Using Xcelsius to Display Real-time CA Clarity PPM Data

This section contains the following topics:

Connection Method for Real-Time Data Exchanges

About CA Clarity PPM-Xcelsius Support

Xcelsius is a dashboard tool used to build visualizations that provide a visually rich and interactive approach to analyzing data. You can export a visualization to the Flash file format and create an interactive portlet in CA Clarity PPM. Xcelsius visualizations can display real-time CA Clarity PPM data outside of CA Clarity PPM, such as from a PowerPoint presentation, Word document, and more.

To get optimal performance from your Xcelsius visualizations, follow the guidelines outlined in the BusinessObjects Xcelsius 2008 User Guide. For example, set up complex calculations in the database queries.

The CA Clarity PPM-Xcelsius integration supports the following:

Real-time CA Clarity PPM data transfers using CA Clarity PPM Web Services as the connection method.
Secured data transfers that authenticate CA Clarity PPM users through session IDs and that preserve CA Clarity PPM access rights. Users only see information they have rights to view.
Context-aware Xcelsius visualizations automatically filter data based on where the interactive portlet is located in CA Clarity PPM. Some examples:
- Overview page displays unfiltered data, such as all the projects
- Project page displays filtered data, such as projects managed by a particular user.
Color scheme consistency between the Xcelsius visualization and CA Clarity PPM.
Multiple language support enables users to view information using their preferred language.

In addition to Xcelsius, the following are the primary components used to implement Xcelsius visualizations with real-time CA Clarity PPM data. See the following for details on each of the components:

Who Should Read this Guide

Intended Audience

This guide is written for a technical audience. The guide assumes that you are familiar with the following products and know how to perform the following tasks listed under each one:

In Xcelsius:

Create visualizations
Use the Data Manager

In Studio:

Develop and configure CA Clarity PPM Studio objects
Use NSQL and WDSL (if you plan to use the web services connection method)
Create portlets

In Business Objects:

Use Business Objects universes

What Is Covered

This guide explains how to:

Download Xcelsius from CA Clarity PPM and install it
Set up to use real-time data from CA Clarity PPM in an Xcelsius visualization
Enable cross-domain data transfers that allow real-time data to be displayed in applications other than CA Clarity PPM
Set up the CA Clarity PPM color scheme in Xcelsius
Install and use the sample Xcelsius files provided with CA Clarity PPM

What Is Not Covered and Where You Can Find the Information

This guide does not explain how to:

Use Xcelsius or create visualizations
See the BusinessObjects Xcelsius 2008 User Guide for more information. This guide from SAP provides detailed information about visualizations and the Xcelsius Data Manager.
Create NSQL queries.
For more information, see the Studio Developer’s Guide. This guide provides a general overview of interactive portlets for the administrator who wants to add interactive portlets when configuring an object. This guide also provides information about creating queries and NSQL. Also, see the XML Open Gateway Developer Guide for information about WSDL and query WSDLs.
Personalize user pages with interactive portlets
For more information, see the Basics User Guide. This guide provides a general overview of the interactive portlets for basic CA Clarity PPM users. The guide is for those who want to personalize pages with interactive portlets or to add interactive portlets to personal dashboards or portlets.

Interactive Portlets

Interactive portlets display visually rich CA Clarity PPM information in real time. Interactive portlets are created in CA Clarity PPM and contain Xcelsius visualizations. These visualization are exported as vector-based graphic Adobe Flash (.SWF) files and imported into CA Clarity PPM. Interactive portlets use global and object parameters with associated Flash variables to establish secured data transfers and to create context-aware visualizations.

Use interactive portlets to:

Perform what-if analyses
Set up alerts
Drill down to go to more detailed information
Mouseover areas to view more information

After the Xcelsius visualizations are imported into the interactive portlets, associate them with objects, such as the Project object or Resource object. You can make Xcelsius visualizations available on object pages. Users can personalize their pages and add interactive portlets anywhere in CA Clarity PPM, such as their overview page.

For more information, see the Personalizing CA Clarity PPM User Guide.

Connection Method for Real-Time Data Exchanges

To enable real-time data exchanges between Xcelsius and CA Clarity PPM, set up the data connection using the following connection method:

CA Clarity PPM Web Service. Use this connection method if you want to get real-time CA Clarity PPM data through the CA Clarity PPM Web Service.

This connection includes the data sources that establish real-time data exchanges with CA Clarity PPM. You set up and configure the data connection for your visualizations using the Xcelsius Data Manager.

See the BusinessObjects Xcelsius 2008 User Guide for more information.

CA Clarity PPM Web Service

The CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method enables a visualization to get real-time data.

Secured data transfers are established in the following ways:

Authorization. A secured session for the logged in CA Clarity PPM user is enabled by creating a Flash variable, such as session_ID, in the Xcelsius visualization. A corresponding a session ID is defined in the Clarity Session ID in SOAP Header global parameter in the interactive portlet. The Flash Variable Name field of the global parameter must reference the exact Flash variable name in the Xcelsius visualization.
Access control. User access rights are preserved by including an NSQL security clause to help ensure that users see only the data to which they have access.

Example

Xcelsius visualization design files (.XLF) are available to get you started quickly. These samples can help you set up Xcelsius visualizations using the CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method. To review these samples, download Design Files for Stock Xcelsius Visualizations from CA Clarity PPM on the software downloads page.

Interactive Portlet Parameters

Use interactive portlet global and object parameters to define the information that is sent from CA Clarity PPM to the Xcelsius visualization. Interactive portlets use global and object parameters with Flash variables. Flash variables allow the visualization to accept secure data from CA Clarity PPM. The variables are defined when designing the Xcelsius visualization. Map the Flash variables to the interactive portlet by creating a corresponding interactive portlet parameter.

More Information:

Object Parameters (Interactive Portlets)

Global Parameters (Interactive Portlets)

Global parameters represent information that is available at the global level in CA Clarity PPM. You can view the information on any CA Clarity PPM page where you can include an interactive portlet. For example, you can include an interactive portlet on the overview page, a personal dashboard, or on an object page, such as the Project object.

You create global parameters from the interactive portlet in CA Clarity PPM using Studio. The data for the global parameter is made available to the Xcelsius visualization as a Flash variable. You define the mapping between the Flash variable in Xcelsius and the global parameter in the Global Parameter field. This data is available regardless of where the interactive portlet appears on CA Clarity PPM pages.

Example

Suppose you create the Language global parameter in your interactive portlet and specify the Flash variable name as "Lang". The language preference of the logged in CA Clarity PPM user is available to the Xcelsius visualization in the Flash variable named "Lang".The Language global parameter applies regardless of the CA Clarity PPM page in which you include the interactive portlet.

When configuring either of the web service connection methods in the Xcelsius Data Manager, specify the URL where the web service is hosted. You can explicitly specify the server where your web services are hosted. Alternatively, you can use the same Xcelsius visualization as-is on multiple CA Clarity PPM servers. Create either the Clarity Web Service URL global parameter or the Business Objects Web Service URL global parameter. Then enter the web service URL corresponding to the CA Clarity PPM server on which you view the Xcelsius visualization.

Download the Design Files for Stock Xcelsius Visualizations from the software downloads page. From this download, review the stock Xcelsius visualizations and better understand how these parameters are used.

For more information, see the Basics User Guide.

The following global parameters are available:

Clarity Session ID in SOAP Header

Authenticates users when the CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method is used to enable the data exchange.

Xcelsius visualizations viewed from CA Clarity PPM using the CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method to get real-time data require the SessionID of the user. The SessionID is used to authenticate with the web service. This information is made available to the Xcelsius visualization by creating the Clarity Session ID in SOAP Header global parameter.

Connection Method: CA Clarity PPM Web Service

Required: When using the CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method.

Flash Variable Name: Must match the Flash variable name defined in Xcelsius.

Example:

<n0:Auth><n0:SessionID><CLARITY_SESSION_ID>

</n0:SessionID></n0:Auth>

Clarity User Internal ID

Identifies the Internal ID associated with the logged in CA Clarity PPM user.

Example: You can use this global parameter to filter data by the internal ID to allow users to view global, user-specific information from the Xcelsius visualization.

Connection Method: CA Clarity PPM Web Service

Required: No

Flash Variable Name: Must match the Flash variable name defined in Xcelsius.

Clarity User Name

Identifies the user name of the logged in CA Clarity PPM user.

Example: You can use this parameter to filter data by the user name to allow users to view global, user-specific information from the Xcelsius visualization.

Connection Method: Web Service Connection

Required: No

Flash Variable Name: Must match the Flash Variable name defined in Xcelsius.

Clarity Web Service URL

Maps the Web Service URL when you use the CA Clarity PPM Web Service connection method to access CA Clarity PPM web services.

Connection Method: CA Clarity PPM Web Service Connection

Required: When using the same Xcelsius visualization on multiple CA Clarity PPM servers. Provide the Web Service URL for the CA Clarity PPM server from which you view the Xcelsius visualization. Otherwise, explicitly specify the server on which your web services are hosted when setting up the data connection in Xcelsius.

Flash Variable Name: Must match the Flash variable name defined in Xcelsius.

Example:

http://<servername>/niku/xog

Language

Identifies the language preference of the logged in CA Clarity PPM user. The user can determine the language associated with the Xcelsius visualizations using the account settings page.

Connection Method: CA Clarity PPM Web Service Connection

Required: No

Flash Variable Name: Must match the Flash variable name defined in Xcelsius.

Object Parameters (Interactive Portlets)

Object parameters allow CA Clarity PPM object-related information to pass to the Xcelsius visualization.

For example, consider passing information about a project manager to the Xcelsius visualization. To do that, create an object parameter in the interactive portlet that selects the Project object and Manager field. Information is made available to the Xcelsius visualization in the Flash variable by the name entered in the Flash Variable Name field.

Object parameters support stock objects and custom objects.

The object you select when creating an object parameter depends on the value selected for Instance Type when you create the interactive portlet. The following Instance Type options are available:

General. Allows the interactive portlet to embed on any CA Clarity PPM page where a portlet is included.
For example, select General as the Instance Type from the interactive portlet page and then select any object from the Object drop down.
Object. Restricts the interactive portlet to the selected object. Select an object, such as Resource or Project.
For example, select Project from the Object drop down and Manager from the Field drop down. Then enter Proj_Mgr in the Flash Variable Name field. If the interactive portlet is embedded on a page associated with the Project object, the project manager name is passed to the visualization. The project manager name is passed through the Proj_Mgr Flash variable. If the same interactive portlet is added to the overview page, the Proj_Mgr Flash variable has an empty value. The Xcelsius visualization displays all project information regardless of the project manager.

More Information:

By Example: Using an Object Parameter to Filter Portfolio Investments