Create unassigned data source in Design Studio

[former_member248227]

All,

I have noticed that some of the templates (ex. Data Discovery and Visualization) in Design Studio (we run 1.5) contain blank datasources that are unassigned, with type "Infoprovider".  I have tried to replicate this object from scratch, but I am unable to proceed with creation of a datasource until I fill in the "Datasource" field, forcing me to specify an object.  I am able to paste the template "unassigned" datasource into another application that I create, but I wondered if anyone knew of a way to create one of these from scratch?

Thanks!

Scott

[TammyPowlas · Accepted solution]

Hi Scott - what are you trying to accomplish?  Some of the templates don't fill the data source until runtime.  Maybe you could be more specific about what you are trying to achieve and share the exact names of the templates.

[former_member248227 · Accepted solution]

Sure - what I am doing is exploratory for now.  As longtime Bex users with a standard WAD reporting template and the ability to save history, navigate roles, search for queries, and save sharable bookmarks, we're looking to design one template that does all these things - it seems that current templates, in some cases, do aspects of what we need, but not all.  I am just working on a few prototypes that consolidate features of some of the predelivered templates. 

The template I am working with is called the Data Discovery and Visualization Template from the "Template Selection" screen of 1.5.  This datasource, as you said, populates at runtime and is loaded on script.  Looking at its properties, captured below, I notice that the designers were able to create a datasource that does not have an assigned query.  However, I am unable to bypass the data source creation window until I fill in a Data Source name.  I'm just looking into whether there is a way for a developer to do this, or if the only option is to either assign a random datasource name to a Load On Script data source or to copy/paste the object from the template that I captured.  Does this clarify?

thanks!

[TammyPowlas · Accepted solution]

Scott:

I don't have time to try this myself right now but I wonder if the assignDataSource method will work for what you are you trying to achieve - see this blog ) under section "Reusability of Datasource (Bex Queries)"

[MustafaBensan · Accepted solution]

Hi Scott,

This is a very good question.  I have not found a way to create an "<unassigned>" data source directly.  The only workaround I have found is, as you've indicated, to copy an "<unassigned>" data source object from one of the standard templates and paste it into your own application.

Regards,

Mustafa.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Scott

You can create a dummy or un assigned datasource by the following steps

1. Right click add datasource

2. Give the name unassigned or any name you want

3. Click ok in the message box

4.Your un assigned datasource is created

Now you can assign this to any datasource at run time

Thanks

- Karthik S

[Former Member]

Hi

Just add a text (ex. unassigned) and click enter. The system will then give you a warning saying that the query does not exist but lets you create data source anyway. If you set it to Load in script you man dynamically add the query yourself in a script at run time.

This works in DS 1.5.

Kind regards

Erik

[david_stocker]

As an FYI folks, in Design Studio 1.6, unassigned data sources are an option in the insert data source menu, so no trickery is needed anymore.

[IngoH]

great news

ingo

[IngoH]

Hello Scott,

there is a way to achieve that but it is a little bit of a "hack" as you can not create an unassigned data source in Design Studio.

Create a new project

create the data source

then open the BIApp file with notepad

find the details on the data source

remove those

now you got an "unassigned" datasource

regards

Ingo Hilgefort, Visual BI

[former_member248227]

Thanks Ingo and everyone!

One follow up question - although the workaround presented does not seem overly convoluted, is there any disadvantage, instead, if making a homegrown template designed to allow dynamic query selection for an unassigned datasource, to, instead, save the Analysis Application with a randomly assigned query value, set to always only load via script, and reassign the datasource's query on selection (assuming there would always be an initial prompt that forced a query selection)?  This seems like a cleaner option to me, but I wonder if there are unforeseen caveats/potential pitfalls to it?

[IngoH]

HI Scott,

so far I have not seen and disadvantages of the "small hack". The advantage of going into the file is that it will look "cleaner" in the template as nothing is pre-defined.

Ingo

[former_member248227]

Thanks that answers everything - appreciate your help Ingo!