Custom Connections in the SDW

New in Version 10, the Custom Connections feature in the Synthesis Data Warehouse allows you to create a live link to an external data source (including Access, Oracle and SQL Server). This enables you to get data from your own custom and third-party databases for transferring to a standard folio in Weibull++, ALTA or RGA, or for viewing in the SDW dashboards.

You can also get data directly from your own custom reports created in XFRACAS.

A custom connection data source always shows the latest information from the original database or report and you can only create one dashboard layout per connection. You can also use these connections to import data into a static Weibull++/ALTA or RGA data collection, if desired.

Connect to an External Database

To create a live link to an external database:

Choose Manage Data Sources > Add Custom Connection > To External Database.

In the Add Custom Connection window:
1. Enter the Display Name that will identify this custom connection in the SDW data source list.
2. Enter the connection settings for a Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle or Access database.
3. After you have specified the database, the Table Name field shows a list of the available tables. Select the main one that contains the data you want to use in the SDW.
4. If you want to create aliases for column names, build a query that combines data from multiple tables or enter your own SQL, select the Open Query Designer check box.
5. If you want to create the dashboard layout for this data source immediately after defining the connection/query, select the Open Dashboard Designer check box.
6. Click OK to proceed.
If you selected to open the Query Designer, it can serve three purposes:
1. The bottom-center panel shows the fields that will be included in the data set. If desired, you can use the Alias column to change the names that will be displayed in the SDW grid and dashboard layouts.
2. If the tables are linked by foreign keys, you can use the tool to build a query that combines fields from multiple tables.
3. Alternatively, if you want to enter your own SQL, select the Allow SQL Editing check box and type or paste your own query.
If you selected to open the Dashboard Designer, you can use it to create a single dashboard layout for this data source.

If you want to change the query or create/modify the dashboard layout at a later time, select the custom connection in the data source manager and choose Dashboard > Dashboard Designer.

From within the Dashboard Designer window, choose Home > Data Source > Edit to open the Query Designer.

Connect to XFRACAS Report

Creating a custom connection to a predefined XFRACAS report enables you to use the SDW to view any type of XFRACAS data (not just data collections extracted for life data or repairable systems analysis). If a Synthesis Enterprise Portal has been implemented for an enterprise database, users can also access the dashboards created for these reports from any web-enabled device.

Tip: For information about creating SDW reports in XFRACAS, see the "Report Builder" topic in the XFRACAS documentation.

To create a live link to an SDW report that has already been created in XFRACAS:

Choose Manage Data Sources > Add Custom Connection > To XFRACAS Report.

In the Select Report window, select any of the XFRACAS SDW reports that have been predefined in the database.
Click OK to load the data.

E-mail Link