Setting up data sources for Transformer

IBM® Cognos® Transformer creates and manages metadata for PowerCubes. The metadata is derived from data sources in multi-platform or multilingual environments.

There are several things you must consider when you set up the data source environment for IBM Cognos Transformer. Commonly, these things depend on other technology you use for your data or import source.

If users operating in different languages connect to a Microsoft Analysis Services (MSAS) 2000 data source, you must create a separate IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson instance for each language.

Users operating in different languages can connect to an MSAS 2005 data source from the same instance of IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson. Modelers must create a separate package for each language. Users can run reports in any language.

For more information about data source connections, see the IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson Administration and Security Guide.

Ensure that you install the appropriate fonts to support the character sets and currency symbols you use. For Japanese and Korean currency symbols to appear correctly, you must install the additional fonts from the Supplementary Language Documentation disk.

Use the following steps to set up Oracle or SAP BW data sources for IBM Cognos Transformer.

Procedure

  1. Set the environment variable for multilingual support:
    • For Oracle, set the NLS_LANG (National Language Support) environment variable on each computer where Framework Manager and IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson server are installed by typing the following command:

      NLS_LANG = language_territory.character_set

      Examples are:

      NLS_LANG = AMERICAN_AMERICA.UTF8

      NLS_LANG = JAPANESE_JAPAN.UTF8

      The value of the variable determines the locale-dependent behavior of IBM Cognos Analytics with Watson. Error messages, sort order, date, time, monetary, numeric, and calendar conventions automatically adapt to the native language and locale.

    • For IBM Db2, set the DB2CODEPAGE environment variable to a value of 1252.

      For more information about whether to use this optional environment variable, see the Db2 documentation.

    No settings are required for SAP BW. SAP support only a single code page on non-Unicode SAP BW systems.

  2. For Oracle, add $ORACLE_HOME/lib to the library path.

    When you set the load library paths, ensure that the 32-bit Oracle libraries are in the library search path, which is usually the $ORACLE_HOME/lib directory or the $ORACLE_HOME/lib32 directory if you installed a 64-bit Oracle client.

  3. For SAP BW, configure the following authorization objects so that the modeling tool can retrieve metadata.

    Where default values are specified, you may want to modify the values on the SAP system.

    • S_RFC

      Set the Activity field to 16.

      Set the Name of RFC to be protected field to SYST, RSOB, SUGU, RFC1, RS_UNIFICATION, RSAB, SDTX, SU_USER.

      Set the Type of RFC object to be protected field to FUGR.

    • S_TABU_DIS

      Set the Activity field to 03.

      Set the Authorization Group field to &NC&.

      Note: &NC& represents any table that does not have an authorization group. For security reasons, create an authorization group and assign the table RSHIEDIR to it. The new authorization group restricts the user's access to the table only, which is needed by the modeling tool. Create the authorization group as a customization in the SAP system.
    • S_USER_GRP

      Set the Activity field to 03, 05.

      Set the User group in user master main field to the default value.

    • S_RS_COMP

      Set the Activity field to the default value.

      Set the Info Area field to InfoArea Technical Name.

      Set the Info Cube field to the value: InfoCube Technical Name.

      Set the Name (ID) of reporting components field to the default value.

      Set the Type of reporting components field to the default value.

    • S_RS_COMP1

      Set the Activity field to the default value.

      Set the Name (ID) of reporting components field to the default value.

      Set the Type of reporting components field to the default value.

      Set the Owner (Person Responsible) field to the default value.

    • S_RS_HIER

      Set the Activity field to 71.

      Set the Hierarchy Name field to Hierarchy Name.

      Set the InfoObject field to InfoObject Technical Name.

      Set the Version field to Hierarchy Version.

    • S_RS_ICUBE

      Set the Activity field to 03.

      Set the InfoCube sub-object field to the values DATA and DEFINITION.

      Set the Info Area field to InfoArea Technical Name.

      Set the InfoCube field to InfoCube Technical Name.

    For more information about SAP BW authorization objects, see Transaction SU03.