Data visualization scenario

[Former Member]

Hi!

I need to say that I don't have much expertise in xMII. I came upon following task. I need to pick up data (text) files from ftp were they appear on regular basis (say every 1 hour or so). All the data in them is in typical form (let's say its a volume of transported gas for the time period). So i need MII to pickup that data and visualize it with some chart or animated object in web interface. Please suggest the most suitable scenario to do that (i mean what action blocks should i choose to build transaction).

Thanks in advance!

Edited by: Piotr Manastyrny on Jun 8, 2011 2:04 PM

[sidnooradarsh · Accepted solution]

Hello,

There could be different ways to handle this requirement but here's one which I would try,

1) Create a Document with required columns

2) Use FTP actions to fetch the file from FTP server

3) Use Flat File Parser action to parse the text file into xml format

4) Use Repeater action for xml output obtained to loop through each data row and add the necessary data to document using Illuminator Row

5) Return the document via some xml type transaction attribute

Hope this helps!!

Regards,

Adarsh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks a lot for your answer, but i want to clarify some points if you be so kind.

In step 2) which is the best action block to get file from ftp (i tried Text_Loader, and FTP_Input)?

And in step 5) After i parse the file into xml I need to create a chart based on that data, and i need this chart to be accesible through web interface and to be dynamic (to refresh with every new portion of data coming). What instruments should i do use to acheive that?

[sidnooradarsh · Accepted solution]

Possible File Fetch steps:

1) Use FTP Get List to get list of available Files

2) Use FTP Input to fetch the file from FTP server and then store it locally (could be MII work bench or MII server)

3) Use Text Loader to load the file which is stored locally

Display Option:

There are many ways you can achieve this, one possible way could be

1) Once you have the document ready Create a xml type output Transaction property (output variable) and map document output to this property

2) Create a Xacute Query template and map this BLS transaction

3) Create a Display template (choose chart or grid as per your requirement) map the Xacute Query template and to refresh the chart dynamically set the auto refresh option on display template to refresh chart with fresh data at regular intervals.

4) Use these query and display templates on your web page via applet tag

Hope this helps!!

Regards,

Adarsh

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Thanks a lot. The pattern seems clear now. I'll try to create it and ask if I'll encounter some issues at the process.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Now I encountered a problem while parsing picked up CSV file to XML. The Text_Loader works fine, and when i evaluate its StringContent field I get info from my file.

But when i try to link StringContent field to Input field of FlatFile_Parser, it gives me nothing in the output of a parser. Just a default empty xml file. I tried both FlatFIile_Parser and String_to_XML_Parser. But both of them output an empty XML.

What can be the issue here?

Btw I have xMII 12.0.12 if it is important.

Thanks in advance!

Peter

[agentry_src · Accepted solution]

Try StringList_to_XML with comma as your delimiter. And try it one row at a time, at least initially.

Can you provide the structure of the csv file you are receiving? There may be some other approaches necessary.

Regards,

Mike

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Just tried StringList_to_XML with the very same result. Regarding file structure, on this stage i'm just trying to make it work, so i'm using the simpliest possible structure. I'm trying with

Peter,epam,sap

or

Peter,epam,sap
Jack,accenture,oracle

Already resolved. The point was the output xml was shown empty in evaluation (with XXX as rows). I put a tracer and got an OK xml in it. So all the parsers in fact work fine.

Edited by: Piotr Manastyrny on Jun 9, 2011 6:05 PM