This chapter described how you can link various kinds of data with any cell in an Essbase database, using a linked reporting object (LRO). This ability is similar to the file attachment features in an e-mail software package.
An LRO provides improved support for planning and reporting applications and can enhance your data analysis capabilities.
This chapter contains the following sections:
Note: To limit the size of an LRO to improve performance, see Limiting LRO File Sizes for Storage Conservation.
LROs are objects that you associate with specific data cells in an Essbase database:
Object Type |
Description |
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An external file, such as a Microsoft Word document, an Excel spreadsheet, a scanned image, an audio clip, or an HTML file (for example, mypage.htm). |
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An acronym for Uniform Resource Locator. A string that identifies the location of a resource on the World Wide Web, such as a document, image, downloadable file, service, electronic mailbox, or other resource.
http://www.hyperion.com |
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A set of data cells that you can link to in another Essbase database. For more information on linked partitions, see Designing Partitioned Applications. |
For example, a sales manager may attach cell notes to recently updated budget items. A finance manager might link a spreadsheet containing supporting data for this quarter's results. A product manager might link bitmap images of new products. A sales manager may link the URL of a company's Web site to quickly access the information on the Web site.
LROs are linked to data cells-not to the data contained in the cells. The link is based on a specific member combination in the database. Adding or removing links to a cell does not affect the cell contents.
When a user links an object to a cell, Essbase creates an entry for the object in the linked object catalog for the database. The catalog, an internal data structure stored with the database's index, contains information describing the object, such as the object handle, object type, the name of the last user to modify the object, and the date the object was modified. Developers use the object handle in Essbase API functions to refer to the object.
The storage strategy depends on the LRO type:
Users create linked objects through the Spreadsheet Add-in interface by selecting a data cell and choosing a menu item. There is no limit to the number of objects you can link to a cell. The objects are stored on the OLAP Server where they are available to any user with the appropriate access privileges. Users retrieve and edit the objects through the Linked Objects Browser, which displays all objects linked to the selected cell.
The next section describes in more detail how Essbase manages LROs. For more information on how end users work with these objects, see the Essbase Spreadsheet Add-in User's Guide.
Before you perform any tasks related to LROs, be aware of these facts:
This section discusses storing and maintaining LROs on the server:
Users who add, edit, and delete LROs through client interfaces need to have the appropriate security permissions in the active database. If the object is a linked partition, the user must also have the required privileges in the database containing the linked partition.
This table lists the permissions required for several different tasks.
Task |
Permission |
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Sometimes you might want to prevent users from linking files to data cells without changing their access to other data in a database. You can accomplish this by setting the maximum file size for linked files to 1. Users can then create cell notes, link to a URL, or view linked partitions but can only attach very small files (under 1 kilobyte).
Users work with LROs through the Spreadsheet Add-in on a cell-by-cell basis. That is, they select a cell and open the Linked Object Browser, which displays the objects linked to the selected cell. Through Application Manager, you can view and delete all LROs for the entire database. You can also view LROs based on selection criteria such as user name and last modification date. For example, you might want to purge all objects that are older than a certain date, or remove the objects belonging to a user who has left the company.
To view or delete the linked objects for a database, follow these steps:
If you select both options, objects matching both criteria are selected. If you select neither By Date nor By User, all objects in the database are selected.
In the Linked Objects Browser, the Linked Objects list box displays all the objects that match the criteria you entered. To view, edit, or delete an object, first select it and then click the appropriate button. After you select an object, the member combination it is linked to displays for your reference. The actions you can perform vary depending on the type of object you select.
If you select a linked file, you can:
If you select a cell note, you can:
You cannot make changes to linked partitions from the Linked Objects Browser. To create or change a linked partition, open the Partition Manager by choosing Database > Partition Manager. For more information on linked partitions, see Designing Partitioned Applications.
You cannot change the member combination associated with any linked object with the Application Manager. To move an object to another member combination, first delete it, then use the Spreadsheet Add-in to re-link the object to the desired member combination.
You can also perform using the ESSCMD commands LISTLINKEDOBJECTS PURGELINKEDOBJECTS and instead of Application Manager. See the Technical Reference in the docs directory for more information. See also Automating the Production Environment for information about ESSCMD.
To improve backup and data-migration capabilities, you can export and re-import LROs from data intersections in a database.
In preparation for backing up databases, clearing and re-loading data, or migrating data from one database to another, you can export the LROs from a database using the MaxL language interface. For information about exporting and importing LROs, see the MaxL section of the Technical Reference in the docs directory.
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