How to Connect IBM DB2 with Helical Insight

Helical Insight an Open Source Business Intelligence (BI) tool which supports IBM DB2. In this article we will cover in detail, how you can connect, analyze, share and use other features of Helical Insight with DB2 database.

Following are the steps to be performed at file system of Helical Insight (hi-repository/System/Admin) when the database is configured for the first time :
  1. JDBC Driver Configuration
  2. Dialect Configuration
  3. Database Function List Configuration
Post configuration process involves report creation. Following are the steps to create report with Helical Insight using IBM DB2 Database:
  1. Datasource Creation
  2. Metadata Creation
  3. Adhoc Reports

JDBC Driver Configuration

JDBC driver configuration is required through which a database connection can be established with Helical Insight Application.
  • Download latest IBM DB2 JDBC Driver.
  • Once you have downloaded the driver, you need to put that driver in a “Drivers” Folder of Helical Insight Application 
    C:\Helical Insight\hi-repository\System\Drivers
    and then immediately it will start appearing in the drop down list of Datasource. Click here for more details.

Dialect Configuration

Dialect is used for generating SQL query as per the database selected. In Helical Insight Application, following are the steps to configure dialect :
  1. Go to hi-repository/System/Admin.

    2. sqlDialects.properties file

  2. Open sqlDialects.properties file in edit mode using text-editor such as notepad, notepad++.
  3. Add the below present line at the end of the file in a new line. 
    com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver=org.hibernate.dialect.DB2Dialect
    Note: Here, IBM DB2 database have a separate DB2 dialect which is assigned to a DB2 database driver.
  4. Now, save the file.

Note : In case, dialect is not assigned then by default MySQL dialect is assigned to the selected database. In result, a sql query will be generated which may or may not support the selected database.

As IBM DB2 Database follow ANSI standards hence another dialect configuration is required. Following are the steps to configure ANSI dialect :
  1. Go to hi-repository/System/Admin.
  2. Open adhocSqlSettings.xml file using a text-editor succh as notepad, notepad++, etc.
  3. Add the dialect 
    <dialect>org.hibernate.dialect.DB2Dialect<dialect>
    within the <ansiGroupByDialects> tag. ANSI DB2 Dialect Configuration
  4. Now, save the file.

Database Function List Configuration

While creating Adhoc reports, there are database functions which can be applied on datatypes such as text, numeric, datetime, etc. Now, to view the database functions list following are the files needs to be configured :
  1. .xml file.
  2. javascript / js file.
  3. sqlFunctionsXmlMapping.properties

XML file

This file contains the database functions in the XML format. Using this file, user can modify database functions. The XML file is saved as “databasename.xml” for example, “ingres.xml” or any name can be assigned. The required file has to be present inside the SqlFunctions folder.

Following are the steps to configure database XML file :
  1. Download the zip file which contains xml and js files.
  2. Now, extract the files and insert the db2.xml inside the SqlFunctions folder.
    Folder Path :
    3. hi-repository/System/Admin/SqlFunctions

javascript /js file Javascript file contains code used for defining the query syntax for the respective database. The JS file name must be same as the name assigned to the xml file of the respective database. The filename is case sensitive. Following are the steps to configure JS file :
  1. Download the zip file which contains xml and js files.
  2. Now, extract the files and insert the db2.js inside the SqlFunctions folder.
    Folder Path : 
    hi-repository/System/Admin/SqlFunctions


sqlFunctionsXmlMapping.properties file This file is used for configuring the xml file with the respective database. Following are the steps to configure :
  1. Open Admin folder present inside the helical insight repository.
    2. Folder Path : 
    hi-repository/System/Admin
  2. Open sqlFunctionsXmlMapping.properties file in edit mode using text-editor like notepad++, etc
  3. Insert the code com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver=db2 in a new line.
  4. Now, save the file.
Note : In the above code, the name “db2” should match with the name assigned to xml file (db2.xml) and js file (db2.js). DB2 mapping
database funtion list
Database Functions List

Create Datasource

This process involves establishing a connection between Helical Insight application and a DB2 database.

There are 2 methods available for creating a Datasource in Helical Insight:
  1. Front End Approach
  2. Back End Approach

Method 1 : Front End Approach
  1. Login to Helical Insight Application.  ( For default credentials, click here )
  2. Click on “Home” button and select “Adhoc” from the list.
  3. On entering Adhoc Page, click on “Create” button in Datasources
  4. Select the “DataSource Type” from the given list. In this case, “Managed Datasource” will be used.
  5. Now, enter the following details as shown in the below image :

    6. db2-helical-insight-datasource-connection Datasource Details : 
    Datesource Name : DB2 admin  ( user-defined name )

Driver : com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver   ( IBM DB2 JDBC type 4 driver )

Hostname : 192.168.2.103
Port     : 50001
Database : SAMPLE

URL : jdbc:db2://192.168.2.103:50001/SAMPLE
(JDBC URL FORMAT: jdbc:db2://<host>[:<port>]/<database_name> )

Username : db2admin
Password : db2pass

    Here, username and password will be the user and password created during IBM DB2 server installation. To view details click here.

    Note: If DB2 JDBC type 4 Driver is not present in the dropdown list then it can be added externally. Following are the steps to update driver list :
    • Download latest IBM DB2 JDBC Driver.
    • Once you have downloaded the driver, you need to put that driver in a “Drivers” Folder of Helical Insight Application 
      C:\Helical Insight\hi-repository\System\Drivers
      and then immediately it will start appearing in the drop down list of Datasource. Click here for more details

  6. Now, click on “Test connection” to validate the filled details.
  7. If the entered details are correct then “The test connection is established” notification is shown.
  8. Click on “Save Datasource” to confirm.
  9. Then, next step involves creation of metadata. After saving datasource, from the same page, click on “Metadata” (at the top right )
  10. Then, click on “Create”.
Further steps will be covered in “Create Metadata” step.

Method 2 : Back End Approach
  1. Go to “hi-repository” folder where Helical Insight Application is installed and then open the folder.
    2. C:\Helical Insight\hi-repository
  2. Create a New Folder with any name say “IBM DB2” inside “hi-repository” folder.

    3. ibm-db2-folder-creation-hi
  3. Now, open a text-editor like notepad, notepad++ , and so on.
  4. Then enter the following details as given below :
    5. <EFWD>
    <DataSources>
        <Connection id="1" name="DB2 EFWD" type="sql.jdbc">
            <Driver>com.ibm.db2.jcc.DB2Driver</Driver>
            <Url>jdbc:db2://192.168.2.103:50001/SAMPLE/</Url>
            <User>db2admin</User>
            <Pass>db2pass</Pass>
        </Connection>
    </DataSources>
</EFWD>
    • Connection ID : User can assign any ID (numeric only)
    • name : Name of the Datasource to be shown in the Datasource list
    • Url : For creating a URL, use the following DB2 JDBC URL format 
      • JDBC URL FORMAT: jdbc:db2://<host>[:<port>]/<database_name>
    • User: db2admin
    • Password: db2pass
    For username and password refer to the below image. Username and password is configured during IBM DB2 server installation. db2-user-account-creation
  5. After entering the details, save the file as “filename.efwd”

    Note: Saved file has to be present inside the IBM DB2 folder of “hi-repository“.

  6. Now, the DB2 connection has been established. ( if entered details are correct )
  7. Then, next step involves creation on metadata.
  8. Now, login to Helical Insight Application using any web browser.
  9. Click on “Home” button and select “Adhoc” from the list.
  10. Then, Click on “Metadata” Tab and then select “Create”.
  • Create a New Folder with any name say “IBM DB2” inside “hi-repository” folder.


    • Create Metadata

    For creating a metadata it is mandatory to have established datasource connection which is explained in create datasource.
    1. On clicking “Create” from “Metadata” tab, “Datasource Type” selection page is displayed.
    2. Select the “DataSource Type” from the given list.
      • For Method 1 : Select DataSource Type: Managed Datasource
      • For Method 2 : Select DataSource Type: Plain JDBC Datasource
    3. Click on the Datasource Name using which metadata will be created.
      • For Method 1 : Datasource Name “DB2 admin” is used. Any name can be assigned during configuration.

        • db2-managed-datasource-connection

      • For Method 2 : Datasource Name “DB2 EFWD” is used. Any name can be assigned during configuration.
        • db2-plain-jdbc-efwd-dtasource-connection

    4. Now , a metadata page appears where various operations can be performed such as table/column aliasing, defining joins, creating views and apply table/column/data security conditions.
    5. Click on “Save” to create metadata.
    6. After clicking “Save” button, a window will appear known as File Browser. Using File Browser, a metadata file is saved in the file-repository of Helical Insight.
    7. Then, click on “Save Metadata” to confirm.
    8. Now, metadata file is ready for creating Adhoc Reports.

    Adhoc Reports :

    Learn how to create Adhoc Report, click here

    For further assistance, kindly contact us on support@helicalinsight.com or post your queries at forum.helicalinsight.com
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