Linking reports from different data sources

[shearerg]

Hi,

I have a group of 3 databases which contain data for different aspects of our production environment. Technically, they could all be combined, but this would not be a trivial exercise. They exist as separate databases for a combination of functional and historical reasons.

Anyway, despite being independent databases they do have related content. I'm wondering if there is a technique, other than copy-and-paste, which will allow field values on one report to be used as parameters or filter values for another report which uses a different data source. If this were possible, it would allow links between reports based on different databases, which would be transparent to the user.

I've been reading the documentation but haven't seen a method of achieving this, although I have seen some mention of using form values to link to other elements. I haven't yet been able to further investigate this area, and was hoping someone with more experience using DAI might be able to answer my question more directly.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Regards,
Greg Shearer

[shearerg]

I think I may have answered my own question. It looks like this is exactly what is managed by a 'Relationship definition'. I'll try that approach and let you know if it behaves as I hope ......

later

Except that it looks like 'Dynamic relation' definition isn't available in the Personal Edition ... which is a nuisance. Any advice would be appreciated.

Greg

[Carsten Sørensen]

Hi Greg,

You are absolutely correct!

I can offer you a server edition trial (with the Ingres updates) later this week. That will allow you to define relationships in-between data-sources in your 3 databases and use these relationships during drill-down, drill-to-form and as related sub-form's in Form Layout.

You might be able to create a multi-report dashboard-package (using the same fieldnames for filtering on the individual reports (not the caption name - must be the column names (use views eventually)) and maybe local/global filter scopes to achieve a similar behavior in the personal edition.

Best regards,
Carsten

[shearerg]

Hi again Carsten,

I had just been thinking I'd need to organise a server trial ... so your suggestion sounds great! I understand your suggestion of a multi-report or dashboard package. It certainly isn't what I had in mind, but could be ok for a simple demonstration.

Biggest problem I'm having at the moment is understanding all of the configuration options available within DAI. It takes a reasonable amount of playing around in order to uncover all of the possibilities that are available. I'm now quite convinced that with 'dynamic relations', the server edition will provide all of the functionality I need. Now I simply have to put together a demonstration that is just impressive enough to convince the production managers. I've already made reasonable progress on this while investigating DAI, and mainly need to tidy up and expand on some of the work to date.

I'll also investigate 'dashboards', as that would be bound to impress one or two people!

Thanks again for your advice,
Greg

[Carsten Sørensen]

Hi Greg,

Sounds great! (dashboards are having some cool new options in the new updated version hitting you later this week

I haven't promised you that you would be able to uncover ALL configuration options and features of Dynamic AI before your demo We try to make it as simple as possible - however it is version 6 (10 years after the first versions) so you might find a lot of options when combining things etc. we are trying constantly to improve the path(s) to the right solutions in each case - but you are right that it does take time to cope with it all! (I'm impressed by your approach!!)

I'll let you know as soon as I have an updated server edition build.

Best regards,
Carsten

[Bob Cergol]

Hi Greg,

PMJI, but reading this thread reminded me a bit of my experience discovering the power of Dynamic and trying to convince owners and managers it was a 'must-have'.

Investigating dashboards would be as easy as clicking on the checkboxes for a group of reports -- all the better if they share some common filter -- and then simply clikcing "New / Package" and voila -- instant dashboard with filters applying to all reports.

I am convinced that what really sold our management was the automated delivery via email of high-level, summariized information they could simply click on to drill down into. I packaged the reports into very condensed collections of "yesterdays results", "last weeks results" etc. showing totals of all the key business indicators I knew they would be interested in. You need the server edition for this. I didn't spend much time at all with the personal edition once I saw what I could do with the product and wanted to seriously demonstrate to management with actual results what such a tool would enable me to do for them.

Good luck!
Bob