The Add a Connection dialog box
appears as shown in Illustration 11.
13.
Click OK to apply the
additions.
The Connections dialog appears,
displaying our new Connection name, as depicted in Illustration 12.
Illustration 12: The Connections Dialog Displays the New
Connection
The Connections dialog closes,
and we are returned to the Choose a Remote Cube dialog.
15.
Leaving the Connection selector
at the new Warehouse Analysis Services Cube selection, expand the FoodMart
2000 database to display the cube tree underneath.
16.
Select the Warehouse
cube, as shown in Illustration 13, to highlight it.
Illustration 13: The Completed Choose a Remote Cube
Dialog
17.
Click the Explain
button.
The Explanation message box
appears, and displays the string that will be appearing in the Provider
box of the initial PowerPlay Connect dialog, as we shall see.
18.
Close the Explanation
message box.
NOTE: The connection
details, as well as the objects that appear with various selections, will
differ based upon the environment, configurations and past actions taken within
our individual locations. Our intent here is simply to get to the sample FoodMart
2000 database and cubes that accompany a typical installation of MSSQL Server
2000, Standard Edition or above.
19.
Click Open to finalize
selection of the Warehouse cube.
The Choose a Remote Cube dialog
closes, and we return to the initial PowerPlay Connect screen.
20.
Type MSSQL_Warehouse
into the Description box, located toward the bottom of the dialog.
The completed PowerPlay Connect
dialog should now appear as shown in Illustration 14.
Illustration
14: The Completed PowerPlay Connect Dialog
21.
From the top toolbar, select File.
22.
Click Save As on the
menu.
23.
Name the file MSSQL_Warehouse.mdc,
storing it in the default location (remember, however, this location for
later).
The initial dialog reappears, this time
with the new name indicated.
24.
Click the Test button
(shown in Illustration 15) to ascertain that the connection has been
established.
Illustration
15: The Test Button on the PowerPlay Connect Toolbar
The Connection Succeeded message box should appear, as
depicted in Illustration 16 below. If this is not the result, we will
need to verify that the settings are correct for our individual environments,
and perhaps consult the relevant documentation for the components concerned.
Illustration
16: Connection Test Succeeds ...
25.
Click OK to close the
message box.
NOTE: Depending upon whether you are set up as an
Administrator in Access Manager, upon whether Cognos Common Logon
Server is running, and upon the presence or absence of other setpoints and
environmental factors, you may be prompted for signons at various points in our
procedures. As I stated before, I am assuming that the access required is
granted, and that you possess the required signon information to continue with
the steps that we undertake throughout the article.
We return again to the initial PowerPlay
Connect (now captioned PowerPlay Connect - MSSQL_Warehouse.mdc) dialog.
26.
Select File --> Exit
to close PowerPlay Connect.
We have created a Pointer file (also known as a "stub"
file), whose suffix / extension is ".mdc" (the same as the
extension for the proprietary PowerCube). The .mdc file contains connection
information to identify the data source. Any non-PowerPlay OLAP data source
requires such a file be in place.
NOTE: For more information on PowerPlay Connect,
see the online documentation that accompanies the installation of PPES
and related components.
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