Access to Analyzer:
Making the Transition
Laura Guy – Colorado School of Mines
February 21, 2009
What is Analyzer?
• A library business intelligence package that simplifies data collection and analysis for novice and advanced users with:
– An easy‐to‐use Web‐based graphical interface – Presentation layers that reduce the need to
understand the underlying database structure – Scheduling and automated delivery
mechanisms
– Dashboards and other analysis tools for event
management, trend analysis, and more…
Presentation Layers
Metadata that defines the database structure and data relationships in business terms
Drag and drop elements from
folders that organize data
elements in business terms
Logic built into presentation layer
– e.g., an amount calculation – makes it easy to
do complex queries without
loads of work
The Database Schema is Special
The Database schema
presentation layer is a replica of the Voyager db structure and has a structure similar to Access
Power of the Database Schema
• Paste MS Access queries
• Create new links between query items
• Write SQL
Cache Reports to Provide Instant Results
• Caching saves output for instant retrieval
• Useful for reports that don’t change frequently or for reports that take a long time to run
• Prompt values can be stored
View versus Run
• Clicking on the report name allows you to view an existing (“cached”) report
• Clicking on the Run with Options icon allows you to rerun the report using current data
• Modify Schedule icon discussed in a later slide
Run with Options
• The Run with Options icon controls how the report runs and what it looks like
• Format, language, delivery options, prompts
Advanced Options
• The Advanced options allows multiple formats, run now or later, and an email as an attachment function
Distributing and Scheduling
Output Versions
• Click on the View Output icon to view a report’s saved versions
• You control the number of occurrences retained via the Set Properties icon
Output Formats
• PDF Direct‐to‐printer option
• File types must open proper application on your PC
Prepackaged Reports
Query Studio
Do We Have Time for an Example?
Query Studio
Report Studio
Working with the BLOB
• Provides ways to examine and analyze data from within Bibliographic data
• Means that we require good understanding of the data, what can be found where and so on (MARC tags and subfields)
• From there, determine what information should be included in the report (Bib ID, Title, ISBN, etc.)
• Limit number of records being retrieved while building query;
results are quickly known and corrections can be made
• Running a query that is not limited by records will take a long time
BLOB Screen Shot
Blob functions Expression syntax
Expression properties
BLOB Result
Multiple fields are separated by ‘//’
This query looks for MFHDs with 863 fields.
Also shows issue with UTF16.
Do We Have Time for an Example?
Report Studio and the BLOB
Filtering Data – Query Studio
Highlight the entire data column to be filtered.
Select Edit Data from the menu on the left.
Click on the Filter icon.
Available filter conditions appear below Report area.
Note that some options depend on type of data item.
Creating a Prompt – Query Studio
•Prompts allow users to specify the subset of data retrieved
•Content can be filtered by textual, numeric or date/time data
•Equivalent to parameters in Access
Adding a prompt is easy:
1. Highlight column you wish to filter
2. Check the “Prompt every time the report runs” box
Creating a Chart – Query Studio
Do We Have Time for an Example?
Creating Charts in Query Studio
Converting Access Queries
• Actually means converting the SQL
• SQL format in MS Access not compatible with what is required for the Cognos SQL format used by Analyzer
• Numerous changes need to be made
• Simpler to recreate the query in Analyzer, since time involved is likely to be less [recommended]
Converting Access Queries
• Changes are required for:
1. semi‐colon
2. double‐quotes 3. aliases
4. distinctrow 5. prompts
6. use of *_VW tables 7. parentheses
8. order by?
9. wildcards
Sharing Reports
• Use export option to copy XML schema
• Copy and paste XML into a special workspace
• All layout options, are carried over in the XML
• No need to swap out database names or add any formatting
• May need to validate query to ensure that it is using the correct package
• Most successful in Internet Explorer.
Sharing Reports
• dedicated area on SupportWeb for posting and downloading XML schemas
• https://support.endinfosys.com/cust/voy/products/analyzer.html
