Question

Automatically update Org Chart when DB is updated

Asked by: LeeGorman

I'm using Visio 2007 to creage an organization chart.  I have successfully syncronized it with the heirchal employee structure in our ERP system which  uses an Oracle 9i DB.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results. I was also able to save it as an html file and post it on our Intranet site.  However, always wanting to take it one step further, is there a way that I can automatically update the web page when the Data in the DB is updated?  If not, then would you propose a shorter way to accomplish the update than going through the entire syncronization process in visio?  I hope that was clear.

Thanks,

Lee

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Asked On
2008-05-06 at 08:05:08ID23379685
Tags

Microsoft

,

Visio

,

2007

,

Oracle Database

Topics

Microsoft Visio

,

Oracle 9.x

Participating Experts
4
Points
250
Comments
9

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Answers

 

by: MikeOM_DBAPosted on 2008-05-06 at 08:23:58ID: 21508103


Although the update to ERP occurs at the database level, the Organization chart synchronization is driven by the Visio application.

You would need to somehow schedule a daily/weekly batch job to execute Visio with the appropiate command to synchronize the Org chart and deploy to Intranet.

Good luck!

 

by: scottPosted on 2008-05-12 at 05:56:05ID: 21546461

Did you use Visio 2007 data linking to connect the org chart shapes to the database? if so, you can set a parameter in Visio that will automatically refresh the drawing from the database at a time interval you define (note: the drawing must remain open for the automatic update to occur). This would take care of step 1 without requiring any programming -- just setting a Visio parameter.

As for step 2, republishing the web page, there's an example in the Visio software developer's kit of a macro that will save your drawing as a web page. You could either run the macro yourselft periodically, or you could, with a bit of extra work using a second SDK example, add the code to perform the save whenever certain events occur, e.g., when data is refreshed.

The Visio Developer Portal is here:
   http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/aa905478.aspx
You'll find a link to the SDK in the lower right of this page.

Let me know if you'd like more information about this approach.

 

by: LeeGormanPosted on 2008-05-14 at 09:01:09ID: 21565594

I ran the org chart wizard and connected to the DB using odbc.  I do not see this parameter that will automatically refress the drawing.  I would love to learn more about this approach.  I just downloaded the SDK and installed it.  I'll have more specific questions as i play around with it some.  

 

by: yasserfmPosted on 2009-08-31 at 05:15:25ID: 25222125

I would appreciate some direction on this dynamic refresh between Oracle 11i and Visio 2007.

Thanks

 

by: scottPosted on 2009-08-31 at 06:13:47ID: 25222464

I've learned a couple of things about the org chart that I didn't know back in May when this thread began. Here's an article from Microsoft describing how to automate production of an org chart from Visio code:
  http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/visio/HA010774641033.aspx
And if you look at the code in this discussion thread, it shows how to create an org chart from a database, then save the results as a web page:
  http://visguy.com/vgforum/index.php?topic=893.0

As far as dynamic refresh, I think you'll need to add Visio VBA code that does one of two things: 1) periodically checks some database attribute to determine whether the data has changed, or 2) runs a timer and recreates the org chart at a predefined interval. Either that or you do it from the other side: create a stored procedure in your database that launches Visio and runs the macro whenever db changes have occurred.

 

by: mr-kennyPosted on 2010-05-06 at 08:22:21ID: 32653893

Hi Scott,

can you please give an example of your suggestion:

"create a stored procedure in your database that launches Visio and runs  the macro whenever db changes have  occurred"



 

by: scottPosted on 2010-05-06 at 09:49:52ID: 32654996

Actually, I can't! I know the Visio side of the equation but am not a database guy. I know that it is possible to write such a stored procedure but don't know how to do it. Sorry... but if you post a new question about this is the relevant database zone, I guarantee someone there will be able to help you.

 

by: scottPosted on 2010-05-06 at 09:50:43ID: 32655005

whoops, just noticed that you already did ask in the Oracle zone...

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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