Creating a DataSource for DB Connect 

Use

Before you are able to transfer data from a database source system, the metadata, meaning the information on the tables, views, and fields, must be available in BI in the form of a DataSource.

Prerequisites

See Requirements for Database Tables or Views

Procedure

You are in the DataSource tree in the Data Warehousing Workbench.

...

       1.      Select the application components in which the DataSource is to be created and choose Create DataSource.

       2.      In the next screen, enter a technical name for the DataSource, select the type of the DataSource and choose Copy.

The DataSource maintenance screen appears.

       3.      Maintain the General tab page.

                            a.      Enter descriptions for the DataSource (short, medium, long).

                            b.      If necessary, specify if the DataSource builds an initial non-cumulative and supplies duplicate data records within a request.

       4.      Maintain the Extraction tab page.

                            a.      Define the delta method for the DataSource.

                            b.      Specify whether the DataSource supports direct access to data.

                            c.      The system displays Database Table as the adapter for the DataSource. With Properties you can display the general adapter properties.

                            d.      With Table/View you select a table or view catalog from the database source system.

                            e.      In the next screen, mark whether tables and/or views should be displayed for selection, enter the necessary data under Table/View  and choose Execute.

The database connection is created and the database tables are read.

                              f.      The Select DB Object Names screen appears. On this screen, the system displays, in accordance with your selections, the tables and views stored on the database schema of the database user, over which the connection is run. The technical name, type and database schema for a table or view are displayed.

Make sure that in the extraction you use only tables and views whose technical names are made up solely of upper case letters, numbers, and underscores (_). Using other characters can lead to problems.

       5.      Go to the Proposal tab page.

The fields of the table or view are displayed here.

The overview of the database fields tells you which fields are key fields, the length of the field in the database compared with the length of the field in the ABAP data dictionary, as well as the field type in the database and the field type in the ABAP dictionary. It also gives you additional information to help you check the consistency of your data.

When you use data types, be aware of the database-specific features. For more information, see the database-specific notes already mentioned here under Demands on Database Tables/Views.

       6.      Where necessary, remove the Copy to Field Lists selection for fields that are not to be transferred to the field lists.

       7.      Maintain the Fields tab page.

                            a.      Set the Transfer indicator, and select the table fields and view fields that you want to be available for extraction from this table or view.

Note that the technical field names can be no longer than 16 characters and must only contain upper case letters, numbers, and underscores (_). Using other characters can lead to problems. You cannot use fields with reserved field names, such as COUNT. Fields that do not comply with these restrictions are not available for extraction.

                            b.      If required, specify InfoObjects of the BI system for the fields under Template InfoObject. The system proposes them for assignment to a field when defining the transformation. It is possible to transfer the technical properties of the InfoObject into the DataSource field.

                            c.      If required, change the values for the key fields of the source.

                            d.      If required, change the output length for a field.

                            e.      Specify whether the source provides the data in an internal or external format.

                              f.      If required, specify a conversion routine that converts the data to internal format.

                            g.      Select the fields for which you want to be able to set selection criteria when you schedule a data request using a BI InfoPackage. Data for this type of field is transferred in accordance with the selection criteria specified in the InfoPackage.

                            h.      Choose the selection options (such as EQ, BT) to be provided for selection in the InfoPackage. If required, in the field type, define if the data to be selected is language-dependent or time-dependent.

       8.      Check the DataSource.

The field names are checked for upper and lower case letters, special characters, and field length. The system also checks whether an assignment to an ABAP data type is available for the fields.

       9.      Activate the DataSource.

   10.      Go to the Preview tab page.

If you choose Read Preview Data, the specified number of data records, corresponding to your field selection, is displayed in a preview.

With this function you are able to check whether the data formats and data are correct. If you can see in the preview that the data is incorrect, try to localize the error.

See also: Localizing Errors

Result

The DataSource is created and visible in the DataSource overview for the database source system in the application component in the Data Warehousing Workbench.

You can now create an InfoPackage in which you define the selections for the data request. The data can be loaded into the entry layer of the BI system, the PSA. Alternatively you can access the data directly if the DataSource supports direct access and if you have defined the data flow with a VirtualProvider.