1. viewing

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For Internal Use Only

Process Flow: View a Web Intelligence document (HTML viewer)

Step: 1 InfoView sends the request in a URL via the Web Server to the Web Application Server.

Map

Process Web Client

In an HTML 4.0 compliant browser, InfoView provides a list of

Web Intelligence Documents for which a user has view

permissions.

A Web Intelligence document can be requested by clicking on its

hyperlinked name in the InfoView frameset. The page, a

combination of HTML and client-side JavaScript, appends several

arguments to the query string including the document’s InfoObject

ID from the System Repository.

The example below requests a Web Intelligence Report using the

Java-based InfoView.

GET

/businessobjects/enterprise115/desktoplaunch/InfoView/CrystalEnterprise_Webi/

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view.do?objId=2757&logonToken=VW2K3R2PP@3600JFifqFGhMF2HQhOl3

597JpO3SnaZEBgfIjaBONEOFF HTTP/1.1

Web Server

A 3rd party Web Server, typically Internet Information Server (IIS)

or Tomcat Apache, logs the page request and forwards it to the Web

Application Server.

Web Application Server

The Web Application Server is a collection of files written by

Business Objects in either Java or ASP.Net. The selected solution is

determined by the choice of Web Server as Microsoft’s Internet

Information Server supports ASP.Net and Tomcat Apache

processes Java pages.

Tools Web Client

AppSight

In circumstances where observing the user interacting with their

system is not possible, AppSight is a tool used to record users

interacting with their system. Similar to the black box recorder on

an airplane, it records the user’s movements and choices and can

later be played back by support personal to resolve issues.

http://www.appsight.com

HTTPAnalyzer

HTTP Analyzer is a sniffer tool that monitors and inspects

HTTP/HTTPS traffic in real time. It displays a wide range of

information, including: header, content, cookies, query strings, post

data, request and response streams, and redirection URLs.

http://www.httpanalyzer.com

Web Server

Most vendors provide a set of monitoring tools for their Web

Servers. Both Internet Information Services (IIS) and Apache

Tomcat provide log files as a means to capture their respective

workloads, though the level of detail and options do differ.

Internet Information Server Log File Location

[Install Path]\System32\Logs\

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By default, new log files created daily, though the size, occurrence

and details recorded are configurable through the IIS Manager.

Apache Tomcat Logs File Location

[Install Path]\Program Files\Business Objects\Tomcat\Logs

The Administration utility allows the Administrator to set the level

in addition to the location of the log files.

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Configuration InfoView relies on an HTTP Session to establish a valid connection

with Servers such as the CMS.

Configuring HTTP Sessions

Used to track the movement and progression of a Web Client

through a series of page requests, which are by nature stateless,

these HTTP Session are configurable and affects both server and

Web Client. Shortening the time interval for example reduces the

demand for server resources. However, too short a value increases

the component time outs during page processing and increasing the

frequency Web Clients need to log in.

HTTP Session (ASP.Net): The default value of 20 minutes of

inactivity can be changed by editing the Web.Config file and

altering the Session element.

HTTP Session (Java): The web.xml file allows editing the default

time out of the HTTP session by changing the checkInterval

element.

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Step: 2 The Web Application Server receives the URL request and determines that it is a request to view a Web Intelligence Report.

Map

Process Web Application Server

The Web Application Server is comprised of a series of Java-based or

ASP.Net files running on a 3rd party Web Server. While the files that

initiate the processing differ between Java and ASP.Net (View.do vs

webi_view.aspx), both viewers are written to process requests for Web

Intelligence documents.

The viewer page pulls the document’s InfoObject ID from the query

string (objID in Java and id in ASP.Net) and then uses the ID to invoke a

component that calls the Central Management Server (CMS).

Java

GET

/businessobjects/enterprise115/desktoplaunch/InfoView/CrystalEnterprise_Webi/v

iew.do?objId=2757&logonToken=VW2K3R2PP@3600JFifqFGhMF2HQhOl3597

JpO3SnaZEBgfIjaBONEOFF HTTP/1.1

ASP.Net

GET

/businessobjects/Enterprise115/InfoView/Webi/webi_view.aspx?id=2757&windo

wProperty=fullscreen=yes,location=no,scrollbars=yes,menubars=no,toolbars=no,r

esizable=yes HTTP/1.1

If the component is unable to connect to the CMS, an error is returned to

the Web Client in a pop-up window.

Tools Business Objects trace

Adding a command line trace parameter to the CMS instructs the server

to log its actions. With a timestamp, the trace shows a range of

information including method calls, InfoObject id’s pulled from memory,

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or calls are made to the System Repository.

The following are selected line items from a trace log after requesting a

Web Intelligence document.

CInfoStoreSubsystem::Query(proc=Select SI_ID, SI_KIND from

CI_INFOOBJECTS WHERE SI_ID=2862,chk=false,srv=true,qry=false): Start

Object was found in cache. obj ID=2862

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Step: 3 The CMS checks the System Repository to verify user rights.

Map

Process If the information about the Web Intelligence Report is not located in

memory, the Central Management Server (CMS) uses the Reports

InfoObject ID to query the System Repository using an SQL-like

syntax. The CMS retrieves a set of metadata including the user’s view

permissions.


Adding a command line trace parameter to the CMS causes the server

to log the actions it performs. Writing a Timestamp and ProcessID, the

trace shows a range of information including method calls and when

the CMS interacts with the System Repository.

The following is an example from the trace file.

Security::IsAllowed( U=12,R=3,Ob=2862,Own=12,T=262,

bLogonFromServer=0 ) : hard-coded result=true

Querytiming Parameter

This additional CMS command line parameter captures queries made

to the System Repository from the CMS.

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The following are selected lines from the log file generated by the

querytiming parameter:

SELECT SI_PROGID, SI_FILES FROM CI_INFOOBJECTS,

CI_APPOBJECTS WHERE SI_ID = 2862

SELECT SI_MACHINE, SI_MACHINECHOICE from CI_INFOOBJECTS,

CI_APPOBJECTS WHERE SI_ID=2862

SELECT SI_TITLE, SI_UPDATE_TS, SI_TIMESTAMP, SI_INSTANCE

FROM CI_INFOOBJECTS WHERE SI_ID=2862

3rd Party Tracing

As the System Repository can be installed on a several platforms, the

vendor’s database solution may also come with its own tracing

utilities. For example, Microsoft provides a utility called Profiler that

captures server load to SQL Server. Profiler displays SQL Statements

in addition to other metrics such as statement duration, paging,

deadlocks and locking.

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Step: 4 The CMS sends a response back to the Web Application Server, confirming user rights.

Map

Process Metadata about the Web Intelligence Document is returned to View.do

(Java) or webi_view.aspx (ASP.Net). Additional information, including

Edit, Export and Refresh permissions are returned. If an error occurs, the

exception is caught and displayed in a client pop-up window.

The page is returned and ViewDocument.aspx (ASP.Net) or

ViewDocument.jsp (Java) is called and begins constructing the Web

Intelligence document.

The following are examples of Java and ASP.Net solutions.

Java:

GET

/businessobjects/Enterprise115/InfoView/Webi/viewer/ViewD

ocument.aspx?id=2757&iventrystore=widtoken&kind=Webi&

ViewType=H&entSession=CE_ENTERPRISESESSION&lang

=en&objRights=EXR&windowProperty=fullscreen%3dyes%2

clocation%3dno%2cscrollbars%3dyes%2cmenubars%3dno%2

ctoolbars%3dno%2cresizable%3dyes HTTP/1.1

ASP.Net:

GET

/businessobjects/enterprise115/desktoplaunch/viewers/cdz_adv

/viewDocument.jsp?id=2757&kind=Webi&iventrystore=widto

ken&ViewType=H&entSession=CE_ENTERPRISESESSION

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&lang=en&objId=2757&logonToken=VW2K3R2PP@3634JS

NAdk3I50j67sL03631JatuZwFuLaL8R6dmONEOFF

HTTP/1.1

Tools HTTPAnalyzer

HTTP Analyzer is a sniffer tool that monitors and inspects HTTP/HTTPS

traffic in real time. It displays a wide range of information, including:

header, content, cookies, query strings, post data, request and response

streams, and redirection URLs.


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Step: 5 The Web Application Server sends a request to the Web Intelligence Report Server requesting the report page.

Map

Process The ViewDocument page continues to build the look and feel of the

Web Intelligence document but ultimately it requests a processing page

(DHTMLView.aspx for ASP.Net, ViewCDZDocument.jsp for Java)

which builds the core of the report.

The Web Intelligence Report Server uses a number of components to

retrieve the requested document including:

Report Engine

To work with a report, an instance of the Report Engine is required.

Created from the Enterprise Session, the Report Engine is reused

during the lifetime of the Enterprise Session (also known as a Logon

Session or User Session). The Enterprise session is established when

first logging into InfoView, and contains user and security settings.

The Report Engine creates a proxy SDK Document Instance after

locating the Web Intelligence Servers through the SDK or OCA library.

It is upon creating the SDK Document Instance that the Web

Intelligence Session is created.

Web Intelligence Session

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A Web Intelligence Session (also known as a Cadenza Session or

Document Session) is initialized. Created specifically for the document,

the session is not reused.

The Web Intelligence Session is used for:

• Creating and managing temporary folders on the Web

Intelligence Server

• Storing local copies of Web Intelligence Document (.wid) files

• Storing Universes

Considered a child session of an Enterprise Session, the Web

Intelligence Session inherits user and security settings from its parent.

When a Session InfoObject is created, the license count is incremented.

Caching

The Web Intelligence Server checks its cache to see if a version of the

document exists. If one does, the report is returned to the Web Client

by way of the Web Application Server.

Two caches exist: session and shared.

A session cache (also known as a private cache) is used when

• a shared cache is not enabled

• pages are refreshed

• real-time functions are used.

A sub folder is created and named after storage token under the

sessions folder. This new folder holds a set of temporary files that

contains both formatting and data for the report. The folder is cleared

periodically and automatically deleted, along with all other session sub

folders, when the Web Intelligence Report Server is stopped.

A shared cache is used once a Session cache has been refreshed and the

shared cache configuration option is enabled. The folder contains a

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copy of the .wid file stored from the File Repository Server.


Adding the command line trace parameter to the Web Intelligence

Report Server causes the server to log specific actions. The trace

parameter records information including back bone related entries

during the initialization and shutdown, file and folder creation/ access

and method calls.

The following is an excerpt from the trace file showing points of

file creation and folder access

Writing File------>:2862.wid

Writing PublishDate-->:1172691350

open o_read \Data\storage\docs\00000049\00000003.wid

Classic Webi Trace

This trace is used to record Web Intelligence Report server processes

and differs from the Business Objects trace as it logs only its own

interactions in its own process rather then all the other CORBA

commands such as pings to the CMS. These traces also keep track of

the XML files generated by Web Intelligence in a folder called

wicdztrace.

Working with this trace requires a BO_Trace.ini file to be created.

Three optional environment variables can also be set:

Environment Variables

BO_TRACE_CONFIGDIR = c:\mypath

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BO_TRACE_CONFIGFILE=c:\mypath\BO_TRACE.INI

BO_TRACE_LOGDIR= C:\MyLogFolder

BO_TRACE.INI

active=true;

important=’<<’; (options are <<,<=,==,>=,>> where << logs

informational lines to >> which is critical/error lines)

size=10000;

keep=true;

The following is an excerpt from the classic trace file showing the

creation and folder access

Writing File------>:2862.wid

Writing PublishDate-->:1172691350

open o_read \Data\storage\docs\00000049\00000003.wid

FileMon

Sysinternals provides a range tools to analyze a system. FileMon is a

tool that monitors in real time the files that have been accessed.

FileMon captures the creation of files in the private and/or shared

cache.

http://www.sysinternals.com

The following is an except from File Mon showing access to a

private session folder

10:23:10 AM QUERY INFORMATION

\storage\docs\00000049\00000003.wid_\en_US\XMLPaginated\1\Blob1.xml

10:23:10 AM UNLOCK

\storage\docs\00000049\00000003.wid_\en_US\XMLPaginated\1\Blob1.mi

me

Configuration Caching Configuration Options.

The following default values are assigned to the following Web

Intelligence Report Server properties upon installation. The values are

optimized for an installation on a single machine with up to twenty

simultaneous client connections.

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Universe Cache Size: Maximum number of universes in the public

cache. When the number is exceeded, older cache file are deleted.

Enable Viewing Caching: Controls the rendering (public) document

cache. The session (private) cache always exists.

Enable Real Time Caching: Allows Session Cache folders to be

generated when a user views the document. If disabled, scheduling

must be used.

Document Cache Duration: Cleans the cache (in minutes).

Document Cache Size: Cleans the cache when it becomes the

configured size.

Document Scan Interval: Sets how often the cleaning thread is

activated.

Maximum Number Of Downloaded Documents To Cache: Sets the

Maximum number of .wid files to be downloaded from the System

Repository.

Maximum Binary File Size: Sets the maximum file size that can be

exchanged between the server and the SDK.

Maximum Character File Size: The maximum size that can be

exchanged between the server and SDK.

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Step: 6 If there is no report in the cache, the Web Intelligence Report Server requests the report from the Input FRS.

Map

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Process After querying the System Repository for the location and name of

the report, the Web Intelligence Report Server first looks in both the

private and shared cache files to satisfy the request. If the content

can’t be located, the .wid file is streamed to the Web Intelligence

Report Server from the Input File Repository.

If the document has been saved with data, the Web Intelligence

Report Server uses the contents of the .wid file to pass the data to the

Calculator before rendering and then returning the document to the

Web Client.

The calculator is one of several sub components that comprise a

Cube and calculates the blocks of data in the document. Other sub

components of the Cube include: Query Facility, Data Provider,

Data Provider Manager, Object Dictionary and Query Expression.

Web Intelligence Document File Structure

The .wid file is a compound file.

Readable with a zip file editor, the logical structure of a .wid file is a

tree structure organized as follows:

The root folder is the .wid name.

Nodes represented by folders can be accessed by direct address

(API). Each node corresponds to a Web Intelligence Report Server

(WiReportServer) macro component including: C3 for Cube, CDZ

for WiReportServer, Drill for Drill Engine, RE or Repeng for Report

Engine. Leaves are structured binary streams that must be traversed

sequentially.

The following sections describe each node of the file.

Data Root

Node and/or leaf name Description

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Data (root)

BO_Checksum (leaf) Data insuring integrity of the file.

C3 for Cube (node)

Node and/or leaf name Description

C3 (node) Used by Cube.

DATASOURCES (C3 sub-

node)

DataSource objects: names and

hierarchies contained in the

document.

DATAPROVIDERS (C3

sub-node)

Description and data from

DataProviders or queries.

Description (leaf) Main C3 document version

(currently 2.0) and a string tag

“cdzDocument”.

Document (leaf) Document properties: some flags

including autoSynchronize=on/off.

DocumentFormula (leaf) List of anonymous formulas found

in document reports. (User may set

a formula without giving name.

DocumentVariable (leaf) List of variables, tokenized form,

also called serial form (format is

locale independent).

DocumentVariable_Data

(leaf)

Domain for variables having

custom sort.

DATASOURCES (C3 sub-node)

Node and/or leave

name

Description

DATASOURCES

node

DataSource objects: names and

hierarchies contained in the document.

DSManager (leaf) Number of DataSources, last key id (for

key generation).

For each DataSource (DS):

DSKey(DS0, DS1, …DSn)

DS type (QT) and universe connection

string=”Repold=12;UnivId=…)

Hierarchies contained by the DS:

“DS0.DH5”

Database connection

string=”4;ODBC17;SQLServer…”

Others DS info such as: repold, name,

long name, comments…

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DS properties: max =rowfetched,

maxfetchtime

Database (DB) date format, DB number

format, DB decimal separator,

maxOperandsForInList.

Flag: allowMultiSelectContext.

DATAPROVIDERS (C3 sub-node)

Node and/or leave name Description

DATAPROVIDERS (C3

sub-node)

Data coming from DataProviders.

DP0 (DataProviders sub-

node)

Name of the DataProvider used in the

document. In case of multiple

providers there will be several storage

nodes such as DP0, DP1.

Description (leaf) .wid version.

DPManager (leaf) List of the Data Providers.

SynchroManager (leaf)f For each synchronization, include the

name, key and source objects.

SynchroManager_Data

(leaf)

For each synchronization object

having custom sort: domain (similar

to DocumentVariable_Data).

DPO (DATAPROVIDERS sub-node)

Node and/or leave

name

Description

DP0 (DataProviders

sub-node)

Name of the DataProvider used in our

document. In the case of multiple

providers there will be several nodes

DP0, DP1...

DP_Data (leaf) Query result also called local cube.

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Contains Node set of the domain. Node

set contains indexes for dimension

(compressed with RLE), or hard-coded

values for the measures: DP_Key,

DP_Key value, Number of values,

frequency of the values cube name, node

set (rows, columns, indexes).

DP_Generic (leaf) XML of the query.

For each query: query description, query

xml format, server parameters, local DS

information (DSx.Dpy object

description)

DP_QT (leaf) Information related to the query

execution: prompts description, SQL

query expression tree (binary format).

CDZ for WiReportServer (node)


CDZ (node) Used by WiReportServer. Contains

information related to the

workflows.

SESSION (CDZ sub-node) Information linked to the document

state. Document state is linked to

the Query Specification and to the

Report Specification.

_PROPERTIES (leaf) Document properties and options

including name and description.

DP information is also duplicated

(DP list, queries name).

MDPWORKFLOWINFOS

(leaf)

Information linked to the current

command execution. Information is

used to resume an interrupted

command in case, for example, of

prompt or context execution.

SESSION (CDZ sub-node)

Node and/or leave

name

Description

SESSION (CDZ sub-

node)

Information linked to the document state,

which state is linked to the Query

Specification and to the Report

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Specification.

State (leaf) Document state can be:

Initial (document is just created)

Created DP

Defined query

Waiting for Context or Prompt execution

Executed query

Defined report.

DRILL for Drill Engine (node)


DRILL (node) Used by Drill engine.

Drill_Infos (leaf) Drill Infos such as Drill Setting, and

per report: Report_Id, Drill_Bar. Per

Drill_Block: Block_Id and

Drill_Hierarchies. Per

Drill_Hierarchies: Dim_Key and

Hier_Key. Drill_Dimensions. Query

filters, Drill parameters.

RE for Repeng (Node)


RE (node) Used by Repeng.

DOCSPEC (leaf) XML of the Report Specification and

formula tokenized form. Also called

serial form (cube team).



Report Server causes the server to log the actions it performs.

Writing a Timestamp and ProcessID, the trace shows a range of

information including file access and shared or private session folder

access.

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The following is an excerpt from the trace file showing file

access.

:cached output found

Reading File------>:2863.wid

Reading PartID-->:Blob1.xml.

Classic Webi Trace

This is a trace is used to monitor Web Intelligence Report server

processes. This approach differs from trace parameter as it does not

log commands such as pings to the CMS but does identify a range of

operations including working with sub components and working

with files. This trace also records the XML generated by Web

Intelligence processes in a folder called wicdztrace.

Errors and warnings in the workflow can also be easily found as they

are explicitly labeled with an |E| or |W|.

Working with this trace requires a BO_Trace.ini file to be created

and three optional environment variables to be set:


The following Environment variables can be set to override the

default location ([windows install path]\system32) of the log file.




BO_TRACE.INI

active=true;



size=10000;

keep=true;

The following is an excerpt from the classic BO trace file

showing the Web Intelligence Report Server referencing files and

values used in rendering HTML.

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DocExpress:Caching media profiles file:E:\...

\win32_x86\config\bobjserver\caching_media_profiles.xml

C3QEX_Dictionary:>>:country=US

C3QEX_Dictionary:>>:language=en

Configuration Setting Locale Values

In BusinesObjects Enterprise XI R2, the formatting locale for the

Web Intelligence Documents is independent from the locale where

the document was saved.

To set the correct locale for viewing Web Intelligence Documents,

click the preferences icon in InfoView.

The default locale set in the Web Client is overridden by the

Preference settings in the General tab. Likewise setting the locale for

the Web Intelligence Document overrides the values set in the

General tab.

The locale information is read just prior to the server rendering the

report.

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Step: 7 If the Report is set to “Refresh on Open”, the report’s data is retrieved and aggregated in preparation for rendering.

Map

Process Using the files contained in the .wid file, the Report Server delegates the

stages of initialization, retrieving and rendering to different components.

The following steps are implemented to retrieve, calculate and render a

Web Intelligence Document.

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1) A Query Specification is read. The Query Specification is an XML

description of all the data sources along with any additional properties

that affects the connection. These connections communicate with 3rd

party drivers to retrieve data. The Query Specification was created and

added to the .wid file when the Web Intelligence Document was first

created.

2) The Query Technique generates an SQL statement to retrieve the

data.

3) The SQL statement is returned to the Data Provider.

4) The generated SQL statements are executed against their data stores

as defined by their query specification (an XML representation of the

data sources and their parameters). The credentials of the user who

requested the Web Intelligence Report are used to retrieve the data. If

the user has insufficient rights on the data store the process is aborted

and the client displays an error in a pop-up window.

5) The data is returned to the Data Provider.

6) The data is then forwarded to the Web Intelligence Report Server

(WiReportServer).

7) A Report Specification is read and passed to the Report Engine

(RepEng) from the Report Server. The Report Specification describes

style information for the report.

8) To create aggregations, the Report Engine passes the data to the

Query Facility, where a calculation plan is built and executed.

WiReportServer (Communication and orchestration)

Cube RepEng (Page rendered in XML)

DP (Orchestrate data retrieval)

Calculator (Build and execute calculation plan from report spec

and DP)

QF

QT (Generate SQL)

CS (Execute SQL)

Report spec (XML)

Report output (XML)

1

2 3

4

5

6

7

8’ 8

9

10

Facilitate communication between RepEng and

Calculator using iterators

DP : Data provider

QF : Query facility

QT : Query technique

CS : Connection server

RepEng : Report Engine

Query spec (XML)

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9) The data is passed back to the Report Engine where the output is

rendered as XML (this includes the styles from the Report Specification

along with the embedded database values)

10) The Report Output is cached on the Web Intelligence Report Server

before being delivered to the Web Application Server.



Report Server causes it to log its actions. Writing a Timestamp and

ProcessID, the trace shows a range of information including method

calls and file access.

Classic Webi Trace

This is a trace is used to monitor Web Intelligence Report server

processes. This approach differs from trace parameter as it does not log

commands such as pings to the CMS but does identify a range of

operations including working with sub components and working with

files. This trace also records the XML generated by Web Intelligence

processes in a folder called wicdztrace.

Errors and warnings in the workflow can also be easily found as they are

explicitly labeled with an |E| or |W|.

Working with this trace requires a BO_Trace.ini file to be created. Three

optional environment variables to be set:





BO_TRACE.INI

active=true;



size=10000;

keep=true;

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3rd Party Tracing

The vendor’s database solution may also come with its own tracing

utilities. For example, Microsoft provides a utility called Profiler.

Capturing the server, Profiler displays the SQL Statements executed

against the server in addition to a range of metrics including statement

duration, i/o, deadlocks and locking.

Config Refresh On Open

Available during the Save As procedure, the report ensures that

when the report is viewed, steps are taken to refresh the data as

defined by the associated universes.

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Step: 8 The Web Intelligence Report Server sends the finished report page to the Application Web Server.

Map

Process The Web Application Server renders the report as HTML in

Report.aspx or Report.jsp page and passes the completed report to the

Web Client via the Web Application Server.

Tools HTTPAnalyzer

HTTP Analyzer is a sniffer tool that monitors and inspects

HTTP/HTTPS traffic in real time. It displays a wide range of

information, including: header, content, cookies, query strings, post

data, request and response stream, and redirection URLs.


1. viewing

Documents

web application server

choice of web server

party web server

web servers

web intelligence report

server resources

tools web client appsight

map process web client