Framework Manager features not supported by data modules

Long-time IBM® Cognos® Business Intelligence users who are accustomed to modeling in IBM Cognos Framework Manager might be curious how this modeling environment compares to data modules.

Data modules currently don't support some of the modeling capabilities that Framework Manager provides. The following features are not, or not fully supported by data modules:

Stored procedures
In Framework Manager, you can import database-stored procedures as a query object that can accept parameters, and can either retrieve or update data based on the nature of the stored procedure.
User-defined functions
In Framework Manager, you can import user-defined functions (UDF) from a database. Data modules do not support UDFs.
Prompts and parameters user interface
In Framework Manager, you can set the default prompt properties, such as the prompt type, use and display values, or filter item reference, on each query item in the user interface.
This type of user interface currently doesn’t exist in data modules. To create new parameters and prompts in data modules, you need to use the macro functions - prompt() and promptmany(), as well as the ?parameter? syntax in expressions. The data modules can't generate a preview of data for unresolved parameters, but the parameters work as expected in reports and dashboards.
When a table definition in a data module includes a column with an expression based on a prompt, the user is always prompted when any column from that table is included in a report or dashboard, even if the column with the prompt is not added to that report or dashboard. This behavior provides a consistent view of the data, and applies to both data modules and Framework Manager models.
Object security
In Framework Manager you can specify security on the reporting objects, such as query subjects and query items (tables and columns). The object security determines which objects a user can see in the metadata tree in reports or dashboards.
Parameter maps
In Framework Manager, modelers can dynamically substitute one value for another by using parameter maps. The parameter maps have two columns: one column for the value that you want to pass in using a macro expression that is calling the parameter map, and the other column for the value that you would like to substitute the first value with. While the parameter map feature does not exist in data modules, modelers can use the queryValue macro function to look up and map values. They can use tables or data sets for the value mapping data.
Here is an example of this type of macro:
{#'SLS_PRODUCT_LINE_LOOKUP.PRODUCT_LINE_'+ queryValue('Language_Lookup_csv.Language_',
'Language_Lookup_csv.Locale=' + sq($runLocale))#}}
In this example, a spreadsheet with two columns was uploaded and used in a data module, one column for Language and one for Locale. The Language column is the substitute value and the Locale is the value used to map to the correct Language value. The macro builds a column identifier with the correct column name for the user's locale. If the user's locale is en-us, the macro uses the queryValue function to retrieve the value EN from the Language_Lookup_csv spreadsheet where the corresponding Locale value equals en-us.
In this example, the macro would return: 
SLS_PRODUCT_LINE_LOOKUP.PRODUCT_LINE_EN
Governors
Governors in a Framework Manager model allow to modify queries at run time. For example, by using governors, you can specify the maximum number of report tables or the query execution-time limit. Data modules don't have the user interface to specify governors. For more information, see Governors and data modules.
Relationships (joins) with expressions
In Framework Manager, modelers can create complex, custom join conditions directly in the Relationship Definition dialog box.
The Edit relationship user interface in data modules doesn’t support custom joins.
Publish, change impact, and report dependencies
In Framework Manager, you can find report dependencies on specified objects, as well as a publish impact based on changes made to the model. As a result, the modeler can notify authors that their reports might be affected by the change in the model.
SAP HANA input variables
In Framework Manager, when importing an SAP HANA view that incorporates an input parameter, the parameters are exposed as a tab in the data source query subject. This allows modelers to provide a hard-coded value or dynamic value by using a macro expression.
Model Advisor
Model Advisor in Framework Manager is used to analyze models. It looks for problem areas based on the Cognos Analytics modeling guidelines.
Namespaces
Namespaces in Framework Manager provide the ability to uniquely qualify objects so that you can have multiple objects with the same name as long as they are in different namespaces. However, data modules allow you to have objects with the same name. The objects' unique IDs are different, which is what is used to ensure uniqueness for each object. As a result, the fact that namespaces do not exist in data modules might not necessarily present any issue for a modeler who wants to switch to data modules.
Star schema grouping presentation
Star schema grouping refers to the presentation of fact tables and their related dimension tables. Framework Manager uses namespaces and shortcuts to allow modelers to present the star schema groupings to authors. Each namespace contains one fact table and its related dimensions. Namespaces with the same dimensions in them are considered shared dimensions, which can be used to query facts from multiple namespaces that contain the shared dimensions.
In data modules, star schema grouping with shortcuts is available. You can have multiple shortcuts with the same name, as described in the Namespaces section.
Context explorer
Context Explorer in Framework Manager provides a view of the model based on an existing object. In Context Explorer, modelers can view, test, and modify relationships of an existing object. They can also hide an object, change the layout, fit all objects in the window (with zoom-in and zoom-out), print, preview diagrams before printing, and change the page setup. Context Explorer is helpful when troubleshooting modeling issues.
The focus mode in data modules offers some similar capabilities, but the functionality is limited.
Model automation
In Framework Manager, model builds can be automated. This functionality is valued by many OEMs who want to automate model builds for their clients.
Creating agents, events, and tasks in Event Agent
Framework Manager packages can be used in IBM Cognos Analytics Event Agent to create agents that monitor your organization's data to detect occurrences of business events. Data modules cannot be used with Event Agent.
Tip: In Cognos Analytics 12.0 and earlier versions, Event Agent was named Event Studio.
Reporting limitations when using data modules
The following limitations apply when data modules are used as sources in Cognos Analytics Reporting:
  • Data modules and Framework Manager packages cannot be combined in the same report.
  • Data modules that are based on dimensional data sources, such as PowerCubes, dynamic cubes, TM1 data sources, and dimensionally modeled relational (DMR) data sources, are not supported.
  • The Build prompt page tool and the Tree prompt are not available in reports.
  • Navigation paths in data modules are not available when creating a union, except, intersect, join, or custom SQL query in Reporting.

    The navigation paths for these types of queries must be created directly in data modules. For more information, see Creating navigation paths.