Restoring project on IBM Cognos Framework Manager

Question

Recently I've installed Cognos 8 Business Intelligence as a trial version. I've also restored the sample Great Outdoors database on SQL Server. I can connect to SQL Server fine and also develop my own reporting packages using the Framework Manager.

In order to continue learning the product I'm working through the tutorials in the book by Dean Browne et al. "IBM Cognos Business Intelligence V10.1 Handbook". (I know that strictly speaking this is for a different version but I don't think it matters in this scenario).

I've downloaded the project file that comes with the book and opened it up in Framework Manager. Everything seems OK, but the query subjects and other items in the project are not linked properly to the data in the SQL Server Database.

How do I adapt the project so it is properly linked to the database on my machine? Thanks.

Answer 1

Ah Fun - 1. Open the FM package and inspect the details about the Data Source Connection - Paying close attention to the name setup.

1. Create a new datasource connection in the Cognos portal that properly connects to your database ( you may want to try to name this exactly the same or similar to the name you found in step 1. )

   • Also make sure you can connect to the database via your computer directly (Drivers/etc) as fm uses your local drivers to interract with the database after opening a model). * See notes below

2. Add this new connection to your broken FM model so you can see what the connection will look like (Import a table just to get the new working connection inside the model). Observe how the new connection is named and referenced in the table/query.

3. This sucks but depending on the nature of the queries in the FM package the fastest/ way to update everything is with the good search and replace in the FM XML file itself. Actually there maybe two files with the datasource names in them but i can assure you when you search and replace properly it will work perfectly.

4. Create a backup of your FM model (ONe that you will not edit). This is actually backing up a folder tree as a FM model is made up of several files but only one/two of them contains the xml definition with query subjects and data connections that you need to search/replace.

5. Clearly identify the datasource name(s) that are not working in your FM model and note them down exactly as they are. You will effectively edit the FM xml and do a global search and replace using your working Datasource connections in the Cognos portal. You may want to hunt thru the XML files a bit to become familiar with where the data source connections are stored so you can tangibly understand how to search/replace.

* Very important. When working in FM remember that FM sources the list and properties of data source connections from the Cognos portal but when developing FM application it uses your local connection to the database to interract with the database using the same name setup as in the portal meaning you should be able to connect via your computer to the datasource directly without cognos products using the same connection information used in the Cognos Connection otherwise you will never be able to develop with the FM product. Do not think that the FM application uses Cognos to actuall connect and work with the database it only uses Cognos to get a list of connections setup in Cognos. If this is not setup right you will fail right away during startup and connecting to any database and that is an indicator you do not have your local database drivers/setup properly.