Business Objects --FAQ

1. What is a universe?
A universe is a business oriented mapping of the data structure (tables,column, joins)
found in the database. Universes isolate end users from the complexities of the
database structure as well as the intricacies of the SQL syntax. BO term is “semantic
layer between users and the database.” It can represent any specific application,
system, or group of users. Example a universe can relate to a department in a
company such as marketing or accounting. In BO user module, universes enable end
users to build queries from which they can generate and perform analysis.
2. How can you check the universe?
As you design your universe, you should test its integrity periodically. You can verify
universe integrity as follows:
Automatically: You can set Designer options to check the SQL syntax of universe
structures at creation, universe export, or when a universe is opened. TOOLS—
OPTIONS—SELECT OR CLEAR CHECK BOXES FOR APPROPRIATE
UNIVERSE AUTOMATIC CHECK OPTIONS.
Manually: You run Check Integrity to test to verify if the design of your active
universe is accurate and up-to-date. Check Integrity detects the following:
• Errors in the objects, joins, conditions, and cardinalities of your universe.
• Loops in join paths.
• Any necessary contexts.
• Changes to the target database.
Before examining the elements of the universe against those of the database, the
function checks whether the connection to the database is valid. If the connection is
not valid, the function stops and returns an error message.
Types of errors detected by Check Integrity
Check Integrity can detect:
• Invalid syntax in the SQL definition of an object, condition, or join.
• Loops
• Isolated tables
• Isolated joins
• Loops within contexts
• Missing or incorrect cardinalities
a. What are universe parameters?
Universe parameters are definitions and restrictions that you define for a
universe that identify a universe and its database connections, specify the
type of queries that can be run using the universe, and set the controls on the
use of system resources. they provide informtaion about the universe and
allow you to change the universe behavior from the database perspective.
3. What is security domain in BO?
Connections are stored in the security domain of the repository. These can be shared
with designers and supervisors with the appropriate privileges.
4. Where will you find the address of repository in BO?
In the BO main.key. businessobjects/LocData folder.
5. What is broad cast agent?
Broadcast Agent is a software product, which empowers users of web intelligence
and BUSINESSOBJECTS to process and distribute documents automatically and
securely at scheduled dates and times. With BROADCAST AGENT, users can, for
example, schedule a document to be refreshed on the first Monday of every month
from a corporate database, and have the new information distributed automatically in
the correct format to each of a group of users. Users can schedule documents for
processing and distribution at off-peak times. This cuts down on network traffic at
peak times, and enables documents to be, for example, printed or refreshed on the
Web at night or over the weekend without user intervention. End users can also set
conditions, so that BROADCAST AGENT processes and distributes documents only
when specified conditions occur, such as increased revenue in a given region, or daily
sales figures for a given product exceeding a certain value.
6. What services the broadcast agent offers on the server side? (see bca pdf)
BROADCAST AGENT features fall into the following categories:
• Automated document scheduling and publishing - how users submit documents, and
the options they can use
• On the server side, CORBA-enabled features such as load balancing and server
optimization using caches
• Tracing BROADCAST AGENT activity
• Access and security
7. What are alerters in BO?
Alerters use special formatting to make data that fits specified conditions stand out
from the rest of the data. This helps draw attention to trends and exceptions in the
data.
8. What is batch processing in BO?
Scheduling is batch processing see BCA.
9. What is BO main key?
A file that contains the address of the repository's security domain. This file must be
distributed to all users who will access the BusinessObjects repository to share
universes and documents. By default, the bomain.key is placed in the
BusinessObjects\LocData folder on your system.

10. What is the Business Objects repository?

A) The Business Objects repository is a set of relational data structures stored on a
database. It enables Business Objects users to share resources in a controlled and
secured environment.
11. What is a domain? How many are there is a basic set up? What are they?
A) A domain is an area of the repository. The repository is made up of three domains:
the security domain, the universe domain, the document domain.
12. What are the types of user profiles and products can they use?
A) Supervisor offers standard profiles representing the various types of Business
Objects users. The names of the profiles, as well as their symbols, roles, and products
are explained below.
Profile) General Supervisor
Role) The Business Objects system administrator. This is the person who launches
Supervisor for the first time. The general supervisor creates the repository, defines
users and groups, and manages resources. A general supervisor is the sole user with a
global view of the hierarchical organization.
Product) All Business Objects Products
Profile) Supervisor
Role) Defines users and group, manages
resources, and ensures security. A supervisor also assigns properties and resources to
these users and groups. In addition, a supervisor can restrict access to certain
resources. A general supervisor can create several supervisors.
Product) Supervisor, BusinessObjects
 Profile) Supervisor-designer
Role) Creates users, groups and universes.
This user has all the rights of the supervisor and designer combined.
Product) Supervisor, Designer, BusinessObjects
Profile) Designer
Role) Creates universes and distributes them
to end users by sending them through the file system, or by exporting them to the
repository.
Product) Designer, BusinessObjects
Profile) User
Role) The main BusinessObjects user whose
tasks are to query, report, and analyze data. Users can produce documents containing
data from one or more data sources. There can be an unlimited number of users.
Product) BusinessObjects
Profile) Versatile
Role) This user is authorized to use any combination of products defined by a
supervisor.
13. What is a Category?
A) A keyword or phrase created by Supervisor and stored in the repository, which
end-users can assign to documents when they send them to users, groups, or
Broadcast Agent. Users can then filter document searches in the repository by
assigned category.

Designer Questions
14. What is a Universe?
A) A universe is a business-oriented mapping of the data structure found in databases:
tables, columns, joins, etc. It can represent any specific application, system, or group
of users. For example, a universe can relate to a department in a company such as
marketing or accounting. In the BusinessObjects User module, universes enable end
users to build queries from which they can generate and perform analysis. Universes
isolate end users from the complexities of the database structure as well as the
intricacies of SQL syntax.
15. What is an Object?
A) An object is the most refined component in a universe. It maps to data or a
derivation of data in the database. Using objects, end users can build queries to
generate reports.
16. What is Object qualification?
For the purposes of multidimensional analysis, objects are qualified as one of three
types: dimension, detail, or measure.
17. What is a loop, how do you resolve them?
In a relational database, a loop occurs when joins form multiple paths between
lookup/dimension tables. In a database schema, a loop can be identified as a closed
path. A situation that occurs when more than one path exists from one table to another
 in the universe. (check integrity indicates the existence of loops and detect loops
option)
DESIGNER provides three features, which guide you in the loop resolution process:
• Detect Cardinalities
• Detect Aliases
• Detect Contexts
The first step in resolving loops is to detect the cardinalities of the tables.

Detecting cardinalities
The Detect Cardinalities command automatically identifies the cardinalities or
nature of the relationships between the tables in the Structure pane.
Cardinalities indicate to DESIGNER whether the relationship or join between two
tables is one-to-many (1,N), one-to-one (1,1), or many-to-many (N,N). Because a
join is bidirectional, it must always have two cardinalities.
For example, each customer resides in one city, but each city has many customers
residing in it; the cardinalities are respectively (1,1) and (1, N).
18. What do you prefer an Alias or an context? why?
A) Alias - A logical pointer to an alternate table name. The purpose of an alias is to
resolve loops in the paths of joins.
A) Context - A context is a rule by which Designer can decide which of two paths to
choose when more than one path is possible from one table to another. Contexts can
be used to resolve loops in the universe. You can create contexts manually, or cause
them to be detected by Designer. When contexts are useful, Designer suggests a list
of contexts that you can create. With certain database structures, you may need to use
contexts rather than aliases to resolve loops. A situation where this commonly occurs
is a transactional database with multiple fact tables (“multiple stars”) that share
lookup tables.
19. What is join? Explain different types of joins?
A) A relational operation that causes two tables with a common column to be
combined into a single table. Designer supports equi-joins, theta joins, outer joins,
and shortcut joins.
20. What are linked universes? Have you worked with them, problems faced and
solutions?
A) Linked universes are universes that share common components such as
parameters, classes, objects, or joins. Among linked universes, one universe is said to
be the kernel or master while the others are the derived universes.
21. What are alerter's, filters, breaks, conditions?
A) The Alerters dialog box allows you to create and apply alerters. Alerters use
special formatting to make data that fits specified conditions stand out from the rest of
the data. This helps draw attention to trends and exceptions in report data.
A) A filter enables you to hide the data you do not want to view and display only the
data you want to focus on. In the Apply a Filter on Variable Name dialog box, you
choose which values of the selected variable you want to display in the selected
block.
 A) Select the variables you want to use to insert a break. When you close the dialog
box, the variable you select is displayed in the Breaks dialog box. Break Level, sets
the level that the block of data will have in the report. You can have more than one
break level to organize blocks of data.
A) conditions - feature that forces a query to retrieve only the data that meets
specified criteria.
22. What's the difference between master-detail and Breaks?
Master detail- A report structure that displays data in sections, which contain a
master cell and one or more corresponding blocks of data. When sections are folded,
you view the master report—only section headers are displayed. You unfold sections
to view the detail results. Organizes data in sections.
Breaks- break up blocks of data. It allows you to display all the data for each value of
a dimension variable together, but more importantly it allows you to display subtotals
for each break section.
23. What's the difference between filters and conditions?
Filter- enables you to view only the necessary data in the report.
Condition- way of forcing a query to retrieve data that meets a set of criteria.
24. What are pre-defined conditions? compare with report conditions? Justify?
Predefined condition- A condition defined by the designer. You can apply these
conditions in queries in the web and query panels.
Condition – force the query in the reporter part.
25. What are the differences between a formula, variable and user objects?
Formula- you use formulas to carry out calculations locally in the report to set
conditions on filters and data display. A BO formula is made up of functions,
variables and operators and always begins with a “=”sign.
Variable—A report element that presents a named category of a data. Columns of
data returned by queries or other data provider.
User Object- An object created in BO based on one or more existing objects . Used
to combine two or more existing objects to make calculations or to apply functions on
an existing object. They can only be used in the document they were created. (.udo
extension).they have a name , qualification, definition etc.
26. What is a microcube? How many can a document have?
A) Local structure in which the data retrieved by a data provider is stored; contains
the data users can display in reports inside a document.
27. Define a Cell, Block, and Section?
Block- a unit within a generated BO document, usually a table or cross tab section
Section- Part of a master detail report. It contains a free-standing cell (section header)
in which a single value of an object is displayed such as Japan, and one or more
blocks where objects corresponding to the section cell value are displayed, eg
customer and revenue. A section is created for each value returned by the object in
the section cell.
28. Define strategies?
A strategy is a script that reads structural information from a database or flat file.
In DESIGNER you can specify two types of strategies: built-in strategies and external
strategies.
Built-in Strategies
DESIGNER uses the following built-in strategies for creating the components of
universes:
• the Objects Creation strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to define classes and
objects automatically from the database’s tables and columns
• the Joins Creation strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to define joins
automatically from the database’s tables and columns
• the Table Browser strategy, which tells DESIGNER how to read the table and
column structures from the database’s data dictionary
External Strategies
External strategy files are declared in the STG section of .PRM files located in the
various RDBMS folders. All external strategy files contain a number of existing
strategies delivered with Business Objects products. For example, a file may contain
one object strategy, one join strategy, and one table browser strategy, or multiple
strategies of each type. In this file you can customize an existing strategy or create
your own. Each external strategy file is specific to one RDBMS.
Locating external strategy files
External strategy files are named according to the following convention:
StxxxxEN.txt where St means strategy, xxxx is an abbreviation for the RDBMS, and
EN is the language in which Business Objects products are installed (EN =English,
FR=F rench, GE=German). Here is a partial list of files containing external strategies:
• For Oracle: Stora7en.txt in the Oracle folder
• For Sybase: Stsyb1en.txt in the Sybase folder
• For Informix: Stifxen.txt in the Informix folder
29. Kinds of repository architectures?
monolithic(stand alone) and distributed.
monolithic has all 3 domains in one single database
Distributed- a single security domain keeps track of multiple document and universe
domains that are distributed around the organization’s database system.
30. What is Web intelligence?
It is a BO product that provides users with ad hoc query reporting, and analysis of
corporate information via corporate intranet, extranet or internet. It contains webi
explorer and webi reporter.
31. What are canned reports?
They are predefined reports that automatically format data for presentation.
32. Define Cardinality?
It is the property of a join that describes how many rows in one table match rows in
the other table. It is expressed as the minimum and maximum number of rows in a
column at one end of a join, that have matching rows in the column at the other end
of the join.
33. What is a Cartesian product?
A situation in which a query includes two or more tables that are not linked by a join.
If executed, this type of a query retrieves all the possible combinations between each
row of each table and may lead to inaccurate results.
34. What is loadbalancing?
A distributed deployment’s capacity to scale to a greater number of users by
automatically redirecting requests to the machines that are less ‘loaded’ in the system.
Multiple machines allow overloaded components to redirect to less-used ones.
35. What is business objects?
It is a business intelligence tool with multi dimensional analysis capability. It is the
integrated query, reporting and analysis solution for business professionals that
allows you to access the data in your corporate databases directly from your desktop
and present and analyze this information in a BO document. BO can be deployed in a
2-tier and 3-tier environment.
36. What is a data dictionary?
It is a read only set of tables that provides information about its associated database.
E.g it gives the names of oracle users, the privileges each user has etc.
37. What is a dimension/ Lookup table?
It contains information associated with a particular object.
38. What is a Fact table?
39. Versions of Business objects:
1996 & 97- 3.x
1998- 4.0 + Webi 1.0
1999- 4.1 +Webi 2.0 + Webi SDK component
2000-5.0 + Webi 2.5
2001-5.1 + Webi 2.6
2002-5.i + Webi 2.7
6.5+Webi 6.5
40. Desktop Products:
• Supervisor
• Designer
• BOUser
• BO Miner
• BO Query (OLAP)

41. Server Products:

• Web Intelligence (InfoView, Reporter, Explorer)

• Broadcast Agent (Scheduler, Publisher)
• ZABO (Zero Admin Business Objects) is available with BO 5.1.2
• Webi SDK (For Customization using ASP/JSP)
• Set Analyzer
 • BO Auditor

42. Minimum Hardware Requirements:

Desktop Products: IBM PC or any compatible machine, 32 MB RAM, 50 MB Hard Disk

Server Products: IBM PC or any compatible machine, 128 MB RAM (256 MB

Recommended), 150 MB Hard Disk

43. Installation types:

1. Standalone or Master Setup 2. Express/Minimal/Custom

What is Designer?

The Universe designer uses DESIGNER to design, create and maintain universes for a
particular group of users. A universe designer can distribute a universe as a file through
the file system, or by exporting it to a repository.

DESIGNER is a Business Objects product intended specifically for the Universe

designer.

It is important to analyze the type of information that the end users at your site will
require so that you can develop universes that meet the needs of the user community.
This includes the actual reports, information, or results likely to be required by the end
users.

How do you start creating the universe?

Universe can be created by taking into consideration the type of data and the logical
structure of your company’s databases.

Creating of the universe starts with gathering of user requirements, identifying the
database tables where the data resides, inserting the db structure to the universe, creating
the joins between the tables, resolving loops either by creating aliases or contexts,
creating classes and objects from the db tables, and creating measures.

List some functions to create objects in the universe?

@Aggregate_Aware, @Prompt, @Select, @Variable, Running Sum, Running Count,

User Response, String functions, Date functions.
How is a Universe is identified?

A universe is identified by:

• file name which consists of up to 8 characters and a .unv extension.
• long name which consists of up to 35 characters.
• unique system identifier. This is the identifier assigned by the repository when you
export the universe. This identifier is null if you have never exported the universe.

How do you distribute a universe?

There are two ways to distribute a universe to end users or another designer:
1) Exporting to Repository
(2) Through File system – Moving it as a file through the file Server.

What is a Class?

A class is a logical grouping of objects and conditions within a universe.

What is an Object?

An object maps to data or a derivation of data in the database.

How can we qualify an object?

An object can be qualified as a dimension, a detail, or a measure.

• Dimension objects retrieve character-type data that will provide the basis for analysis
in a report.
• A detail object is always associated to one dimension object, on which it provides
additional information.
• Measure objects retrieve numeric data that is the result of calculations on data in the
database.
A measure object is derived from an aggregate function: Count, Sum, Minimum, or
Maximum.

What is the difference between conditional objects and other objects?

Conditional objects have a where clause, where normal objects do not have a where
clause

What type of connections Designer provides?

DESIGNER provides three types of connections: (Tools  Connections)

• Secured connection (Default): Stores the connection in the security domain of the
BO repository to centralize and control access to sensitive or critical data. Designers
and supervisors have the right to create this type of connection.
• Shared connection: Specifies that multiple users share the connection. All users who
have access to this connection can use it and edit it. If you installed BO in Stand-
Alone mode, the connection by default is stored in the sdac.lsi file (LocData
subfolder). If you installed BO in Shared mode, the connection by default is stored in
the sdac.ssi file (ShData subfolder). Designers and users have the right to create this
type of connection.
• Personal connection: Specifies that the connection belong to the user who defined it.
Other users cannot use or modify the connection. If you installed BO in Stand-Alone
mode, the connection by default is stored in the pdac.lsi file (LocData subfolder). If
you installed BusinessObjects in Shared mode, the connection by default is stored in
the pdac.ssi file (ShData subfolder). Designers and users have the right to create this
type of connection.

What are Universe parameters?

These parameters define the universe. They are Definition, Summary, Strategies,
Controls, SQL and Links.

• Summary
Statistics of objects, joins, conditions, classes, contexts, hierarchies and alias in a
universe. We get it from the Summary tab of the Universe parameters or File 
Parameters.
• Controls
The Control settings allow to limit the size of the result set and the execution time of
queries.
• SQL
These parameter controls the query (allows use of subqueries, allows use of union,
intersect and minus operators) and SQL generation options for the universe.
• Links
This links tab is used with dynamically linked universes.

What is a join?

A join is a relational operation that causes two or more tables with a common domain to
be combined into a single table. The purpose of joins is to restrict the result set of a query
run against multiple tables.

DESIGNER supports: • Equi-joins • Theta joins • Outer joins • Shortcut joins

Equi-join: is based on the equality between the values in the column of one table and the
values in the column of another. Because the same column is present in both tables, the
join synchronizes the two tables.
Theta joins: links tables based on a relationship other than equality between two
columns.
Outer join: links two tables, one of which has rows that do not match those in the
common column of the other table.
Shortcut joins: can be used in schemas containing redundant join paths leading to the
same result, regardless of direction.

What is Cardinality?

Cardinality expresses the minimum and maximum number of instances of an entity B that
can be associated with an instance of an entity A. The minimum and the
maximum number of instances can be equal to 0, 1, or N.

What is a Cartesian product?

A Cartesian product is the result of a query in which two or more tables are not linked by
a join.

If executed, the report shows results for each possible combination of each table row.

Why do you perform 'Integrity Check’?

• It detects any errors in the objects, joins, conditions, and cardinalities of your
universe.
• It detects whether there are any loops in the joins.
• It detects whether contexts are necessary.
• It determines whether any changes were made to the database to which the universe is
connected.

What is Parse checking?

Parse checking means how DESIGNER is to determine the validity of an object, join, or
condition.
• Quick parsing checks only the syntax of components.
• Thorough parsing checks both the syntax and semantics of components.

44. If there are changes in the database on which you have already created a
universe, how do you include those additional changes into your universe?

By refreshing the structure I get the updated database structure.

What are Lookup and Fact Tables?

Lookup tables: A lookup (or dimension) table contains information associated with a
particular entity or subject.
Fact Tables: A fact table contains statistical information about transactions.

What Types of Join Paths Return Incorrect Results?

1. Loops 2. Fan Trap 3. Chasm Trap

What Are Loops?

In a relational database, a loop occurs when joins form multiple paths between lookup
tables.

How to detect loops?

1) Run the Check Integrity function, which indicates the existence of any loops.
2) Select the Detect Loops command from the Tools menu.

How to resolve loops?

Loops can be resolved by creating aliases and contexts.

What is an Alias?

In SQL an alias is an alternative name for a table. The purpose of aliases is to resolve
structural issues in a database arising from SQL limitations.

What is a context?

Context is a method by which Designer can decide which path to choose when more than
one path is possible from one table to another in the universe.
Dis-advantage: When you use a context, you expose the BO end user to the database
structure. They are forced to decide which context they want to use to run their query.
The role of the universe is to shield end users from the database structure, so they do not
have to make such decisions.

What is Fan trap and Chasm Trap? How do you resolve?

Fan Trap: occurs when a “One to Many” join links a table which is in turn linked by
another “One to Many” join.
There are two ways to solve Fan trap:
• Creating an alias and applying aggregate awareness function. This is the most
effective way to solve the Fan trap problem.
• Using Multiple SQL statements for each measure.

Chasm Trap: occurs when two “Many to one” joins from two Fact tables converge on a
single Lookup table.
Can be solved by:
• Creating a Context.
• Using Multiple SQL statements for each measure
• Creating multiple universes (WEBINTELLIGENCE only).

When do you use multiple universes?

You can use multiple universes to solve a Chasm trap in a WEBINTELLIGENCE

universe when multiple SQL for Measures cannot be used as there are dimension objects
defined for one or both of the fact tables.

When do you NOT use multiple universes?

You do not use multiple universes in the following situations:

• Full client BUSINESSOBJECTS universes
• When a WEBINTELLIGENCE universe does not contain dimension objects defined
for any of the fact tables.

45. What is aggregate awareness?

Is a function used to aggregate the data from table, is used to enhance the performance of
SQL transactions; it determines which tables to use in SQL generation either aggregate or
detailed tables.
Syntax: @Aggregate_Aware (sum (agg_table1), sum (agg_table2)…highest agg to least

What are @Functions?

1) @Aggregate_Aware (2) @Prompt (3) @Script (4) @Select (5) @Variable (6)
@Where

@Prompt:
Syntax: @Prompt (‘message’,[‘type’],[lov],[MONO|MULTI],[FREE|
CONSTRAINED])

@Script: This function recovers the results of Visual Basic for Applications macro (VBA
macro).
Syntax: @Script (‘var_name’, ‘vartype’, ‘script_name’)

@Select: This function enables you to re-use the Select statement of an existing object.
Syntax: @Select (Classname\Objectname)

@Variable: The @Variable is used to reference the value assigned to a name or variable.
Syntax: @Variable(‘myname’)
@Where: This function lets you re-use the Where clause of an existing object.
Syntax: @Where (Classname\Objectname)

46. What is Enterprise Mode?

Enterprise mode means working in an environment with a repository.
Online and offline modes are options that apply when you are working in enterprise
mode.
Online mode: Online, the default mode, is appropriate for a networked environment
in which the general supervisor has set up a repository. In online mode, you can
import or export universes.
Offline mode: Working in offline mode means essentially that you work with
universes that are stored locally on your computer. To use this mode, you must have
been connected at least once in online mode.

What is Workgroup Mode?

Workgroup mode means working in an environment without a repository.

What is Incremental Export?

DESIGNER can export a universe incrementally, meaning that it takes into account only
the modifications made since the last export.

What is the method of migrating the universe across domains and/or repositories?

The following are the steps followed while migrating a universe across repositories:

1. First open the universe in the current repository and make the connection as shared.
2. Open the universe in the designer and export that to the required repository.
3. Change the connection type from shared to secured.

Note: Both the repositories must reside within the same database schema

What are Linked Universes?

Linked universes are universes that share common components such as parameters,
classes, objects, or joins.

What are Linking of universes and how many levels of linking is possible?

Creating a universe by taking the components from another universe. Only one level of
linking is possible in BO. There are thee approaches to linking: 1. Kernel 2. Master 3.
Component
Disadvantages:
1.Any change made to the master universe is reflected onto the derived universe.
2. Designer does not save any list values, which may be associated with the linked
universes.
What is the difference between linking and including the universes?

• Linking a universe is a process, which includes the required objects/classes of the

master on to the derived universe. But any change made to the master universe is
reflected onto the derived universe.
• Including a universe creates all the required objects from the master universe on to
the derived universe; any change made to the master universe does not impact the
derived universe.

SUPERVISOR
47. What is Supervisor?

• Supervisor is the product for the secured deployment of Business Objects products. It
provides a powerful and easy-to-use solution for user administration.
• Using this product, you can define users and user groups. You can also ensure the
secured access of these users and groups to the various Business Objects resources
such as universes and documents.
• Supervisor can run only in client/server mode. Its use requires a connection to a
relational database. Any operation you perform with Supervisor is written to the
repository.

What are the User Profiles offered by Supervisor?

• General Supervisor (Can access all products of BO)

• Supervisor (Can access all products except Designer)
• Designer (all products but SUPERVISOR)
• Supervisor-Designer (all products)
• User (all products but DESIGNER and SUPERVISOR)
• Versatile (configurable)

What are the functions of Supervisor User Profiles?

General Supervisor (GS): is the senior system administrator. Using SUPERVISOR, the
GS can:
• Create repositories (When a Repository is created, automatically a General
Supervisor is created)
• Create any type of user, including other general supervisors
• Create user groups
• Administer user accounts and privileges for repository users
• Import and export universes to and from the repository
• sDefine a BROADCAST AGENT for a group
• Launch a BROADCAST AGENT from the BROADCAST AGENT Administrator

Supervisor: is responsible for user administration.

• Create users with any profile except General Supervisor
• Create user groups
• Administer user accounts and privileges for repository users
• Import and export universes to and from the repository

What is a Repository?

A Business Objects repository is a centralized set of relational data structures stored in a

database. It enables BO users to share resources in a controlled & secured environment.
Repository comprises three types of domains:
• Security domain: which contain the definition of the other domains as well as the
definition of users
• Universe domains: It holds the exported universes. It makes it possible to store,
distribute and administrate universes. There may be multiple universes in a repository.
• Document domains: is a set of data structures in the BO repository that contains
information on stored documents, lists of values, scripts or stored procedures.

How to Choose a Repository Database?

Administrators who have the opportunity to choose a database platform for their
repository are advised to consider the following issues:
• Databases which support row-level locking
• Databases which support BLOBs (Binary Large OBject)

Why do you need to create multiple repositories?

• If the organization is globally spread out and the users access the repository from
different locations, then the physical distance can delay the response to the query of
the user. To avoid this organizations create multiple repositories across the world, and
all the repositories are synchronized on regular basis.
• Development, test and production repositories

48. What is the BOMain.key?

• BOMain.key contains the address of the repository security domain.

• All the users can communicate with other domains in the Repository.
• It is created at the same time as the Security domain.
• BoMain.key defines connection to a repository
• The physical location of the file can be created either in:
ShData folder : default shared folder on the network
LocData folder : for each user to have a local copy.

What is Scope Management?

Scope management (ToolsOptionsSecurity Policy) is a SUPERVISOR option,
which allows you to control the extent of the access that all supervisors are granted to
users and user groups.
49. what are standard, secured and extended modes?
Standard Mode: This setting provides simple supervisor functionality (i.e., no
restricted or extended powers). Supervisors will have access only to the users within
their own groups.
Secured Mode (Default Setting): It prevents supervisors from delegating to other
users the resources that do not belong to them.
Extended Mode: allows group supervisor’s access to users outside their own group(s)
so that they can add or remove users to their own groups.

What are the rules for assigning privileges to users?

• A user is always assigned to at least one group; the first group is always the root
group.
• A user can belong to one or more groups.
• Every user, or every user group, inherits the rights of its direct ascendants.
• Within a group, all users have the default privileges of the group.
• Within a group, a user may be entitled to special privileges in addition to those arising
merely from his or her adherence to the group.
• The rights assigned to descendants have precedence over those assigned to
ascendants.
• Every group is unique within the hierarchy.

What is the difference between removing and deleting a user?

When you remove a user from a group, the user is not removed from other groups to
which he or she was assigned. If the user belongs to only one group, then you must delete
the user.
Deleting a user in SUPERVISOR will permanently delete the user from the database.

50. What is Script?

A script is a set of commands, written in VBA, that is used to automate tasks. Scripts are
created
and executed by end users from BUSINESSOBJECTS. End users can store scripts as
files with an .spt extension, or can export them to the document domain of the repository.
Scripts are automatically assigned to the root group.

What is a Channel?

A channel is a Web site that uses “push” technology, also known as Webcasting, to keep
subscribers abreast of up-to-date information.

BUSINESSOBJECTS channels are managed using SUPERVISOR. Users publish BO

and Webi documents to channels via BCA.
What is a Category?

A category is a keyword or phrase end-users can assign to documents when they send
them to users, groups, or BROADCAST AGENT.

What is BusinessObjects?

BUSINESSOBJECTS is an integrated query, reporting and analysis solution that allows

to access the data in your corporate databases directly from your desktop and present and
analyze this information in a BUSINESSOBJECTS document.

What data sources are available?

BUSINESSOBJECTS let you access data from a wide range of sources. You can access
data from:
• Relational databases (RDBMS), such as ORACLE, Microsoft SQL Server, Informix
and IBM DB2.
• Multidimensional (OLAP) databases, such as Microsoft OLAP Services, Hyperion
Essbase, and ORACLE Express.
• Text files and spreadsheets
• Packaged applications such as SAP
• Virtually any data source using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
procedures.

What are the data providers BO supports?

1.Queries on Universes 2. Stored Procedures 3. Free-Hand SQL 4. Personal Data files

5.VBA Servers 6. OLAP Servers 7. SAP

What are the major folders in BO and what they store?

LocData - Stores the Bomain.key, Bomain.lsi, pdac.lst, sdac.lsi, workgroup.lsi

ShData - Universe - Contains all the univ files
UserDoc - Contains all the user documents .udo, .lov
Templates - Contains all the template files
Scripts

What is List Of Values?

A list of values contains the data values associated with an object. These data values can
originate from a corporate database, or a flat file such as a text file or an Excel file. A list
of values is created by a designer who can export it with a universe. A list of values is
stored as a file with an. lov extension.
When you use or view a list of values on an object for the first time, BO creates a .lov file
that contains the query definition and the values it returns. This can be modified either at
the designer or at the user level.

How can you customize lists of values in BusinessObjects?

BUSINESSOBJECTS lets you customize lists of values in the following ways:

• By editing the list’s corresponding query.
For example, you can limit the data returned by the list of values by applying a
condition.
• By assigning data from personal data files to lists of values:
Business Objects: Tools  UniversesSelect UniverseClick Lists of
ValuesExpand the classSelect ObjectClick Personal DataBrowse the
fileClick Display
Designer: Tools  Lists of ValuesExpand the classSelect ObjectClick
Personal Data  Browse the fileClick Display

When you ask for List of Values, it takes very long time, what you need to check?

If we try to get the list of values against a fact table then it may take a lot of time for
displaying the results. So modify the list of values to access the local file that contains
restricted info or put a condition on the query that gets the list of values.

What do you mean by Linking data from two queries and why do you do it?

Linking of data from two queries is a typical case where data is extracted from to
different sources, which do not have a predefined cardinality (normally from two
different data providers). It is necessary that the dimension you use to link data providers
be the same type (numeric or alphanumeric) in both data providers.

What is the procedure for writing VBA data provider?

1. Create a connection to the data source. 2. Create a data cube. 3. Set the data cube
dimensions. 4. Populate the cube with data from the data source.

What’s the difference between purging and deleting a data provider?

• Purging means emptying a data provider of its results. Purging reduces the size of a
document.
• Deleting means getting rid of the data provider for good - an action that cannot be
undone. Delete a data provider, however, if you are certain that you and other users
no longer need it.

What external formats are available?

 1) Text (2) Spreadsheet format (Microsoft Excel) (3) RDBMS format
(including .dbf format for dBASE).

What are the different ways of refreshing documents?

• Manually (Click Refresh Data icon)

• Every time you open a document. (Tools  Options Save TabCheck Refresh
document when Opening)
• Automatically at specific times or intervals
Refresh a data provider once at a set time: DataView DataSelect Data
Provider Select Definition tabCheck Automatic RefreshChoose Once Radio
buttonFrom Date & Time
Regularly refresh a data provider: DataView DataSelect Data Provider
Select Definition tabCheck Automatic RefreshChoose Every Radio
buttonSpecify in Minutes or Hours
• By sending the document to Broadcast Agent, the BUSINESSOBJECTS product that
manages the scheduled processing of documents.

Why do you create variables in the report?

Variables are two types derived variable and calculated variable.

• Grouping a set of dimensions creates derived variable.
• Calculated variable is created by performing certain calculations on fields.

51. What is the difference between Filter and Global filter?

Filter: is applied on particular block.

Global filter: Filter is applied on the whole report.

52. What is Alerter?

Alerter is used to highlight data and writing some text if a condition is satisfied in BO
report.

How many breaks I can use on the report?

One group can have a maximum of 9 breaks.

What’s the difference between Count and Count All?

Count: function counts values of a dimension object that are the same only one time.

Count All: function counts all rows including empty and duplicate rows.
What is Slice-and-Dice Mode?

Slice-and-dice mode enables:

• to switch the position of data in a report.
• move data from columns to rows
• Work with master/detail reports
• Display and remove data
• Rename, reset and delete blocks
• Turn tables and crosstabs into charts, and vice versa
• Apply, edit and delete breaks, filters, sorts, rankings and calculations.

Why do you get partial results and how to get around this problem?

• In the Query Panel\Options if we restrict the number of rows to a specific count we

get partial results.
• In the Universe parameters, Controls tab if we limit the result set size to a specific
number, which is less than the resultset we get a partial results.
• If we have a report containing two data providers which are linked to each other and
if one data provider is deleted we get a partial results.

What is UserResponse function?

Returns the response to the specified prompt. This prompt is written when the data
provider (query or free-hand SQL script) is set up. It appears when you run the query or
SQL script. The response to the prompt is the value returned by the UserResponse
function.
UserResponse ("Data Provider Name", "character string")

What is NoFilter function?

Returns the calculation performed on data with all filters on the data ignored.

Syntax: NoFilter (formula)

What is Drill filters function?

Returns the filtered value of the variable filtered in drill mode.

Syntax: DrillFilters (<variable>)

What is Fill function?

Repeats a character string a certain number of times. Syntax: Fill (character string,
number of times)

What is drill mode?

Drill mode is a BUSINESSOBJECTS analysis mode that allows you to break down data
and view it from different angles and on different levels.

What is drill down and give all the concepts related to it?

Drill down is a functionality used to view the data from different levels from higher level
of detail to lower level of detail. We have to declare a hierarchy to do so.

Drill thru is an additional functionality provided to the user where he can drill on a field
not there in that hierarchy. BO internally generates a query and retrieves a result
according to the selection. Scope of analysis gives the details of what level of detail data
the user is looking onto.

What are RDT’s?

Rapid Deployment Templates, are provided by BO to provide a connectivity wizard to

ERP

What are Object Security Access Levels?

You can restrict an object so that only end users with the appropriate security access level
can use it. Security access levels are assigned to user profiles by the supervisor from the
Supervisor module.

The levels are from highest to lowest: Private, Confidential, Restricted, Controlled, and
Public (Default level). The higher the level, the fewer the number of users who can
access it.

What is @variable, BOUSER, BOPASS? Why do you use it?

@Variable: is used to capture the values entered by the user at the prompts.
BOUSER: This BO system variable represents the username to connect to the repository.
BOPASS: This BO system variable represents the Password to connect to the repository.

How do you write a sub select in the object definition?

We can write the sub-select in the where condition of the object.

53. My report is retrieving 161 rows and it shows only two rows but not prompting
partial results, how can I see all the 161 rows?
This is because in the Query panel \ Options “No duplicate rows” is selected.

When do we use external functions?

External functions are functions outside the BO:

1.Stored Procedure 2. VBA function 3. Native C++ functions.

These are used to leverage on the advantages of the programming abilities they come
with, which is very difficult to achieve in BO.

How can I detect the name of the person who created the report?

From the properties window. (File  Properties). This is stored in the

DOCUMENTAUTHOR().

54. How do I maintain the order of prompts in the report and when I have more
than one prompt what is the default order?

By default the prompts are displayed in the ascending order. In order to maintain the
order of prompts we need to create them in an ascending order

What is the disadvantage of checking the 'Do not generate SQL button'?

Do not generate SQL, is the option provided by BO to the user to keep intact the changes
made to the SQL without overwriting with the default SQL code

Your export option is disabled what do you need to do?

There are two causes:

1. You are working in a work group mode

2. The export privilege is disabled by the Supervisor.

What is template? Why do you create them and what you include in a template?

Template is a document that provides report layout and formats that you can apply to
existing reports and that you can use when creating new reports.

55. How do you send report for testing, to people who do not have BO installed on
their PC's?

• View the reports through the Infoview

• Save the document as pdf/html/xls/csv and send it across to user
• Create a VBA procedure, which would create a .pdf file on save and send it across to
the user group on close event

What is the console mode? What you can do there?

Console mode provides the task information of the scheduled BCA tasks, processed/non-
processed tasks.

What is an extended syntax in BO?

Extended syntax allows users to perform calculations on a particular block, report, or

body as per the requirement.

56. Where do you get information about Rows retrieved, Duration & Timestamp for
execution?

Data  View Data  Definition tab

How do you get 24 hr clock rather than 12 hr clock?

Format the date time to HH:MM:SS. This should make the clock 24 hr. If this does not
work we need to change the clock settings in the Regional Settings of Control Panel to
show a 24hr clock and select the 24hr clock in format panel of a field.

Can you perform/ put sort on hidden objects? How many ways of hiding are there?
Yes. There are two ways of hiding 1. Normal Hiding 2. Conditional Hiding.

What is conditional hiding?

Conditional Hiding is a process of hiding a field or a block if a particular condition is
satisfied.

Why BO generates two separate SQL?

When we query on objects, which do not have a join, they are executed as two different
SQL and then synchronized.

You are unable to write combine queries, what you need to do?

In the Universe Parameters, SQL tab check the option Allow use of UNION,
INTERSECT and MINUS operators.

How do you run the same report against another universe, without creating all
again?
Changing the Universe name in the Definition tab of Data Manager

What is custom sorting and how do you do it?

Sorting of the variables in the order set by the user.

Can you create a report with more than one data provider?
Yes. Create two data providers and then create a virtual cardinality on the two
microcubes based
on a particular field.

How does BO generate a query?

BO is a query builder, which builds the query, based on the selected fields and selected
conditions. This generates an SQL, which is executed on the database through a
middleware either through ODBC or through some other connection. The database
creates a resultset and provides the same to ODBC and which the BO converts to
Microcube.
Why do you use VBA in Business Objects?

To provide additional programming ability to BO

How do you make a report read only or refresh only?

While saving a report in the Save window, click Options give a password for reading &
writing.

What is vertical break and where do you use it?

It is similar to horizontal break which break on a particular value but typically used in a
cross tab

How do you configure different modules of BO for the users?

Supervisor decides which user needs to be provided access to different modules

DEPLOYMENT

What are the different levels of securities available in BO?

1. Windows NT authentication Security 2. BO Security 3. RDBMS Security

4.Security based on profile, 5. Object Level Security

What is .lsi (Local Security Information) file?

The .lsi file contains the user’s security information, profile, command restrictions and
authorized documents and universes and stored in the LocData folder on that PC. (
pdac.lsi, sdac.lsi)

What is .ssi (Shared Security Information) file?

When you install a shared installation from a Master Setup, by default the User Login
Information file (with filename *.ssi) is set to be created and stored in the ShData folder
on the server, so that all login data for the installation is centralized. (sdac.ssi)

What is a DMZ configuration?

The term demilitarized zone, or DMZ, describes a network topology where the
application server
is behind a firewall, and separated from the web server, which runs on a different subnet.

57. Can you install ZABO, WebIntelligence and Broadcast Agent on the same
machine?

Yes. You can install the ZABO, WEBINTELLIGENCE, and BROADCAST AGENT on
the same machine. However, in this case, although you can download ZABO to client
machines, downloading it to the server machine is not supported.

58. What is ZABO?

Is a enterprise server product constitutes the server side of a light, optimized deployment
of BO 5.1.2 that combines the key advantages of thin client Webi and the full-client BO
product.
• in a zero-administration deployment of BO, only the BO client software is installed
on a Windows PC; all middleware is stored and administered on the server and the
server-side processing is handled by the Webi system. This means zero-
administration on the client computer. It has a 3 tier Architecture:
• Tier 1: the client. The BO software is installed on the client machine.
• Tier 2: the ZABO Server
• Tier3: the data sources

What’s New WebIntelligence SDK Object Models?

WEBINTELLIGENCE SDK now contains two identical object models, WICOM, the
COM interface and WIBean, the Java interface, that allow you to customize Webi
functionality.
• You can use WICOM to write ASP scripts.
• You can use WIBean to write JSP scripts.

What’s the difference between Full client (BO) and Thin Client (Webi)
DOCUMENTS?
• Full-client (BO) documents can be much more complex than thin-client documents
due to additional reporting features in the full client product. Thin-client documents,
however, can allow for much larger deployments.
• Refreshing a full-client document in the distributed architecture deployment requires
more resources than refreshing a thin-client document, because of the ability to
handle more complex documents built into BUSINESSOBJECTS.
• BUSINESSOBJECTS users can use a scheduling option for full-client documents
called Faster Document Viewing Over the Web that generates either a Windows
metafile or HTML version of the document.

Sept 2002 WEB INTELLIGENCE 2.6 Latest

Version 2.7

What is Web Intelligence?

With Web Intelligence, we can access the data in the corporate databases or data
warehouses from within the office, home or around the world using corporate intranet,
extranet or World Wide web.
No Webi software needed to be loaded on your computer.

You can save these documents on your local drive or send them to other users or publish
them to the corporate repository for potentially even broader circulation

What is WEBINTELLIGENCE System's Architecture?

1. The client: The Web browser, which provides the gateway to the Webi system.
2. The middle tier: Comprises the HTTP server and Webi system components, linked
together by CORBA calls in a distributed CORBA environment.
3. The Server: Comprises the repository and corporate database. This is where much of
the data is stored, and where system security is controlled.

Middle Tier:

HTTP Server: Web Intelligence’s HTTP server interface is the user's main gateway to
the WEBINTELLIGENCE system. It is the main channel for receiving and servicing
client requests. The HTP server includes the HTTP Server Abstraction Layer (HSAL).
The HSAL receives user requests for WEBINTELLIGENCE services and converts them
from the gateway protocol and from that WEBINTELLIGENCE understands.

WIDispatcher: is the system's URL router. Whenever the WIDispatcher receives a

translated request from the HSAL, it decides which process the request should be sent to,
then convert the textual URLs into CORBA requests that can start the required
WEBINTELLIGENCE process.
WISession Manager : performs user validation, and tracks all activity from the time
users log in until they logout. It also keeps track of all the enabled WIGenerators in the
cluster. At login time, it can assess which WIGenerator has the lightest transaction load,
and assigns the new user's WIQT process to it.

WIGenerator: The WIGenerator module is used to generate the framework for the
HTML pages (such as document lists and user start pages), excluding the actual
document content. The documents themselves are generated by the
WEBINTELLIGENCE Query Technique (WIQT) processes. The WIQT processes can
be distributed within a cluster (load balancing).

BOManager : This component launches and manages a “pool” of BUSINESSOBJECTS

processes via OLE Automation under Windows (local calls only), and CORBA under
UNIX. It also manages multitasking and maintains user context.

WIStorage-Manager: manages the WEBINTELLIGENCE system’s cache and

document storage areas.

Scheduler: The BROADCAST AGENT Scheduler periodically polls the repository to

detect tasks to run. It then communicates with BOManager (for BUSINESSOBJECTS
documents) or WIGenerator (for WEBINTELLIGENCE documents) to process the tasks.

WIADE Server: provides the server interface for the zero administration deployment of
BO.

What Products use the WebIntelligence System?

• WEBINTELLIGENCE
• BROADCAST AGENT
• Zero Admin Business Objects (ZABO)
• WEBINTELLIGENCE SDK

59. Difference between Thin client & Full client:

 Thin client Full client Thin + Full
(Web Intelligence) (BO) (ZABO)

Only one Data Provider Multiple Data Providers Multiple data Providers

Documents can be created
Using existing universes
Documents can be created using
existing documents or using
Data providers – Personal Data
File, VB Procedures, Free Hand
SQL, Stored procedures.
Documents can be created
with existing universes or
using data providers - VB
procedures, Personal Data
files.

No Custom sorting Custom sorting possible Custom sorting is possible

No Ranking Ranking is possible Ranking is possible

Cannot Edit SQL Can Edit SQL Can Edit SQL

Cannot create own variables Variables can be created Variables can be created.

Report extension is .wqy Report extension is .rep Report extension is .rep

Full client has a full installation of the BO Client on a local machine, where as a thin
client is web browser based reporting client.

What are the differences in BO full-client, ZABO, and WebIntelligence InfoView?

BusinessObjects - Full Client (BO):

• Full client allows users to work with both a client/server connection

• User can take advantage of middleware stored on the server to build queries and
refresh documents.
• Users are able to compare and combine data from multiple data sources, without
worrying about where it comes from.
• BusinessObjects full client includes Microsoft visual basic for applications (V B A)
and a powerful open object model which allows developers to create balanced
scorecards, key performance indicator (K P I) dashboards, or other Business
Intelligence (B I) applications and customize the menus and toolbars to fit a specific
corporate identity.
• Centralized security setup allows tight control over user access to source data, right
down to individual data rows and the ability to inherit profiles from the Windows NT
security system or by leveraging company lightweight directory access protocol
(LDAP) server.
Zero Admin Business Objects (ZABO):
• Only the minimum required software is installed on the client PC and the middleware
required to make the connections with the appropriate data sources remains on the
server.
• No system administration intervention is required on the client.
• When a user builds a query, the SQL is generated on the client P C and then sent for
processing to the WebIntelligence server. The server launches a light, optimized
query process which connects to the data
• Source, retrieves the query results and sends the results back as raw data to the client.
• The data returned from the query is stored in a local, multidimensional cube on the
client. The user can now work with the data locally to build, format, and analyze
documents.

WebIntelligence InfoView:

• Users can view, refresh, manage and distribute documents, but NOT create or modify
them.
• Application developers can embed the document viewer control that is included in
InfoView, into other applications.
• WebIntelligence, a true thin-client, eliminates client-side installation and maintenance
of application software or database middleware. It offers cost-effective, broad
deployment of Business Intelligence over the web with minimum administration
costs. Additionally, it automatically ensures optimized performance for leading
browsers.
• Documents can be accessed using the corporate intranet, an extranet, or the World
Wide Web.
• Individual copies are user customizable to fit the user's needs as closely as possible.
• WebIntelligence can run on a single server or on multiple NT or UNIX machines.
Servers can be seamlessly added to the system to meet increased user demand and, if
a distributed component fails, another component automatically takes over. Weighted
load balancing across multiple servers optimizes system resources and ensures fast
response times.

60. What are the modules of WebIntelligence?

• WebIntelligence INFOVIEW: includes multiple ways to view documents, including

HTML and optimized web viewers. INFOVIEW lets users view, refresh, manage and
distribute documents, but not create or modify them.
• WebIntelligence REPORTER: allows users to create and edit Webi documents.
• WebIntelligence EXPLORER: allows users to drill in “drillable”
WEBINTELLIGENCE documents to analyze data on different levels of detail.

What documents does Webi recognize?

• WEBINTELLIGENCE documents
• BUSINESSOBJECTS documents
• Third-party documents: .doc, .xls, .ppt, etc, but could also be any other type of file
supported by your operating system (.zip file, .pdf file, etc).

What is the difference between INFOVIEW and WEBINTELLIGENCE?

Infoview gives an instant overview of all the documents available to you in the corporate
database and allows you to view, refresh, manage and distribute documents, but not
create or modify them. To do that you need Web Intelligence or BO Reporter Modules or
BO installed through Web Browser.

Webi user may have any or all of the functionalities available. Create New Webi
documents and edit existing ones. Drill to more detailed levels of data in drillable Webi
documents.

61. What is the difference between a query with a complex condition and a condition
with a subquery?

A complex condition is one in which you specify all parts of the condition.
Ex:Years -- After -- 1996 , Customers -- Who made reservations -- in 1997

A condition with a subquery is one in which you specify all parts of the condition and
then ask another question of the results returned by the question you asked with the
condition.
Ex: Customers -- Who made reservations -- in 1997 -- Who made the first reservation?

What is the difference between Publish document and Send Document?

When you publish a document from INFOVIEW, the document is stored in the corporate
storage area of the repository document domain,where other users with the appropriate
rights can access it.

When you select Send to send a document to another user, the documents are stored in
Inbox of the selected recipient(s) of the repository document domain.

What is the difference between Query Condition and Document filter?

Condition: is applied to the query and limits the data retrieved from the database.
Filter: is applied to the data in the document to hide information and display only the
information that you want to appear.

62. What can you do with WEBINTELLIGNE SDK?

• We can customize (or even replace) the WEBINTELLIGENCE use interface.

• Call the Web Panel
• Publish Documents
• Access various file types
• Build a custom web-based report catalog
• Automate WEBINTELLIGENCE login

Can you give a brief summary on VBA?

• VBA supports the following data types: Boolean, Byte, Integer, Long, Single,
Double, Currency, Date, Object, String and User-defined.
• You can declare a variable using the DIM keyword. For Ex: Dim Name as String
• VBA provides two different types of Procedures. Functions and Sub-routines.
Functions can Return values, sub-routines have no return value.
• VBA is 'event driven'. That is the model for VBA is that your code is executed when
certain events in the application take place. Examples of events are a user opening a
document, and a user clicking on a button. The code that executes when an event is
triggered is called the implementation of the event. Note that, Designer SDK does not
have any events to implement. This means that you cannot write code to respond to
events in the DESIGNER application. You can, however, use the DESIGNER object
model in the implementation of the event.

63. Why use UNIX Servers?

Web Intelligence for UNIX offers a high-performance combination of power and

flexibility that benefits everyone. UNIX servers can be twice as fast as Windows servers
if there are no bottlenecks elsewhere in the system, and they can handle substantially
greater numbers of users. For this reason UNIX servers are especially adapted to large-
scale Business Objects deployments serving thousands of users.
UNIX machines running WebI can be configured as part of a cluster that includes
Windows machines. This type of cluster is called a heterogeneous cluster. The most
important features in the release version 5.1/2.6 is that BO Manager and Broadcast Agent
Manager can now run on UNIX servers.

64. What is BO Manager?

BO Manager is scalable, server-based form of the BUSINESSOBJECTS product that

allows users
to view and refresh BUSINESSOBJECTS documents using the WEBINTELLIGENCE
system.

By default, it is automatically started whenever you launch WEBINTELLIGENCE. BO

Manager can run on either Windows or UNIX servers.
When it runs on a Windows machine, it can handle all types of documents, regardless of
the types of data providers or the reporting functionality used to create the documents.
Processing however is slow than on a UNIX server.

When it runs on a UNIX machine, BO Manager processes full-client documents more

quickly, but it cannot process certain types of documents.

If you are using a heterogeneous cluster including both types of servers, you can choose
which type you want to process your system’s full-client documents.

BO Manager has two parts:

• Windows servers: The BusObj Pool Manager
BUSINESSOBJECTS processes, called BusObj.exe
• UNIX servers: The bolightsvr Pool Manager
BUSINESSOBJECTS processes, called bolightsvr

What are the differences between a Business Objects Add-in and a macro?

Macro:
- belongs to a document
- Cannot be used in another document
- Can be executed by the Broadcast Agent without having to be installed on the server
(Custom Macro)

Add-in is:
- not part of a document
- a file that only contains code, module or form, no data from database
- is a BusinessObjects document too (can be open by using File  Open )
- Can be shared and reused on other documents
- something you have to install on the server if you use it on a document scheduled with
the broadcast agent.

Cluster: is a group of servers

Cluster Manager: The cluster manager is the central coordinator between all the servers
in the
system. It performs the following services:
• Tracks and manages processes throughout the system using WIClusterManager.
• Runs the system session manager, WISessionManager.

When the Web Intelligence server is loaded on the system for the first time, the system is
called as Cluster Manager.
Cluster Nodes: Cluster nodes are used to host server processes, such as WIGenerator,
BOManager and Broadcast Agent Manager. All the servers that will be loaded on other
systems from the next time are called cluster nodes.
Sept’2002 Broadcast Agent Publisher 5.5

What is Broadcast Agent (Latest version 5.5)?

BROADCAST AGENT empowers BO and WEBi users to automatically process and

publish their BusinessObjects documents via the repository, an intranet, or an extranet
open to the World Wide Web.

How do you send a document to BCA?

General tab: Allows you to specify the Server, document's priority and to write a
description of the document.
Actions tab: Allows you to specify the actions that you want Broadcast Agent to
perform, e.g., refresh and print, save in .rtf, .txt or .pdf format, publish on channels,
Report busting etc
Categories tab: Allows you to select categories for the document you are sending.
Scheduling tab: Allows you to specify the document processing start date, expiration
date, schedule and File Watcher.
Distribution tab: Allows you to specify who will receive the document and the method
of distribution: via the file system, a web server, or the BusinessObjects repository.

65. What is File Watcher?

File Watcher is the Broadcast Agent feature that permits the processing of tasks when and
only when a specified file is present in its specified location.

The File Watcher gives you control over when Broadcast Agent processes the document.

What kind of file can you use?

You can use - text, rtf, BusinessObjects files

66. Where can the file be located?

The file can be located wherever you want--on a server, on the client or on a file system--
as long as the Broadcast Agent machine can access the file where it has been defined.
What happens if Broadcast Agent can't find the file?
If the Broadcast Agent can't locate the file at task execution time, it simply
doesn't run the task.
What is Report bursting?

Report bursting means refreshing the document with the user profile of each recipient.

67. What is Broadcast Agent Publisher?

Broadcast Agent Publisher is a server-based product that allows you to broadcast

information by email and to manage the delivery of the emails.

BROADCAST AGENT PUBLISHER adds functionality to BROADCAST AGENT, a

product that allows BUSINESSOBJECTS and WEBINTELLIGENCE users to process
and publish their business intelligence documents automatically via a repository, an
intranet, an extranet and the Internet.

BusinessObjects Broadcast Agent Publisher provides fast, personalized, and intelligent

information delivery allowing you to easily and quickly deliver subscription based
information with the minimal amount of IT resources, to many thousands of information
consumers, via email based distribution mechanisms.

68. Why is Broadcast Agent Publisher Needed?

BCA provides BO customers with several ways to update and share reports through:
1) The BUSINESSOBJECTS repository (2) A web site (3) A file server

69. What are the features of Broadcast Agent Publisher?

• Email-based broadcasting
The distributions of key information, or notification of its availability, by email
Publications.
Ex: You can send a sales report to every member of the marketing department every
Monday.
• Subscription-based publications
Recipients can subscribe to the publications that are the most useful to them, and can
choose how often they want to receive them. External users can also subscribe to
and unsubscribe from publications.
Ex: Your customers can receive personalized information by email every Monday
morning.
• Mass mailing
Ex: With an extranet deployment, you can send a promotional message to every
customer who spent more than $100 last month.
• Recipient groups
Grouping recipients makes it easier to manage the broadcasting of publications to a
lot of email addresses.
 Ex: If you decide to change the report that the sales department receives each week,
you need only select a single group that contains all the email addresses, rather than
selecting each address individually.
• Report scheduling
You can specify when you want publications to be sent, and allow the recipients to
choose when they want to receive them.
• Single pass report bursting
The source document is refreshed against the database once, and then filtered for each
recipient. This provides an efficient method of quickly delivering information to
thousands of users.
• Report personalization
From a single source document, you can tailor the publications you send so that each
recipient receives only the data that is of specific relevance to him or her.

What is Publication?
Publication is an email that is distributed to a range of recipients.

What is Subscription?
Subscription is the email received by one of those designated recipients.

BO AUDITOR 5.1

70. What is the function of Auditor?

BUSINESSOBJECTS AUDITOR enables you to determine who is using a particular

Business Objects system, how often they are using it, and what data they are accessing.
It is classified in 5 analytical categories:

• User Information: Monitors the users activity, such as users last connection time and
their session history.
• Document Management: category allows to monitor BO resources such as most
used documents or the last time a document was refreshed.
• Universe Management: allows to track the most used universes and objects
• Broadcast Agent: provides us with details about how broadcast agent is being used,
such as scheduled job status & details.
• System Information: category gives us information on the BO system server load,
such as number of users connected and their session duration.

You can use AUDITOR to:

• Monitor BI system by examining user activity, access rights, resource information

(documents, universes), and system information (such as response time, BCA details,
and server load).
• Analyze system trends over daily, weekly, and monthly periods
• Delete or modify unused objects and reports, in order to provide users with easier and
quicker access to essential information.
• Accelerate analysis by using the Favorites and Dashboard features, which give you
direct access to the queries you want to see.
• Optimize data warehouse and speed up refresh actions by tracking frequently used
queries.
• Generate new billing opportunities by highlighting the most popular reports

Set Analyzer

What is Set Analyzer?

SET ANALYZER is a suite of tools that help you create sets for your data. After the
administrator integrates these sets with BUSINESSOBJECTS, you can use them to create
your BO reports.

What are Sets?

Sets are lists of data contained in tables in the main database along with your source data.
Sets can be defined once and used consistently across the enterprise.

What is a Source?
A source is a table within the current database that you have access to for processing your
set.

What are Models?

Models are a way of collecting a number of existing sets to form a group of sets that can
be used together as one entity.

There are two main types of model that can be created within SET ANALYZER:
• Processing Models: allow you to group a number of sets together so that they can be
processed and reprocessed together.
• Distinct Models: allow you to group together a number of sets and ensure that there
is no overlap between them.

What are Set Analyzer Folders?

Folders allow you to group sets together in one place to make them more easily
accessible and to help identify their purpose.

Folders, like sets, are created by SET ANALYZER users. Each folder is owned by the
user who created it.

Folders can be public to enable other users to access their contents or they can be private
to restrict access to their contents.
 Application Foundation 3.0

BusinessObjects Application Foundation allows organizations to:

• Rapidly Deliver integrated enterprise applications

• Gain business insight through powerful analytic engines.
• Empower users with actionable analysis.

Application Foundation enables organizations to quickly align their BI strategy with

constantly changing market needs.

Application Foundation delivers measurable metrics, alerts, and monitored key

performance indicators (KPIs) directly to employee desktops. Designed specially for
business users, Application Foundation has personalized interfaces and easy-to-use
dashboards

BUSINESS OBJECTS (DESIGNER)

1.Alias : A logical pointer to an alternate table name. The purpose of an alias is to

resolve loops in the paths of joins.

2.Cardinality: Expresses the minimum and the maximum number of instances of an

entity B that can be associated with an instance of an entity A. The minimum and the
maximum number of instances can be equal to 0,1, or N.

3.Cartesian product: A situation in which a query includes two or more tables that are
not linked by a join. If executed, this type of query retrieves all possible combinations
between each table and may lead to inaccurate results.

4.Class: A logical grouping of objects and conditions within a universe. In general, the
name of a class reflects a business concept that conveys the category or type of objects.

5.Condition: A component that controls the type and the amount of data returned by a
specific object in a query. A condition created in the Designer module is referred to as a
predefined condition.

6.Connection: Set of parameters that provides access to an RDBMS. These parameters

include system information such as the data account, user identification, and path to the
database. Designer provides three types of connections: secured, shared, and personal.

7.Context: A method by which Designer can decide which path to choose when more
than one path is possible from one table to another in the universe.
8.Detail object: An object qualified as a detail provides descriptive data about a
dimension object. A detail object cannot be used in drill down analysis.

9.Dimension object: An object being tracked in multidimensional analysis; the subject of

the analysis. Dimensions are organized into hierarchies.

10.Document domain: The area of the repository that stores documents, templates,
scripts, and lists of values.

11.Drill : The action of navigating through levels of data. When you drill up, you obtain
more summarized or general information. By drilling down, you can reach more refined
or detailed information.

12.Equi-join: A join based on the equality between the values in the column of one table
and the values in the column of another. Because the same column is present in both
tables, the join synchronizes the two tables.

13.Enterprise mode : A work mode whereby a designer creates universes in an

environment with a repository. The mode in which a universe is saved determines
whether other designers are able to access it. By default, a universe is saved in the mode
in which the designer is already working.

14.Hierarchy: An ordered series of related dimensions used for multidimensional

analysis.

15.Join: A relational operation that causes two tables with a common column to be
combined into a single table. Designer supports equi-joins, theta joins, outer joins, and
shortcut joins.

16.List of values: A list of values contains the data values associated with an object.
These data values can originate from a corporate database, or a flat file such as a text file
or Excel file. In Designer you create a list of values by running a query from the Query
Panel. You can then view, edit, purge, refresh and even export this file. A list of values is
stored as an .lov file in a subfolder of the UserDocs folder.

17.Loop: A situation that occurs when more than one path exists from one table to
another in the universe.

18.Measure object: An object that is derived from an aggregate function. It conveys

numeric information by which a dimension object can be measured.

19.Object: A component that maps to data or a derivation of data in the database. For the
purposes of multidimensional analysis, an object can be qualified as a dimension, detail,
or measure. Objects are grouped into classes.
20.Offline mode: The work mode in which the designer works with universes stored
locally.

21.Online mode : The work mode appropriate for a networked environment in which the
general supervisor has set up a repository.

22.Outer join

A join that links two tables, one of which has rows that do not match those in the
common column of the other table.

23.Personal connection

A personal connection is used to access resources such as universes or documents. It can

be used only by the user who created it. Information about a personal connection is stored
in both the PDAC.LSI and PDAC.SSI files; its definition is static and cannot be
modified.

24.Qualification

A property of an object that determines how it can be used in multidimensional analysis.

An object can be qualified as one of three types: a dimension, detail or measure.

25.Query

In Designer a query is a technique for creating or modifying a list of values associated

with an object. From the Query Panel, a designer builds a query from the classes, objects,
and conditions of a universe.
In the BusinessObjects User module, a query is a type of data provider. An end user
builds a query from a universe, and then runs the query to generate a BusinessObjects
report.

26.Quick Design

A wizard in the Designer module that provides guided instructions for creating a basic
universe. It lets a designer name a universe, set up a connection to a database, select
strategies, create classes and objects, as well as generate joins with cardinalities.

27.Repository

A centralized set of relational data structures stored in a database. It enables

BusinessObjects users to share resources in a controlled and secured environment. The
repository is made up of three domains: the security domain, the universe domain, and
the document domain.
28.Secured connection

A secured connection is used to access universes or documents that may be restricted or

confidential.
It can be shared by several authorized users. Stored in the repository, the definition of a
secured connection is updated dynamically.

29.Shared connection

A shared connection is used to access common resources such as universes or documents.

It can be used by several users. Information about a shared connection is stored in a
SDAC.LSI or SDAC.SSI file; its definition is updated dynamically.

30.Shortcut join

A join that links two tables by bypassing one or more other tables in the universe.

31.Strategy

Scripts that automatically extract structural information about tables, columns, joins, or
cardinalities from a database. Designer provides default strategies but a designer can also
create strategies. These are referred to as external strategies.

32.Structure pane

The graphical component within the main Designer window that shows the schema of the
universe. It reflects the underlying database structure of the universe.

33.Subclass

A component within a class that groups objects. A subclass can itself contain other
subclasses or objects.

34.Table Browser

The graphical component within the main Designer window that lets you create the
classes and objects of the universe from the tables and columns of a database.

35.Theta join

A join that links tables based on a relationship other than equality between two columns.

36.Universe
A mapping of the data structure found in databases: tables, columns, joins, etc. A
universe, which is made up of classes, objects, and conditions, can represent any specific
application, system, or group of users.

37.Universe domain

The area of the repository that holds exported universes. The universe domain makes it
possible to store, distribute, and administrate universes. There may be multiple universe
domains in a repository.

38.Universe pane

The graphical component within the main Designer window that displays a hierarchical
view of the classes, objects, and conditions in a universe.
Two radio buttons on the lower edge of the pane filter the display of the components.
One button, the Classes/Objects filter, provides a view of the classes and objects. The
other button, Classes/Conditions, provides a view of the classes and conditions.

39.User object

An object created by the end user from the BusinessObjects User module. A user object
can be inserted into a universe by the designer.

40.Workgroup mode
A work mode whereby a designer creates universes in an environment without a
repository. The mode in which a universe is saved determines whether other designers are
able to access it. By default, a universe is saved in the mode in which the designer is
already working.

41.What is Designer?
Designer is a BusinessObjects IS module used by universe designers to create and
maintain universes. Universes are the semantic layer that isolates end users from the
technical issues of the database structure.
Universe designers can distribute universes to end users by moving them as files through
the file system, or by exporting them to the repository.

42.How do you design a universe?

The design method consists of two major phases.

During the first phase, you create the underlying database structure of your
universe. This structure includes the tables and columns of a database and the joins by
which they are linked. You may need to resolve loops which occur in the joins using
aliases or contexts. You can conclude this phase by testing the integrity of the overall
structure.
 During the second phase, you can proceed to enhance the components of your
universe. You can also prepare certain objects for multidimensional analysis. As with the
first phase, you should test the integrity of your universe structure. You may also wish to
perform tests on the universes you create from the BusinessObjects User module. Finally,
you can distribute your universes to users by exporting them to the repository or via your
file system.
For a universe based on a simple relational schema, Designer provides Quick Design, a
wizard for creating a basic yet complete universe. You can use the resulting universe
immediately, or you can modify the objects and create complex new ones. In this way,
you can gradually refine the quality and structure of your universe.

43.How do you define universe parameters?

The first step in creating a universe is to specify its parameters. These parameters include
the definition of a universe, which is comprised of:

the universe name

a description of the universe
a connection to an RDBMS

You enter universe parameters from the Universe Parameters dialog box. This dialog box
also lets you set up database options, external strategies, graphic options, and print
settings.

44.How do you select tables and columns?

You create the initial classes and objects of your universe by selecting them from the
tables and columns listed in the Table Browser, and inserting them into the Structure
pane.Depending on the database connection parameters, the browser presents you with a
list of database tables and columns.

Note
Before selecting tables, you should indicate the strategies you wish to use in creating
your universe.

45.How do you test the integrity of a universe?

With the Check Integrity command, you can test the structure of your active universe.
This means testing to determine whether its components are accurate and up-to-date.

Check Integrity serves the following purposes:

It detects any inconsistencies in the objects, joins, conditions, and cardinalities of your
universe.
It detects whether there are any loops in the joins.
 It determines whether changes were made to the database to which the universe is
connected.

46.What is a universe?

A universe is a business-oriented mapping of the data structure found in databases: tables,

columns, joins, etc. It can represent any specific application, system, or group of users.
For example, a universe can relate to a department in a company such as marketing or
accounting.In the BusinessObjects User module, universes enable end users to build
queries from which they can generate and perform analysis.Universes isolate end users
from the complexities of the database structure as well as the intricacies of SQL syntax.

47.What is aggregate awareness?

Aggregate awareness is a feature that makes use of predefined aggregate tables to

enhance the performance of SQL transactions. It is used to improve the speed by which
aggregates are calculated in the database.
To set up aggregate awareness in a universe, you define or more objects using the
@Aggregate_Aware function. The syntax for this function is as follows:

@Aggregate_Aware(aggregate_table_1, ... aggregate_table_n)

The arguments of this function are all the names of alternative aggregate tables. When
you formulate the syntax, you should be aware of the order of the arguments. The
precedence is from left to right; this means that BusinessObjects determines the aggregate
to use beginning from the leftmost argument.
As a general rule, you should enter the most aggregate table as the first argument, the
next most aggregate table as the second argument, and so on.You must then use the
Aggregate Navigation editor to set up a list of incompatible objects and/or incompatible
conditions for each aggregate table in your universe. These are the components that
cannot be used with an aggregate table.You can either set up these lists manually, or
cause the list of objects to be detected by Designer.

48.What is multidimensional analysis?

Multidimensional analysis is a technique for manipulating data in order to view it from

different perspectives and on different levels of detail. In BusinessObjects,
multidimensional analysis involves drill mode and slice-and-dice mode, and is enabled by
the Analyzer and Explorer components of the User module.
To set up a universe for multidimensional analysis, you must define hierarchies and
dimensions that determine how users view and analyze the data.
A dimension is simply the object to be tracked. A dimension can be an object such as
Country, Region, and City. A hierarchy is an ordered series of related dimensions. An
example of a hierarchy is Geography, which may group dimensions such as Country,
Region, and City.

49.What are classes?

A class is a logical grouping of objects within a universe. In general, the name of a class
reflects a business concept that conveys the category or type of objects. For example, in a
universe pertaining to human resources, one class might be Employees.
A class can be further divided into subclasses. In the human resources universe, a
subclass of the Employees class could be Personal Information.As designer, you are free
to define hierarchies of classes and subclasses in a model that best reflects the business
concepts of your organization.

50.What are objects?

An object is the most refined component in a universe. It maps to data or a derivation of

data in the database. Using objects, end users can build queries to generate reports.The
name of an object suggests a concept drawn from the terminology of a business or
discipline. For a human resources manager, objects might be Employee Name, Address,
Salary, or Bonus, while for a financial analyst, objects might be Profit Margin, Return on
Investment, etc.For the purposes of multidimensional analysis, objects are qualified as
one of three types: dimension, detail, or measure
.
51.What is a list of values?

A list of values contains the data values associated with an object. These data values can
originate from a corporate database, or a flat file such as a text file or Excel file. In
Designer you create a list of values by running a query from the Query Panel. You can
then view, edit, purge, refresh, and even export this file. A list of values is stored as an
.lov file in a subfolder of the UserDocs folder in the document domain.

52.What is the SQL editor?

The SQL editor lets you enter or modify an SQL statement for either the Select statement
or Where clause. To invoke this editor, click the button to the right of either the Select or
Where text box. You can type the SQL statement directly in the text box located in the
upper part of the editor window. Or you can formulate your syntax by using any
combination of the following elements: tables, columns, classes, objects, operators, or
functions. To select an element (and cause it to appear in the text box) double-click it in
the appropriate pane.The functions listed in the Functions pane include the native SQL
functions of your RDBMS as well as BusinessObjects @ functions. For further
information on @ functions, click .
By clicking on a function, you can view its syntax and purpose; this information is
displayed in the Description box.

53.Create a universe using the Quick Design wizard

1 Click the button on the Standard toolbar.

2 Follow the wizard through a series of dialog boxes to create a basic universe.
Notes
If you intend to export the universe, you must select Secured as the connection type.
If you click the File/New starts Quick Design wizard check box in the General tab
(Tools menu, Options command) the New command automatically launches the Quick
Design

54.What are the components of the Designer interface?

In Designer, you create a universe using three areas:

the Universe pane

the Structure pane
the Table Browser

The Universe pane displays the components of the universe from the point of view of
BusinessObjects; that is the classes, objects, and conditions.
The Structure pane reflects the underlying database structure of the universe including the
tables, columns, and joins.
The Table Browser is the component that lets you create the classes and objects of the
universe from the tables and columns of a database.

55.What are the visualization options available?

Designer contains a variety of features for organizing and viewing the tables and columns
in the Structure pane. Among these features are:

List Mode, which adds three panes to the Structure pane. These panes are for viewing the
names of tables, joins, and contexts. When you click a component in a pane, its
corresponding graphical representation in the schema is highlighted.
Graphic options, which let you customize the shape or appearance of the tables,
columns, joins, and cardinalities in the Structure pane.
Arrange tables, a feature that reorganizes the tables in the Structure pane so as to
produce an orderly display.
Gridlines, a command that displays a grid, which you can use to align tables in
the Structure pane.
Table (Column) Values, commands that display the data values associated with a
particular table or column.

56.Create a database connection

1.Select the Connections command from the Tools menu.

2.Click the Add button.
3.In the Add a connection dialog box, click the name of the network driver, then click
OK.connection dialog box specific to your RDBMS appears. It is made up of two tabs:
Login and Advanced. In each tab, the parameters shown depend on the network driver
you selected. For more information, click .
4.Type or select the connection parameters in the appropriate boxes, and click
OK.Connections dialog box appears once again. It displays the connection you just
created.

5.Click OK.

57.Modify a database connection

1.Select the Connections command from the Tools menu.

2.Click the connection.
3.Click the Edit button.
4.In the dialog box, type or select the connection parameters in the appropriate boxes, and
click ok. The Connections dialog box appears once again. It displays the connection you
just modified.
5.Click OK.

58.Delete a database connection

1 Select the Connections command from the Tools menu.

2 Click a previously defined connection.
3 Click the Remove button.dialog box prompts you to confirm the action.
4 Click Yes.

59.How do you specify strategies?

A strategy is a script that automatically extracts structural information from a database.

Designer provides a number of default strategies you can use. These are strategies for
extracting joins, detecting cardinalities, and creating default classes and objects. Options
for indicating default strategies are located in the Database tab of the Options dialog box.
You can also create your own strategies. Such strategies are referred to as external
strategies. With an external strategy, you can specify the exact way that objects and joins
are to be extracted from the database structure. The strategy you use, for example, can be
a script generated from a CASE Access tool. An external strategy is specific to one
RDBMS.

60.Specify default strategies

1 Select the Options command from the Tools menu.

2 Click the Database tab.
3 In the Default Creation box, select the default strategies you want.

Option Description
Extract joins with tables.--Retrieves tables with the joins that link them according to a
join strategy.
Detect cardinalities in joins. Detects the cardinalities inherent in the joins.
Create default classes and objects from tables. Causes classes and objects to be
generated in the Universe pane when you insert tables in the Structure pane.
If you select one or more options, Designer uses the corresponding strategies specified in
the Strategies tab of the Universe Parameters dialog box:

Option Description
Objects The strategy creates classes, and names them based on the tables in the
database; it also creates objects, and names them based on the columns in the database. It
replaces all underscore characters (_) with spaces.
Joins From the list box, select a join strategy. A description is displayed below the
name of the current strategy.
Tables Reads the table structure from the database system tables.

61.How do you specify external strategies?

With an external strategy, you can specify the exact way that objects and joins are to be
extracted from the database structure.All external strategies are contained within the same
text file. The name of this text file is indicated in the .prm file specific to your RDBMS.
In the .prm file, the strategy file is declared as follows:

STG=[StrategyFileName]
where StrategyFileName is the name of the strategy file.
An external strategy, whether for objects or for joins, is made up of the following
sections:
a name and description (These are visible in the Strategies tab of the Universe Parameters
dialog box.)
a type parameter: object or join
an SQL parameter or file parameter
an optional parameter that points to a connection other than the universe
connection.
An external strategy can be based on SQL or a file.
After you have set up external strategies, you can specify them from the Quick Design
wizard. Or you can specify them from the Strategies tab of the Universe Parameters
dialog box.

62.Insert tables in the Structure pane

1.Select the Tables command from the Insert menu.

2.In the Table Browser, click the tables you want to add to the universe structure.select
several contiguous tables, hold down the Shift key, then click the first table and the last
table. All the tables between the selected tables will be highlighted. To select several
tables that are not contiguous, click each table while holding down the Ctrl key.
3.Click the Insert button.
63.View the Structure pane in List Mode

Select the List Mode command from the View menu.panes (Tables, Joins, and Contexts)
are added above the display of the schema. When you click a component in one of these
panes, Designer highlights its graphical representation in the schema, and vice-versa.

64.Modify graphic options

1 Select the Options command from the Tools menu.

2 Click the Graphics tab.
3 Select the graphic options you want.
4 Click OK.

64.Arrange tables in the Structure pane

Select the Arrange Tables command from the View menu.

65.Display gridlines in the Structure pane

Select the Gridlines command from the View menu.

66.View the values of tables

1 In the Structure pane, click the table whose values you wish to view.
2 Select the Table Values command from the View menu.displays a window, which
lists all the values for each column in the table. With the check box Distinct
Values, you can filter the display so that only unique values are shown.

67.View the values of columns

1 In the Structure pane, place the pointer on the column whose values you wish to
view.may wish to enlarge the view of the
columns by applying the Zoom In command one or more times.
This makes it easier to select a column.
2 Click the right mouse button.pop-up menu appears.
3 From the pop-up menu, select the View Column Values command.displays a
window, which lists all the values for the column. With the check box, Distinct Values,
you can filter the display so that only unique values are shown.

68.What join types are supported?

Designer supports the following types of joins: equi-joins, outer joins, theta joins, and
shortcut joins.
In addition to join strategies, Designer provides several other methods for creating or
editing joins:
the Detect Joins command
tracing the joins manually
the Edit Join dialog box
the formula bar

69.Create joins automatically

1 Select the Detect Joins command from the Tools menu.Candidate Joins dialog
box appears. It displays the joins that were detected according to the join strategy set for
the universe. By default, all the joins are selected.
2 Insert the joins by doing any of the following:

Select one join by clicking it, and then click the Insert button.
Select several contiguous joins. Hold down the Shift key, then click the first and
last join. All the joins between the selected joins will be highlighed. Click the Insert
button.
Select several joins that are not contiguous. Click each join while holding down
the Ctrl key. Click the Insert button.
Select all highlighted joins, and then click the Insert.

3 Click the Close button to dismiss the dialog box.joins appear in the Structure
pane.

70.Trace a join manually

1. Position the mouse pointer over the column to be the source of the join.pointer is
transformed into a hand symbol.
2. Click the column with the left mouse button.column is highlighted.
3. While keeping the left mouse button pressed, drag the join which begins to appear
away from the source column toward the destination column.pointer is transformed into a
pencil.
4. Position the pencil over the column to be the destination of the join.
5. When the second column is highlighted, release the mouse button.join between the two
tables is created.

71.Create a join with the Edit Join dialog box

1. Select the Join command from the Insert menu.

2. In the list boxes, Table1 and Table2, select the tables.
3. Click the list box and select an operator.
4. In the list boxes below each table, select the column that is to link Table1 to
Table2.
5. Check the validity of the join by clicking the Parse button.
6. Click the OK button.

72.Edit a join with the Edit Join dialog box

1. Double-click the join.

2. In the Edit Join dialog box, modify the definition of the join as needed.
3. Check the validity of the join by clicking the Parse button.
4. Click the OK button.

73.Edit a join with the formula bar

1. Click the join that you want to edit.formula for the join appears in the formula bar.
2. Click the entry area of the formula bar, and edit the formula.
3. Press the Enter key to exit from the formula bar.

Note
By default, the formula bar is activated. To deactivate it, select the Formula Bar
command from the View menu.

74.Delete a join

1. Click the join.

2. Do one of the following:
Press the backspace key on your keyboard
Press the Delete key on your keyboard
Select the Clear command.
Note
Be careful when deleting a join. Deleting one or more joins may have undesirable
consequences on the overall structure of your universe.

75.What are cardinalities?

Cardinality expresses the minimum and maximum number of instances of an entity B that
can be associated with an instance of an entity A. The minimum and the maximum
number of instances can be equal to 0, 1, or N.Because a join represents a bidirectional
relationship, it must always have two cardinalities.
If you selected the Detect cardinalities in joins options in the Database tab of the Options
dialog box, Designer detects and retrieves the cardinalities of the joins. If you do not use
this option, you can still retrieve the cardinalities for one or all joins in the universe.
There are two main methods for detecting or editing cardinalities:
the Detect Cardinalities command
the Edit Join dialog box
76.Detect cardinalities

You can detect the cardinalities for one join or for all the joins in the universe. For a
single join, click it, and in the Edit Join dialog box, click the Detect button. To detect the
cardinalities for all joins:

1 Select the Detect Cardinalities command from the Tools menu.

A dialog box prompts you to confirm the action for all the joins of the universe.
2 Click the OK button.

Note
The Graphics tab of the Options dialog box contains a number of options for the display
of cardinalities in the Structure pane.

77.What are loops?

A loop is a situation that occurs when more than one path exists from one table to
another. Loops result in ambiguity in the design of a universe. Designer enables you to
identify loops in one of two ways:
You can run the Check Integrity function, which indicates the existence of any loops.
You can select the Detect Loops command from the Tools menu. If there are loops, the
Loop Detection viewer appears; it indicates the joins causing a loop.You can then use
aliases or contexts to resolve the loops in your universe.

78.What are aliases?

An alias is a logical pointer to an alternate table name. The purpose of an alias is to

resolve loops in the paths of joins. In some cases, more than one alias may be necessary
for a given table.
As you create aliases, Designer may prompt you to create other aliases. This occurs when
the new aliases result in the need for additional aliases; in other words, creating such
aliases entails the propagation of other aliases.
In such a situation, two options are available to you:
You can cause only the first table proposed to be aliased
You can alias all the tables listed (i.e. propagate the aliases)
Designer displays an alias in the Structure pane as a table. It links an aliased table to
existing tables, re-arranging joins, as necessary.

79.Create an alias automatically

1. Select the Detect Aliases command from the Tools menu.Candidate Alias dialog box
appears.
2. In the left pane of the dialog box, click the first table that you wish to alias.right pane
displays the alias name(s) Designer suggests for the table you selected. To give an alias a
different name, click the Rename button, and enter the new name.
3. Click the Create button.message box prompts you to confirm the creation of the
alias(es). In some cases, a dialog box may prompt you to propagate additional aliases.

4. Click the OK button.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 for the remaining tables (if any).
6. Click Close to dismiss the dialog box.

Notes
Before using Detect Aliases, check to see that all the tables in the universe are already
linked by joins.
Before using Detect Aliases, be sure that Designer has already detected all the
cardinalities of joins; if this is not the case, select the Detect Cardinalities command from
the Tools menu.

80.Create an alias manually

1.In the Structure pane, click the table for which you want to create an alias.
2.Select the Alias command from the Insert menu.dialog box appears prompting you to
enter a name for the aliased table.
3.Enter a new name for the aliased table, or keep the one proposed.
4.Click OK.aliased table appears in the Structure pane.

Note: If you create an alias manually, you must also create the joins necessary to link it to
the other tables.

81.What are contexts?

A context is a rule by which Designer can decide which of two paths to choose when
more than one path is possible from one table to another. Contexts can be used to resolve
loops in the universe.
You can create contexts manually, or cause them to be detected by Designer. When
contexts are useful, Designer suggests a list of contexts that you can create.

82.Create a context automatically

1.Select the Detect Contexts command from the Tools menu.Candidate Contexts dialog
box is displayed.
2.In the left pane of the dialog box, click the name of the first context you wish to create.
3.Click the Add button.context is displayed in the right pane. You can remove any
context from the right pane by selecting it, and then clicking the Remove button.

4.Repeat steps 2 and 3, if applicable, to add the other contexts.

5.If you wish to rename a context, select it from the right pane, and then click the
Rename button.Rename Context dialog box appears from which you can enter a new
name.
6.Click the OK button.Structure pane is displayed in List Mode. This lets you view the
contexts you created.

83.Create a context manually

1.Select the Context command from the Insert menu.

2.In the New Context dialog box, type a name for the context in the text box.
3.In the Current context join list box, click all the joins defining the context.can click the
Detect button for assistance; it shows the joins making up a context and suggests a name
for it.
4.If you wish to see all the joins you selected, click the Show selected only option.view
makes it easy to see the joins you selected. To return to the previous view, click the
option again.

5.Click OK.context is created.

84.How do you test the integrity of a universe?

With the Check Integrity command, you can test the structure of your active universe.
This means testing to determine whether its components are accurate and up-to-date.
Check Integrity serves the following purposes:
It detects any inconsistencies in the objects, joins, conditions, and cardinalities of your
universe.
It detects whether there are any loops in the joins.
It determines whether changes were made to the database to which the universe is
connected.

85.Run check integrity

1. Select the Check Integrity command from the Tools menu.Integrity Check dialog box
appears.
2 . In the dialog box, click the component(s) to be checked by clicking the corresponding
check boxes.Check All causes all the options to be checked.
3. Click the parse level.parsing checks only the syntax of a component Thorough parsing
checks both the syntax and semantics of a component. Of the two options, the latter may
take longer to run.

4. Click OK.

Note
Options for running Check Integrity automatically are available in the Options dialog box
(Tools menu).

86.Create a class manually

1. Click the class after which you want the new class to appear in the Universe pane.
2. Select the Class command from the Insert menu.Edit Properties dialog box
appears.
3. Enter the name of the class in the Class Name text box.
4. Enter information about the class in the Description text box.
5. Click the OK button.

Notes
A class appears within the Universe pane with a symbol.
If you insert a class in an opened class, it becomes a subclass of this class.
Otherwise, it appears

1. Identify universe design alternatives to loops in the universe structure.

A. Loops can be resolved either by using Aliases or Contexts depending upon the
result given by the basic loop detection technique
.
2. How do you link data providers in Business Objects? Can linked data providers
use different sources?
A. Two data providers can be linked in Business Objects depending upon the
commonality of the dimension objects on either of the data providers, if there is
a common dimension object with the same name then Business Objects links the
data providers automatically. In the other case where in there is no common
dimension object then we have to link them manually. This can be done by using
the Data Manager in the Query Panel. Once you click on the Definition tab there
is a button, which says ”Link to”, using that we can easily link the two data
providers. Yes they can.

3. Can a single universe point to more than one data source? Explain.
A. No, a single universe cannot point to more than one data source because a
universe can only have one connection to the database.

4. A Business Objects report is returning results on a column that is numeric, but

contains null values. The client wants the results for measure <Total Calls
Handled> to display the value 0 (zero) if null. Please write a syntactically correct
function that accomplishes this in Business Objects.
A. If we are not going to be using the values for anything else we can use the
cell format function and put undefined as 0 which will replace 0 for null records.

5. The client has a group of users that will begin utilizing the Web Intelligence
environment to refresh documents only. However, the client does not want these
users to be able to create new documents. Is this feasible, and if so, how do you
implement?
A. Yes, it is feasible. We can implement it by using the Supervisor for WebI you can
restrict users from creating new documents, while providing them access to
only refresh them.
6. Please identify the primary disadvantage of using Broadcast Agent in a Unix
environment vs. a Windows environment.
A. 1.Direct access to OLAP data source is not possible in Unix.
2. VBA procedures cannot be used as data providers.
3.Custom Macros in VBA cannot be used in Unix.
4.Publishing to channels is not possible with Unix.

7. Which server process on the Broadcast Agent/Web Intelligence server manages

all Business Objects processes executed on the server?
A. The BOManager for the Business Objects processes and the WIGenerator for the
WebIntelligence processes.

8. Write a query that will return a count of all customers in table A, their total
revenue from table B, and the data date (formatted as a date) it was incurred on,
that can be run on a recurring basis for the previous two week’s data. Table A
contains base customer information, and Table B contains revenue amounts and
the dates they were incurred on. The table structures are as follows:
A B
CUSTOMER_ID CUSTOMER_ID
CUSTOMER_ADDRESS_INFO TOTAL_REV
DATA_DATE
0
9. Please identify the difference between full client Business Objects and Zero
Administration Business Objects.
Full client Business Objects Zero Administration Business Objects
1.Most of the components are installed 1.Only the minimum required software
on the client machine. is installed on the client.
2.System administration intervention is 2.No system administration intervention
required on the client. is required on the client.
3.This is a 2-tier architecture. 3.This is a 3-tier architecture.
4.The data cube is built on the client 4.The data cube is built on the server
machine. and then sent to the client.

10. A report is returning a date field formatted as a character and you need to do date
comparisons based on that field. Write a syntactically correct function to convert
a character string to a date formatted as MM/DD/YYYY, where <Data Date> is
the object name.
A. =toDate(<Data>)
11. As an administrator, what tool is used to monitor all scheduled Business Objects
report on a Broadcast Agent?
A. Business Objects Services Administrator.
12. There are two separate tables in the report body, and one table should be filtered
by all records where <Region Code> = ‘S’ and another table where all records
should be <Region Code> = ‘P’. Is this possible? If so, how do you implement?
A. Yes, it is possible. We just need to use Format menu and use Filters on the tables
separately
13. Data is not available in the data mart to test a new report with, however, the
universe structure is complete and the report can be created. What feature in
Business Objects allows you to edit the body of a document without having data
present.
A. We can use the Structure Button on the toolbar to accomplish this feature.

14. What languages besides VBA can be embedded into a Business Objects report?
A. ASP and JSP can be used.(VBScript,JScript)

15. What feature can be used to replace a table name in a universe for one group, but
leave it as the table defined in the universe for another group?
A. Aliasing is the feature that can be used to accomplish this.

16. How is a new Broadcast Agent defined on the repository?

A. This can be done by configuring it in the Supervisor. We can do it by assigning a
new BCA to a particular group.

17. Where is the non-interactive heap size modified on a 5.x Windows based server?
A.

18. Identify the two other implementations of Web Intelligence 2.x besides the .dll
implementation.
A. Java Applets and the ActiveX.

19. Is it possible to limit query durations for a universe? If so, how?

A. Yes, it is possible. While defining the ODBC connection to the database we can
limit the query time for each query that is going to make use of that connection.

20. How can a scheduled Broadcast Agent job be triggered other than by a set time
interval?
A. This can be done by using the File Watcher in the BCA.

21. Identify the types of user IDs that can be identified in the Supervisor Module.
A. The various user ID’s are General Supervisor, Supervisor, Designer, Supervisor-
Designer, User and Versatile.

22. A variable has been created in a report but now needs to be removed. How is this
accomplished?
A. A variable can easily be deleted in a report by using the Variables from the Data
menu. Once the new window opens we can click on the variable which is to be
deleted and then click the Remove tab

23. While working on a universe from the repository, how can other developers be
prevented from making changes to it?
A. This can be done by using the “Lock” feature for the Universe.
 24. Is a join in a universe limited to only the columns available in the table1 and
table2 drsop down boxes?
A. Not necessarily because if we use Self-joins we can get the data from the same
table.

25. An object has been created but should not be visible to universe. How is this
accomplished?
A. This can be accomplished by using the “Hide Items” functionality in the
Designer.

26. Daily report processing is an important part of the needs of the business. If the
Broadcast Agent scheduler did not process one report or more, what items should
be checked to determine if there was an error in processing?
A. In the Administrator we can check the Event/Log Monitor where it clearly shows
what might be the possible
Error. It can be User account fail or a problem in the database etc.

27. If query is taking an extraordinary amount of time to refresh through the

scheduler, what are some steps that can be taken to identify potential problems?
A. First of all we need to find whether there are any Indexes or Locks on the table.
Then we have to perform the
SQL tuning checks like Distinct, Union etc. Also we should verify the joins
between the classes. Filters and Aggregate Awareness functions should be used
wherever needed so as to make the query more efficient.

28. Is it possible to have Broadcast Agent processes that will store historical versions
of reports? If so, how?
A. Yes it is possible. Using the full client SDK, we can write a Macro so that
the documents do not replace the older ones.

BUSINESS OBJECTS MODULE or REPORTER MODULE

What is BusinessObjects (REPORTER)?

BUSINESSOBJECTS is an integrated query, reporting and analysis solution for business
professionals that allow you to access the data in your corporate databases directly from
your desktop and present and analyze this information in a BUSINESSOBJECTS
document.

What data sources are available?

BUSINESSOBJECTS let you access data from a wide range of sources. You can access
data from
• Relational databases (RDBMS), such as ORACLE, Microsoft SQL Server,
 Informix and IBM DB2.
• Multidimensional (OLAP) databases, such as Microsoft OLAP Services,
Hyperion Essbase, and ORACLE Express.
• Text files and spreadsheets
• Packaged applications such as SAP
• Virtually any data source using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)
procedures.

Data Provider: A mechanism that brings data from your corporate or personal data
sources to your documents. Includes queries on universes, VBA scripts, personal data
files, stored procedures, queries on OLAP databases, and free-hand SQL scripts.

Query Panel: A document editor interface used to build queries and design reports in
BusinessObjects.

Prompt: A sentence or question in a query condition or filter that asks you to select or
enter values for the condition.

Slice and Dice mode : Working mode that you use to restructure a report in order to
analyze its
data from different viewpoints.

User Object: An object created in BusinessQuery for Excel® or BusinessObjects,

based on one or more existing objects in a universe. Used to combine two
or more existing objects, to make calculations or to apply functions on
existing object.

Saving a Document
BUSINESSOBJECTS also allows you to save your document in different formats like
As Business Objects format, PDF, HTML, Template, Text, Rich Text, …

Macros and add-ins—what’s the difference?

The difference between a macro and an add-in is their scope. A macro is a program contained
within a BUSINESSOBJECTS document (*.rep) and is available only while that document is open.
Essentially, an add-in is a shareable macro. Add-ins are contained within their own files (*.rea) that
users can share. Once an add-in is included in a BUSINESSOBJECTS installation, it is available no
matter which document the user opens.

Scripts
A script is typically contained in an HTML page and controls the way in which
Web pages are constructed. An ASP is made up of a combination of HTML and
either VBScript or JScript. A JSP contains HTML and Java.

Canned Reports: Predefined reports that automatically format data for presentation. A
list of
available canned reports is available in the Business Objects repository or
in WebIntelligence Corporate Documents.

Scheduler: Periodically polls the repository to detect tasks to run. It then communicates
with BOManager (for BusinessObjects documents).

WEBINTELLIGENCE MODULE (EXPLORER)

INFOVIEW
INFOVIEW is your personal gateway to your corporate information capital. It allows you
to access documents generated from your corporate data storage from your office, home,
or around the world, using your corporate intranet, extranet, or the World Wide Web.
To use INFOVIEW, you don’t need to install any additional software on your computer.
All you need is a standard Web or Internet browser. At the core of INFOVIEW are the
document lists that give you an instant overview of all the documents available to you in
the corporate database.
INFOVIEW includes up to three document lists:
• The Corporate Documents page is a catalog of all the documents that you are
allowed to access in the corporate repository, the centralized
BUSINESSOBJECTS
storage and distribution mechanism that manages universes, user
information and document exchange.
As long as you have the right to view a single corporate document, INFOVIEW
contains this list.
• The Personal Documents page lists the documents you’ve saved for your own
personal use.
• The Inbox Documents page shows you the documents that other users have
sent you.
INFOVIEW allows you to access documents that have been created using either
WEBINTELLIGENCE or BUSINESSOBJECTS, and any other documents that are
uploaded to the repository, such as Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PDF files.
You can use INFOVIEW as your common entry point for viewing, managing, distributing,
and downloading any document in your corporate repository.

To log into WEBI:

1. Start your Internet browser.
2. Point your browser to INFOVIEW using http://gclab/wi

Three-tier architecture
Like WEBINTELLIGENCE, Zero Admin BUSINESSOBJECTS has a three-tier
architecture:
• Tier 1: the client
The BUSINESSOBJECTS software is installed on the client machine.
• Tier 2: the Zero Admin BUSINESSOBJECTS server
BUSINESSOBJECTS 5.1 uses the HTTP processing layer in the
WEBINTELLIGENCE system to communicate with the HTTP server. The
WEBINTELLIGENCE server manages security and connectivity information and
downloads the required information to the client the first time he connects.
BUSINESSOBJECTS uses the WIQT for the user session and to communicate with the
repository and database.
• Tier 3: data sources

The WEBINTELLIGENCE architecture can be divided into three specific areas:

• The client
The web browser, which provides the gateway to the WEBINTELLIGENCE system.
• The middle tier
Comprises the HTTP server and WEBINTELLIGENCE system components, linked
together by CORBA calls in a distributed CORBA environment.
• Database components
Comprises the repository and corporate database. This is where much of the data is
stored, and where system security is controlled.

WEBINTELLIGENCE recognizes three types of documents:

• WEBINTELLIGENCE documents
• BUSINESSOBJECTS documents
• Third-party documents (*.xls, *.doc. *.ppt. *.zip etc)

What is CORBA?
The Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) is an architecture
which allows applications to communicate with one another no matter where
they are in a network, or who manufactured them.

When you start the Administrator, the following screen opens:

Business Objects – Part I

1. Create a document (CUSTOMER) on CLUB universe and select the following

objects:
Cust_Id
Full Name
Address
Phone Number
2. Modify the CUSTOMER document by inserting the objects age, sales person
name, res_date, country and deleting the cust_id.
3. Format the Cust_id like ddddd and remove the fraction part, Change the report
title to CUSTOMER REPORT
4. Set the font size to 12 and background color to Green
5. Sort on Full Name
6. Count the number of customer
7. Create a document ORDER with the following objects:
Order_id
Unitprice
Discount
Quantity
In the condition apply where order_id >= ‘10772’ and quantity > 10.
8. Find the max discount amount
9. Duplicate new report in the same ORDER document and apply the break on
discount
10. Rotate the table in the CUSTOMER column, insert new column ans set cust_id
value to that newly inserted cell
11. Insert any picture (logo) and same it as template.
12. Add two to three new records in the table, refresh the ORDERS document and
Save as pdf, htm and text file
13. Apply filter on order_id
14. For SALES document select filter on sales person filter and select some additional
objects
15. Try to change the header of some of the columns in SALES report
16. In CUSTOMER table select the Prompt on First name prompt and run the report
17. Create a Pie chart in ORDERS table using revenue and quantity objects then
change the type into line chart in the same report
18. Insert a new report in ORDERS only with pie chart, last refreshed date and time
19. Change the existing CUSTOMER report into cross tab report
20. Use Slice and dice option in any one of the documents
21. Hide some of the columns in the report
22. Create formula to calculate revenue out of quantity and unit price.
23. Create a variable for full name
24. Create alert on revenue less than $100
25. Publish the repository to repository
26. Retrieve a document from repository
27. Migrate the document from DEVL to PROD
28. Change the universe in the document.
29. Send a document to users other than you
30. Rename your data provider
31. Create a drill down report using Efashion universe
32. Export the results to Excel file.
33. Link two data to provider (database and other than database)
34. write a macro to suppress the No data to fetch error message
35. Write a macro to refresh the report
Private Sub Document_AfterRefresh()
Dim rep As busobj.Report
Dim nop As Long
Dim rec As Variant
Dim dpdoc As Document
Dim dp As DataProvider
Set rep = Application.ActiveDocument.Reports(1)
nop = rep.NumberOfPages
'MsgBox (nop)
Set dpdoc = ThisDocument
Set dp = dpdoc.DataProviders.Item(1)
rec = dp.NbRowsFetched
 'MsgBox rec
If rec = 0 Then
MsgBox "No Data available for this criteria. You may try to refresh your report
with other parameters”
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Document_BeforeRefresh(Cancel As Boolean)
Application.Interactive = False
'Application.Interactive = True
End Sub

1. Have you used a subquery?

2. What is a previous function?
3. What is a user response function?
4. Have you ever used calculation context?
5. Have you used derived tables?
6. What is a file watcher?
7. Have you used complex filters?
8. 'No filter' option
9. change 'and' to 'or'
10. What I knew about User Objects
11. How do you hide a column?
12. How do you migrate universes to different repository from a Webi?
13. What are the advantages of Webi?