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Learning Pentaho CTools
Learning Pentaho CTools

Learning Pentaho CTools: Acquire finesse with CTools features and build rich and custom analytics solutions using Pentaho

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Learning Pentaho CTools

Chapter 2. Acquiring Data with CDA

When we want to display data on a dashboard, we need to get this data from anywhere and display it in the easiest way possible, without having to write code to parse the results in a way that components can make use of these results. Using Pentaho, you have many ways to access data. If you are calling a report built with Pentaho plugins or client tools, you will be able to select one kind of data source, but if you want to use your own application and make use of Pentaho data, it would be possible for you to use XMLA, Kettle transformations as web services, and the Community Data Access (CDA) plugin.

The purpose of this book is to cover Community Tools, so this chapter is focused on the use of CDA. You will learn about the available data sources, how to create a new data source, how to pass some parameters to the query to get the right results, and then how to preview the results. You can write your own customized queries but if this is not enough...

Introduction to CDA

CDA was one of the first CTools. Its main purpose is to provide data abstraction for multiple kinds of data sources wrapped as web services. It was first created to be used as an interface between the data connections and the Community Dashboard Framework (CDF), but nowadays it can also be used in Report Designer to embed data in third-party applications.

CDA includes many different output types that we can configure, and also includes some configurable cache options to optimize performance, which you will have the chance to learn about. Another great feature in CDA that is somehow related to performance, is to sort and paginate on the server side.

The following diagram is an example of how CDA can be used to acquire data from. CDA is able to provide data to a CDF and/or CDE dashboards. However, an external application can get data directly from CDA using its endpoints. When requested for data, CDA will check whether the cache is enabled and whether there are results...

Creating a new CDA data source

There are multiple ways to create CDA data sources. One of the ways is to use CDE, where no code or XML is needed, and we will cover this later in the CDE chapter. There is another way, which is using the CDA editor, or just editing the file by hand using the Pentaho Text Editor plugin.

For now, I want you to understand the internals of CDA, so we need to start with the hardest way to create a CDA file—by creating/editing an XML file. The CDA files that are XML files will define the Pentaho repository and will have a .cda extension. This way, Pentaho will recognize the file extension and will provide the capability to preview the results or edit the file. The main structure of a CDA file is the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CDADescriptor>
   <DataSources>
      <!—- HERE LIVES EACH ONE OF <Connection>-->
   </DataSources>
   <!—- HERE LIVES EACH ONE OF <DataAccess...

Available types of CDA data sources

The data sources covered in this book are the ones already pointed out previously, but we need to see them in detail. To create a new data source, you should also specify the attribute type that will be used to distinguish the method to be called on the server side to get the data and return the results. Depending on the data source that you are creating, you should also specify some properties that may be different depending on the kind of data source. Let's look at each one of the available options.

Each one of the following distinguished subsections will give you a brief overview and inform you about the properties that should be defined for the connections and also for the Data Access types. There are some common properties, such as the columns, that we will cover later in this chapter. For now, we will only focus on the different ones.

SQL databases

You can use this type of connection to get data from any source that uses Structured Query Language...

Common properties

There are some common properties that should or can be used when defining a Data Access. These properties are:

  • Cache: The cache can also be defined as an attribute when defining a Data Access. When defining the cache as an element, we should also specify the two attributes, duration and enabled. The first attribute is used to define the time that the query will be cached since the last execution. The enabled attribute will be set to true or false depending on whether you want to enable it or disable it.
  • Name: This is the friendly name of the data access being defined.
  • Columns: This is an element that can create a different output by changing the name of a column or just by adding new ones using calculated columns. To change the name of columns, you would just need to specify the columns' idx, starting from 0, and the desired name, as shown in the following example:
    <Column idx="0">
       <Name> Region </Name>    
    </Column>
    <Column idx...

Editing and previewing

Once you have created a file and uploaded it to BA Server, the .cda extension will tell Pentaho how to handle this file. When clicking on a .cda file, in the context menu that becomes available on the right side of Pentaho User Console (PUC), you will be able to edit and open the previewer. When selecting edit, you will see a screen like the following:

Editing and previewing

You can see the editor on the center of the page, and three buttons on the right-hand side, above the editor. We are able to change the XML file and use the buttons to trigger some actions. The available actions are:

  • Save: To save the changes we can make in the editor
  • Reload: To reload the content of the file
  • Preview: This will open the previewer so that we can see the results of the execution of the data source

There are two ways to preview a query result when using CDA. The first one is using the CDA previewer, a GUI that will let you select the Data Access that you would like to execute. To open the previewer, you can...

Introduction to CDA


CDA was one of the first CTools. Its main purpose is to provide data abstraction for multiple kinds of data sources wrapped as web services. It was first created to be used as an interface between the data connections and the Community Dashboard Framework (CDF), but nowadays it can also be used in Report Designer to embed data in third-party applications.

CDA includes many different output types that we can configure, and also includes some configurable cache options to optimize performance, which you will have the chance to learn about. Another great feature in CDA that is somehow related to performance, is to sort and paginate on the server side.

The following diagram is an example of how CDA can be used to acquire data from. CDA is able to provide data to a CDF and/or CDE dashboards. However, an external application can get data directly from CDA using its endpoints. When requested for data, CDA will check whether the cache is enabled and whether there are results...

Creating a new CDA data source


There are multiple ways to create CDA data sources. One of the ways is to use CDE, where no code or XML is needed, and we will cover this later in the CDE chapter. There is another way, which is using the CDA editor, or just editing the file by hand using the Pentaho Text Editor plugin.

For now, I want you to understand the internals of CDA, so we need to start with the hardest way to create a CDA file—by creating/editing an XML file. The CDA files that are XML files will define the Pentaho repository and will have a .cda extension. This way, Pentaho will recognize the file extension and will provide the capability to preview the results or edit the file. The main structure of a CDA file is the following:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<CDADescriptor>
   <DataSources>
      <!—- HERE LIVES EACH ONE OF <Connection>-->
   </DataSources>
   <!—- HERE LIVES EACH ONE OF <DataAccess> -->
</CDADescriptor&gt...

Available types of CDA data sources


The data sources covered in this book are the ones already pointed out previously, but we need to see them in detail. To create a new data source, you should also specify the attribute type that will be used to distinguish the method to be called on the server side to get the data and return the results. Depending on the data source that you are creating, you should also specify some properties that may be different depending on the kind of data source. Let's look at each one of the available options.

Each one of the following distinguished subsections will give you a brief overview and inform you about the properties that should be defined for the connections and also for the Data Access types. There are some common properties, such as the columns, that we will cover later in this chapter. For now, we will only focus on the different ones.

SQL databases

You can use this type of connection to get data from any source that uses Structured Query Language (SQL...

Common properties


There are some common properties that should or can be used when defining a Data Access. These properties are:

  • Cache: The cache can also be defined as an attribute when defining a Data Access. When defining the cache as an element, we should also specify the two attributes, duration and enabled. The first attribute is used to define the time that the query will be cached since the last execution. The enabled attribute will be set to true or false depending on whether you want to enable it or disable it.

  • Name: This is the friendly name of the data access being defined.

  • Columns: This is an element that can create a different output by changing the name of a column or just by adding new ones using calculated columns. To change the name of columns, you would just need to specify the columns' idx, starting from 0, and the desired name, as shown in the following example:

    <Column idx="0">
       <Name> Region </Name>    
    </Column>
    <Column idx="1">
       ...

Editing and previewing


Once you have created a file and uploaded it to BA Server, the .cda extension will tell Pentaho how to handle this file. When clicking on a .cda file, in the context menu that becomes available on the right side of Pentaho User Console (PUC), you will be able to edit and open the previewer. When selecting edit, you will see a screen like the following:

You can see the editor on the center of the page, and three buttons on the right-hand side, above the editor. We are able to change the XML file and use the buttons to trigger some actions. The available actions are:

  • Save: To save the changes we can make in the editor

  • Reload: To reload the content of the file

  • Preview: This will open the previewer so that we can see the results of the execution of the data source

There are two ways to preview a query result when using CDA. The first one is using the CDA previewer, a GUI that will let you select the Data Access that you would like to execute. To open the previewer, you...

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Key benefits

  • Learn everything you need to know to make the most of CTools
  • Create interactive and remarkable dashboards using the CTools
  • Understand how to use and create data visualizations that can make the difference
  • The author of our book works for Pentaho as a Senior Consultant
  • Acts as a follow-up to Packt's previously published products on Pentaho such as Pentaho Business Analytics Cookbook, Pentaho Analytics for MongoDB, Pentaho Data Integration Cookbook - Second Edition, and Pentaho Reporting Video
  • Our book is based on the latest version of Pentaho, that is, 6.0

Description

Pentaho and CTools are two of the fastest and most rapidly growing tools for practical solutions not found in any other tool available on the market. Using Pentaho allows you to build a complete analytics solution, and CTools brings an advanced flexibility to customizing them in a remarkable way. CTools provides its users with the ability to utilize Web technologies and data visualization concepts, and make the most of best practices to create a huge visual impact. The book starts with the basics of the framework and how to get data to your dashboards. We'll take you all the way through to create your custom and advanced dashboards that will create an effective visual impact and provide the best user experience. You will be given deep insights into the lifecycle of dashboards and the working of various components. Further, you will create a custom dashboard using the Community Dashboards Editor and use datasources to load data on the components. You will also create custom content using Query, the Freeform Addins Popup, and text components. Next, you will make use of widgets to create similar sections and duplicate components to reproduce other components on a dashboard. You will then learn to build a plugin without writing Java code, use Sparkl as a CPK plugin manager, and understand the application of deployment and version control to dashboard development. Finally, you will learn tips and tricks that can be very useful while embedding dashboards into other applications. This guide is an invaluable tutorial if you are planning to use custom and advanced dashboards among the solutions that you are building with Pentaho.

Who is this book for?

If you are a CTools developer and would like to expand your knowledge and create attractive dashboards and frameworks, this book is the go-to-guide for you. A basic knowledge of JavaScript and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is highly recommended.

What you will learn

  • Install Community Tools on Pentaho; and understand the necessary concepts and considerations when creating an exciting dashboard design
  • Get data from many different Pentaho datasources and deliver it in different formats (CSV, XLS, XML, or JSON)
  • Use the Community Data Access (CDA) as the data abstraction layer and understand the concepts in the Community Dashboard Framework (CDF)
  • Create a Community Dashboard Editor (CDE) dashboard and make the most of the main components
  • Create and make use of widgets and use duplicate components to have data-driven sections on the dashboard
  • Customize and create interaction between all components, including charts, using the Community Charts Components
  • Create and embed dashboards in a better and new way
  • Create plugins and make use of parameters inside Pentaho without writing code

Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : May 31, 2016
Length: 388 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785283420
Vendor :
Pentaho
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Tools :

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Product Details

Publication date : May 31, 2016
Length: 388 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785283420
Vendor :
Pentaho
Category :
Languages :
Tools :

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Table of Contents

11 Chapters
1. Getting Started with CTools Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Acquiring Data with CDA Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Building the Dashboard Using CDF Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Leverage the Process with CDE Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Applying Filters to the Dashboard Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Tables, Templates, Exports, and Text Components Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Advanced Concepts Using CDF and CDE Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Visualizations Using CCC Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Pentaho App Builder Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Embed, Deploy, and Debug Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

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