Helical Insight is an Open Source Business Intelligence (BI) tool which supports SQLite database. In this article we will cover in detail, how you can connect, analyze, share and use other features of Helical Insight with SQLite 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 :
Post configuration process involves report creation. Following are the steps to create report with Helical Insight using SQLite Database:
JDBC Driver Configuration
JDBC driver configuration is required through which a database connection can be established with Helical Insight Application. Following are the steps to configure JDBC driver :- Download the JDBC type4 driver .jar file from the required sources.
- Once you have downloaded the driver, you need to put that driver in a “Drivers” Folder of Helical Insight Application
and then immediately it will start appearing in the drop down list of Datasource. Click here for more detailshi-repository/System/Drivers
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 :- Go to
hi-repository/System/Admin
. - Open “sqlDialects.properties” file in edit mode using text-editor such as notepad, notepad++.
- Add the below present line at the end of the file in a new line.
Note: Here, SQLite database does not have separate SQLite dialect and it directly supports PostgreSQL dialect. So, Postgresql dialect is mapped with the SQLite JDBC driver.org.sqlite.JDBC=org.hibernate.dialect.PostgreSQLDialect
- Now, save the file.
MySQL dialect
is mapped with the selected database. In result, a sql query will be generated which may or may not support the selected database.
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 : XML fileThis 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, “sqlite.xml” or any name can be assigned. The required file has to be present inside the SqlFunctions
folder.
- Download the zip file which contains xml and js files.
- Now, extract the files and insert the
sqlite.xml
inside theSqlFunctions
folder. Folder Path :
hi-repository/System/Admin/SqlFunctions
- Download the zip file which contains xml and js files.
- Now, extract the files and insert the
sqlite.js
inside theSqlFunctions
folder. Folder Path :hi-repository/System/Admin/SqlFunctions
- Open
Admin
folder present inside the helical insight repository.
Folder Path :
- Open
sqlFunctionsXmlMapping.properties
file in edit mode using text-editor like notepad++, etc - Insert the code
org.sqlite.JDBC=sqlite
in a new line. - Now, save the file.
hi-repository/System/Admin
Create Datasource
This process involves establishing a connection between Helical Insight application and SQLiteDB database. There are 2 methods available for creating a Datasource in Helical Insight: Following are the steps shown below to create datasource using available methods : Method 1 : Front End Approach- Login to Helical Insight Application. ( For default credentials, click here )
- Click on “Home” button and select “Adhoc” from the list.
- On entering Adhoc Page, click on “Create” button in Datasources
- Select the “DataSource Type” from the given list. In this case, “Managed Datasource” will be used.
- Now, enter the following details as shown in the below image : Datasource Details :
- Download the latest SQLite JDBC Driver.
- Once you have downloaded the driver, you need to put that driver in a specific folder and then immediately it will start appearing in the drop down list of Datasource. Click here for more details
- Now, click on “Test connection” to validate the filled details.
- If the entered details are correct then “The test connection is established” notification is shown.
- Click on “Save Datasource” to confirm.
- Then, next step involves creation of metadata. After saving datasource, from the same page, click on “Metadata” (at the top right )
- Then, click on “Create”.
Datesource Name : SQLite Sample DB ( user-defined name ) Driver : org.sqlite.JDBC ( SQLite JDBC driver ) URL : jdbc:sqlite:C:/SQLite/chinook.db (JDBC URL Format: jdbc:sqlite:database_file_path) Username : testuser Password : testuserNote: If SQLite JDBC Driver is not present in the list then it can be added externally. Following are the steps to update driver list :
- Go to “hi-repository” folder where a Helical Insight Application is installed and then open the folder.
- Create a New Folder with any name say “SQLite Database” inside “hi-repository” folder.
- Now, open a text-editor like notepad, notepad++ , and so on.
- Then enter the following details as given below :
- 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 SQLite JDBC URL format
- User: Database Username
- Password: Database password
- After entering the details, save the file as “filename.efwd”
Note: Saved file has to be present inside the SQLite Database folder of “hi-repository“.
- Now, the SQLite connection has been established. ( if entered details are correct )
- Then, next step involves creation on metadata.
- Now, login to Helical Insight Application using any web browser.
- Click on “Home” button and select “Adhoc” from the list.
- Then, Click on “Metadata” Tab and then select “Create”.
C:\Helical Insight\hi-repository
<EFWD>
<DataSources>
<Connection id="11" name="SQLite Datasource EFWD" type="sql.jdbc">
<Driver>org.sqlite.JDBC</Driver>
<Url>jdbc:sqlite:C:/SQLite/chinook.db</Url>
<User>testuser</User>
<Pass>testuser</Pass>
</Connection>
</DataSources>
</EFWD>
jdbc:sqlite: database_file_path
Create Metadata
For creating a metadata it is mandatory to have established datasource connection which is explained in create datasource.- On clicking “Create” from “Metadata” tab, “Datasource Type” selection page is displayed.
- 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
- Click on the Datasource Name using which metadata will be created.
- For Method 1 : Datasource Name “SQLite Sample DB” is used. Any name can be assigned during configuration.
- For Method 2 : Datasource Name “SQLite Datasource EFWD” is used. Any name can be assigned during configuration.
- 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.
- Click on “Save” to create metadata.
- 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.
- Then, click on “Save Metadata” to confirm.
- Now, metadata file is ready for creating Adhoc Reports.