What new/cool things are you doing with Logi Info?
In an effort to get DevNet rocking and rolling again like the good ole days I wanted to post to see what new/cool things you are creating in Info right now.
Maybe not revolutionary or even the best technology selection, but we have started to create a framework using Logi Info and SQL Server for folks to subscribe to alerts. Those alerts will become actionable and take users to specific dashboards rather than users having to go find information.
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We are using Logi Info as an embedded BI tool in our SaaS application, supporting Interventional Radiology departments. We launched what was a series of linked charts in a previous BI solution as a single chart with drill-down functionality on the data points using a SQL Server CTE to allow users to work down a hierarchical 'tree' of data (e.g. drill into '01' to see '01.01', '01.02', '01.03'...).
We also worked with Logi support during implementation to build a custom side menu with FancyTree.js. Along with expand/collapse and search features, this menu highlights the current report or Bookmark in the side menu so the user always knows where they are in the application.
Working on implementing Self-Service reporting next!
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Cool stuff! How are you implementing your embedded solution? The embedded API (I think this is still iFrame ultimately), or at one time there were some articles floating around embedding using services?
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We are implementing Info with an iframe and SecureKey. We wanted to minimize the amount of effort from our parent app's dev team and the iframe was a simple solution that allows me to take the passed variables/tokens and do everything I need natively in Logi.
For adding SSRM to our Info application, I'll need to come up with some other options as everything in SSRM wants to use the SSRM side menu, but we need to retain our custom FancyTree side menu. We also need to find a way to manage and/or exclude SSRM Bookmarks from our side menu Bookmark presentation.
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Most recently, for two of our clients, VISUI has implemented a new custom application framework based off of either Bootstrap 5 or Material Design Components. The framework integrates everything from a dynamically built report interface, dynamic filtering based on report configuration, as well as bookmarking and scheduling. It also includes a new and more efficient pdf exporting processes which can increase export performance up to 90% over traditional pdf export, especially for large pdf files (500+ pages).
VISUI has also built a DOM mutation observer which triggers a function (a variable refresh of an element in this case) to display almost real-time status updates of complex processes such as exports and other tasks which benefit from notifications. The goal of this solution was to limit the use of a refresh timer which runs constantly, instead invoking the refresh only when necessary (ie. slide-in panel displayed, export triggered, etc).1 -
Hard to pinpoint one cool thing, Logi has enabled me to produce many dozens of amazing reports. What I really like as sole developer is quick turnaround, really quick. I can create a new report and have it embedded on my website server in less than an hour for a simple one. For the more complex that take several days/weeks to write and test they can still be moved to production in seconds. I do not have to modify the website, I just share the URL of any reports.
I develop in Java using a MySQL server on a zLinux server. The website were I host my reports also runs on zLinux. I use Filezilla to move reports from my laptop to the server. The slowest part is deployment of new/updated applications, I am using a VPN, takes almost an hour, however, not a problem since this is not done that often. I analyze data from our Mainframe that is sent to MySQL. Previous reports using Excel took 1 day/1week to create, moving data in multiple Excel files and creating them from there. I have reduced this time to about 30 minutes by utilizing Logi since I still need to paste the result's into PowerPoint
I am not a dashboard guy, I leave that to the Tableau/PowerBI folks. However, many of my reports look like a dashboard with multiple elements. These are still contained in one report. When any reports start getting complex I refer to them as an application, I feel this gives them and Logi more justice.
One report I have written is an early warning system consisting of 4 separate reports under a Master report. These are monitored by our Service Availability Managers and make them aware of any potential network issues. Each report monitors 5 channels with a data table and line chart for each. The line charts are in a single displays that rotates through each with a 12 second refresh. Did this to save real estate. It is possible to display any channel line chart by selecting the channel button which then freezes the display, pauses the 12 second refresh. There is a button to resume rotate. The data tables contain data for today by 10 minutes and compares to the same day last week and the week before showing percent difference. Thresholds have been set for the percentage difference with Yellow and Red warnings if these are breached. If today's value and a previous weeks are flashing Red then an email is sent using Scheduler.
Another report gathers data by day/week/month from which either a CSV file is created or the data is store as a CSV on another groups shared hard drive. they are then able to run the CSV file directly from there. When this was a manual process it took much time cutting and pasting data daily. Now it is less than a minute, run the report, click a button. Again i use a Master report to contain each report used by this group for this process.
I guess my biggest frustration is trying to get Logi more exposure within my company. We already have many BI tools, probably 8 or more. The focus is on PowerBI and Tableau since these do not require too much thought to create.
When I did my PoC 7/8 years ago I kept it simple. Two of the requirements were. Anyone could access my reports without additional cost. I must be able to promote report as fast as possible. I had a daily email that was created from mainframe data, I wanted to recreate this. Tableau took a week to get back to me and said they were unable to do it. Cognos said it was possible and would take 7 - 10 days to write and get online. The Logi tech person told me, "You know how to do this, let me give you a clue". I created it in Logi in just a few hours, there were many lines of comments to write and put it on my server, embedded on my website and I still use it to this day!
Finally, I came into the BI world with almost zero experience in anything. I am a Mainframe assembler guy. If I can do this, anyone can. Logi can make us all Ninjas!
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