Creating a database alias

Database aliases are saved in the Repository.

To create a database alias:

  1. Click the root of the Database Structure.
  2. Click New Database Alias.
  3. Specify a name and, optionally, a description.
  4. Select the database provider from the Provider list.
    See Database alias types
  5. Select the driver to use.
    The providers support ODBO and XMLA drivers. Both drivers provide the same functionality but, for ODBO, the driver must be installed on each client machine. Either driver may perform better than the other, depending on the database used and its environment. For example, ODBO might be faster with client lists, but there might be no noticeable difference.
    Note: ODBO is not supported by OLAP Server 10.2. but is supported by OLAP Server 10.1x.
  6. For XMLA connnections, in the Server field, specify the name of the machine on which the database is located, or its URL (depending on database alias type).
    See Database alias types
  7. Select the database and click Test Connection.
  8. If the connection test is successful, click OK.
    Note: For relational aliases where ODBC is selected as the driver, the DSN list replaces the Server field. Select the database source name.
  9. Click the Authentication tab.
    In the User Information section, you can select the authentication system.
    Note: The authentication system depends on the database provider selected. It is independent of the authentication used to connect to the Repository.

    SeeStarting Application Studio.

  10. In the Authentication list box, specify this information:
    Existing connection
    Log on to the database alias with the same credentials you use to log on to Application Studio. The User name and Password fields are disabled.

    Existing Connection works for:

    • Infor CPM Relational Provider aliases only if the existing connection to the Repository is made through CPM Applications authentication.
    • OLAP Server aliases, regardless of the repository authentication.
    Basic
    Enter a user name and password.
    Windows
    The log-on data of the Windows account is used. The User name and Password fields are disabled.
    Kerberos
    The log-on data of the Windows account is used. The Kerberos protocol authenticates the user. The User name and Password fields are disabled.
    HTTP
    A specified user name and password is used for authentication. Authentication is through the HTTP protocol.
    Note: The options of the dialog vary according to the provider and authentication system selected.
  11. Select Connect at log-on to connect to the database alias when you log on to Application Studio.
    You can specify that no connection to the database alias can be made unless the Event Agent is in one of these states:
    Status Explanation
    Any: The connection is made independently of the status of the Event Agent.
    Running: The connection is only made when the Event Agent is running.
    >=Paused: The connection is made when the Event Agent is paused, stopped or disabled.
    >=Stopped: The connection is made when the Event Agent is stopped or disabled.
    Disabled The connection is made only when the Event Agent is disabled.
    The options of the dialog vary according to the provider and authentication system selected.
  12. Click the Advanced tab.
    Here you set the connection time-out and command time-out commands. Any properties of the connection string used can be added in User-defined properties. Different alias types display different fields on the Advanced tab.
  13. Specify this information:
    Unique name style
    The algorithm used by Analysis Services for generating unique names can make them unstable after some time. You can specify which algorithm is used to generate unique names:
    Value Description
    0 Default. Currently the same as Value 2.
    1 Key Path Algorithm. [dim]. & [k1]. ]&[k2].
    2 Name Path. [dim].[n1].[n2]. Compatible with version 7 OLAP Services.
    3 Unique names are stable over time. Compatible with SQL Server Analysis Services.
    See
    Display description or name in Infor CPM Relational Provider database aliases
    You can specify whether an Infor CPM Relational Provider alias displays descriptions or names of elements.
    Add one of these strings to the user-defined properties of the alias:
    captions=descriptions;
    captions=names;
    Measure dimension in Infor CPM Relational Provider database aliases
    To specify which dimension is used as the Measure dimension, specify the name of the dimension in the Measure dimension field.
    Display placeholder element
    This determines how missing elements in ragged and unbalanced hierarchies are treated.
    Value Description
    0 Default. Currently the same as Value 1.
    1 Placeholder elements are exposed.
    2 Placeholder elements are not exposed.
    See http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa256070(SQL.80).aspx
    Run location
    Determines whether queries are executed on the client or server.
    Value Description
    0 Default. Currently the same as Value 1.
    1 The best location (client or server) is selected by the PivotTable service.
    2 Queries are executed on the client.
    3 Queries are executed on the server.
    See
    Language ID (LCID)
    LCID is supported only by Infor BI OLAP Server and MS Analysis Services database aliases. LCID sets the preferred Locale ID for the client application.
    Infor BI OLAP Server database aliases support language cultures (e.g. English) and sub-cultures (e.g. English (USA)). To specify a culture or sub-culture, specify the appropriate code in the Language ID field. For example, specify 09 as the Language Id for English or 1033 for English (USA).
    Microsoft Analysis Services database aliases accept both culture and sub-culture Ids, but use the sub-culture. For example, if you specify 09 (English) as the Language Id, the alias uses 1033 (English (USA)).
    If a process opens multiple connections, each must use the same LCID as the first.
    See
    The Language ID is also displayed, and can be edited, in the Properties pane of a database alias.
    To synchronize the database language with the report language, specify 0 as the LCID. In the connection string of the database alias, the LCID changes according to the report language selected in Extras > Language Settings.
    Database type
    A relational list is defined by an SQL query. You might need different versions of the same query to account for differences in the way in which different database providers implement SQL. For example, the syntax for including global variables in SQL queries differs according to database type.
    See Using variables in SQL queries.
    You can write multiple list SQL queries and store them as a single list. Select the required database type.
    See Managing database types
    Select Type indifferent if none of the relational list definitions is database-specific and queries have been written for the default type.
    See Managing database types.
    Keep connection alive
    The Keep connection alive option sends a dummy request to the server every five minutes to prevent inactive users from being disconnected. For OLAP connections, the option is effective if, in Database Settings in OLAP Administration, the specified HTTP/S session timeout is more than five minutes.

    The option is not supported by these combinations of alias type and driver.

    Alias Type Driver
    Infor BI OLAP Provider Native
    Infor DataLink Provider Q&A 10
    DataLink Server
    Relational Provider ODBC
    OLE DB
    Custom
    The option is supported by all other combinations of alias type and driver, and is enabled by default.
Parent topic: Database aliases