The No Sort item in the Sort drop-down menu is always grayed out. It is selected by default each time you open the Business View Editor. However, this does not cancel the ascending or descending order if you have applied one to the elements the last time you were working in the editor, in other words, once you have selected the ascending or descending order and saved the business view, when you open the editor the next time, Designer displays the elements in the specified order although No Sort is selected on the drop-down menu. You may also find that No Sort is selected automatically when the elements apply neither the ascending nor descending order, for example, you adjust the element order by moving them up or down.

You can also drag a view element or a category and drop it to another category node to change its position. When you perform this operation, Designer always places the view element or category at the end of the target category. However, when you drag a group object or category to another category, Designer automatically removes the group object or group objects in the selected category from hierarchies that contain these group objects; therefore, you need to add the group object from the target category to the hierarchies again if you still need them in the hierarchies.

Renaming an Element

To rename a view element or a category, that is, to change its display name:

In the Business View panel of the Business View Editor dialog box, right-click the element or category and select Rename from the shortcut menu, or select on the name twice. The name text box then becomes editable.
Type a new name and select outside of the text box to accept the change.

Deleting an Element

To delete an unwanted element or category, select it in the Business View panel of the Business View Editor dialog box, then:

Select Delete on the toolbar.
Right-click and select Delete from the shortcut menu.
Drag and drop it to the Resource Objects panel on the left.

You can select multiple elements and delete them at one time.

Defining Hierarchies in a Business View

You can regard a hierarchy as a category that contains group objects sharing a hierarchical relationship in the order from the highest level to the lowest. Hierarchies enable end users to drill report data up and down to particular groups at runtime. For example, you can add these group objects into one hierarchy called "Dates": Sales Year, Sales Quarter, Sales Month, and Sales Date. When you use any of these group objects to group data in a table, crosstab, or chart, end users can use the context menu to drill up or down to the next level. You can create any number of hierarchies such as dates, times, geography, and product types.

The group objects added in a hierarchy are just references to the real group objects and therefore cannot be edited.

To create hierarchies in a business view:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, do any of the following:
- Select New Hierarchy on the toolbar.
- Select Menu > New > Hierarchy.
- Right-click the business view root node or any category in the Business View panel and select New Hierarchy from the shortcut menu.
You can add a hierarchy to any category in a business view and it does not make any difference where you place the hierarchy. For easy look-up, you can put them under the root category.
In the New Hierarchy dialog box, provide a name for the hierarchy and select OK. Designer adds a blank hierarchy to the business view resource tree.
You can now add group objects into the hierarchy as a hierarchical group by dragging and dropping. From the business view resource tree, select a required group objects and then drop it into the hierarchy. Where Designer places the group object in the hierarchy depends on the dropped position:
- When you drop on the hierarchy root node, Designer places the group object to the bottom level of the hierarchy.
- When you drop on an existing hierarchical group, Designer places the group object below this hierarchical group.
- When you drop between two hierarchical groups, Designer places the group object between them.
You can also drag fields from the Resource Objects panel to the hierarchy. Then if you have not added any of the selected fields as group objects in the business view, Designer automatically adds them to the business view and places them at the bottom of the business view resource tree.

To adjust the position of the group objects in the hierarchy, select a group object and select or . The higher a group object is placed, the higher its level is in the hierarchy.

To remove a group object from the hierarchy, select it, then right-click and select Remove from Hierarchy on the shortcut menu, or drag and drop it to the Resource Objects panel.
Repeat the above three steps to create more hierarchies in the business view.
To rename a hierarchy, select it from the business view resource tree, then right-click it and select Rename on the shortcut menu, or select on the hierarchy name twice. When the name text box becomes editable, type in a new name and select outside of the text box to accept the change.

To remove a hierarchy, select it from the business view resource tree, then right-click it and select Delete on the shortcut menu, or select Delete on the toolbar. You can select multiple hierarchies and remove them all at a time.
Save the business view to save the hierarchies into it.

You can also add and manage hierarchies in a business view from the Catalog Manager as follows:

Adding a hierarchy
1. In the Catalog Manager resource tree, right-click a category in the business view and select New Hierarchy from the shortcut menu.
2. In the New Hierarchy dialog box, provide a name for the hierarchy and select OK. Designer then adds the hierarchy in the business view.
3. Right-click the business view and select Edit on the shortcut menu to open the Business View Editor.
4. Drag and drop group objects to the hierarchy to define its hierarchical groups.
5. Save the business view to save the hierarchy.
Removing a hierarchical group from a hierarchy
In the Catalog Manager resource tree, locate the group in the hierarchy, then right-click it and select Remove from Hierarchy on the shortcut menu.
Renaming a hierarchy
In the Catalog Manager resource tree, locate the hierarchy in the business view, right-click it and select Rename on the shortcut menu, or select on the hierarchy name twice. When the name text box becomes editable, type in a new name and select outside of the text box to accept the change.
Removing a hierarchy
In the Catalog Manager resource tree, locate the hierarchy in the business view, then right-click it and select Delete on the shortcut menu, or select Delete on the Catalog Manager toolbar.

Creating Predefined Filters for a Business View

You can predefine filters in a business view for users to choose when they design or modify data components that use the business view, so as to filter out the unnecessary data in the data components.

If you want to filter data used in a business view, you need to make use of the query filter while defining the data resources to be used for the business view.

To create predefined filters in a business view:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select Predefined Filter on the toolbar or select Menu > Tools > Predefined Filter. Designer displays the Predefined Filter dialog box.
Select the New button to add a filter.
In the Filters box, double-click in the Name and Description text boxes to edit the name and description of the filter.
In the Condition panel, select the Add Condition button to add a condition line.
Select the ellipsis button next to the field text box (the first text box), then in the View Element Resources dialog box, locate the element you want to filter and double-click it, or select the element and select OK. You can also type in the name of the view element manually as @ElementName in the text box.
From the operator drop-down list, select the operator with which to compose the filter expression.
In the value text box, specify the value of how to filter the element. You can apply an empty string as the value for a field of String type, by simply leaving the text box blank (value length=0).
To specify the value, select next to the value text box (the second text box), then in the Values dialog box, switch to the Value tab. The tab contains all values of the selected element. Double-click the required one, and then close the dialog box. However, if you choose to manually specify the element name in step 5, you need to select the element in the Fields tab of the Values dialog box once again to get its value list. You can also select the special field "User Name" or a parameter in the Fields tab as the value to filter the element dynamically (for the usage of parameters in filter conditions, see the example in Dynamically filtering queries).

If you are familiar with the values of the selected view element, you can also type in the value manually (when the selected operator requires multiple values, you have to specify the values manually). When you type the value, if multiple values are required, you should separate them with ","; if a value contains the character "," or "\", type the character as "\," or "\\".
Repeat steps 4 to 7 to add more condition lines and define the logic relationship between the condition lines: "And" or "Or".
To group some condition lines, select them and select the Group button, Designer then adds the selected condition lines in one group and applies them as one line of filter expression (you can also group conditions and groups together); to take out any condition or group from a group, select it and select Ungroup; to adjust the priority of the condition lines, select it and select the Up or Down button; to delete a condition line, select it and select the Delete button.
Repeat steps 2-8 to add more filters and define the filter conditions. To remove a filter, select it from the Filters box and select the Delete button on the right of the box.
Select OK to save the filters.
Save the business view to save the filters into it.

You can then apply the filters when creating or editing reports based on the business view in Designer or at runtime after you publish the corresponding catalog to Server.

Note icon

If you remove the resources that you have used in some predefined filters from the business view, the next time when you open the Predefined Filter dialog box, Designer displays warning messages and automatically removes the filters from the dialog box.
You cannot filter the following SQL types of data: Db.SQL_BINARY, Db.SQL_BLOB, Db.SQL_CLOB, Db.SQL_LONGVARCHAR, Db.SQL_LONGVARBINARY, Db.SQL_VARBINARY, and Db.SQL_OTHER.

Customizing Filter Resources for a Business View

When you use a business view to create a report and want to filter the business view to narrow down data shown in the reports, by default, Logi Report lists all the view elements the business view contains for you to choose to define the filter. In the case when a business view contains a large number of view elements, you may find it difficult to locate the element you need to focus on. To avoid such inconvenience, you can customize which view elements you prefer to be available as the filter resources of the business view when creating the business view.

To customize filter resources for a business view:

In the Business View Editor dialog box, select Select Filter Resources on the toolbar. Designer displays the Select Filter Resources dialog box.
By default, Designer selects all the view elements in the resource box. Clear the view elements you do not want to use in filters. To deselect all the view elements, clear the top checkbox; to deselect the view elements in a category, clear the category. You can also make use of the Sort icon to display the view elements in the ascending or descending order for easy look-up, or the Search icon to search for the required view elements.
Select OK to apply the settings.

You can also access the Select Filter Resources dialog box in the following way: in the Catalog Manager resource tree, right-click the business view and select Select Filter Resources on the shortcut menu.

Note icon When you define filters during creating a link or sending/receiving a message, the available resources are always all the view elements in the corresponding business view.

Previous Topic Next Topic