so does that mean that I can create a odbc connection from access to report studio?
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Browse All TopicsI have a flat file that I recieve. I have cognos reportnet at work. Is it possible for me to import that file file to cognos and then us ethat as teh base report and then build on top of that some analystics and some conditional formatting? if yes - how
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Expert but in a previous post her above you have mentioned that we do can this by:
Technically, yes, by creating an ODBC connection to your flat file. Or for more versatility, bring the file into Excel or Access, and create an ODBC connection to that instead.
What does this odbc connection connect to?
The ODBC approach works if you create an ODBC connection on the server to your flat file, and publish a package that contains this datasource to the server. In theory, that flat file could be sourced from a network location, so you run your report to CSV or Excel or something, save it to the right network location, and then run a report off of a predefined ODBC connection to that file. However, this probably won't be very practical, becuase Cognos is designed as a multi-user enviornment, so once you access this ODBC connection, you'll find that the file will we be locked for ~15 minutes (until the data connection on the server expires). It also assumes that the columns in the file will be the same each time.
so once you access this ODBC connection, you'll find that the file will we be locked for ~15 minutes (until the data connection on the server expires). - but if I create a report based on that file for the first time and then going forward I simply schedule the report to run evry week. Then the 15 minutes wait time will not be valid right? IS that correct?
It also assumes that the columns in the file will be the same each time. Yeas the file format will be the same each time and there are only about 10 columns
The two problems you will run into are
1) refreshing hte file. I'm assuming that you'll want to periodically update this file, correct? You won't be able to if the file is being accessed by Cognos 8. The only clean way to "force" the connection closed is to restart the Cognos 8 service.
2) Performance. this will vary depending on the size of the file, of course, so it may not be a issue.
1. save your file as a .txt or .csv
2. create an ODBC connection on the computer you are using to model your data (Framework Manager) and on the Cognos Connection server using the control panel / administrative tools (the ODBC connection name MUST be the same on the FM machine and the server
3. in the Cognos Connection portal, create a new datasource that links to your ODBC
4. bring the flat file into the framework where the rest of the data you want to link it to is or create a new framework as a new query subject
5. publish a package to your Cognos Connection that includes this query subject
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by: RWrigleyPosted on 2008-09-12 at 11:57:56ID: 22462825
Technically, yes, by creating an ODBC connection to your flat file. Or for more versatility, bring the file into Excel or Access, and create an ODBC connection to that instead.
Of course, the best route is to import it into a real database (like SQL Server), where you can use ETL tools to control the process and validate the data.