Before You Get Started

Before You Get Started

This section contains the following topics:

Tools and Resources for an Xcelsius Implementation

Xcelsius Client Installation Checklist

Install the Xcelsius Client

Enable Cross-domain CA Clarity PPM Data Transfers

Install CA Clarity PPM Color Schemes in Xcelsius

Install Sample Xcelsius Dashboards

Tools and Resources for an Xcelsius Implementation

The following tools and resources are available to take advantage of Xcelsius visualizations and setting them up for real-time CA Clarity PPM data transfers:

SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius 2008

Used to download and install the Xcelsius locally on your computer. Use Xcelsius to create visualizations and to set up the data connections.

Note: For this download link to display on the software downloads page, download access rights to install Xcelsius is required. Your CA Clarity PPM administrator must perform the required setup step to copy the Xcelsius setup zip file to a CA Clarity PPM install folder.

Contact your CA Clarity PPM administrator if you are unable to download Xcelsius.

Required: Yes

Download from CA Clarity PPM software downloads page.

For more information, see the Basics User Guide.

CA Clarity UI Themes as Xcelsius Color Schemes

Used to give your Xcelsius visualizations the same colors as your portlets and pages in CA Clarity PPM. The CA Clarity PPM UI themes are available to use in Xcelsius visualizations.

Follow the instructions on the software downloads page for information about making UI themes available as Xcelsius color schemes.

Required: No

Download from CA Clarity PPM software downloads page.

For more information, see the Basics User Guide.

Design Files for Stock Xcelsius Visualizations

Used to help you get started with sample implementations. You can use the Xcelsius visualizations design files (.XLF) as is, or you can use them as a starting point to design your own Xcelsius visualizations.

See the CA Clarity-Xcelsius Implementation Guide for more information.

Required: No

Download from CA Clarity PPM software downloads page.

For more information, see the Basics User Guide.

Query as a Web Service tool

Required only if you are using the Query as a Web Service connection method. This tool is available only if you have Business Objects installed.

If you are licensed to use CA Clarity PPM through a service provider, contact your service provider to discuss whether this option is available to you.

More Information:

About CA Clarity PPM-Xcelsius Support

Xcelsius Client Installation Checklist

Following is the checklist that helps you prepare for installing Xcelsius Client:

• You have access rights to download Xcelsius Client.

  Xcelsius.zip file is available in the CA Clarity PPM downloads folder, Clarity <install>\webroot\downloads.

  Software Download - Xcelsius

  Required to download Xcelsius.

  Type: Global

• You have rights to install Xcelsius on your client computer.

Notes: Contact your CA Clarity PPM administrator for access permissions and availability of the Xcelsius.zip file.

Install the Xcelsius Client

Install SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius by downloading the .zip file from Software Downloads page. This installation includes the setup.exe, user guides, tutorials, and more.

Follow these steps:

1. In CA Clarity PPM, open Home, and from Personal, click Account Settings.

   The personal information page appears.

2. Click Software Downloads.
3. Click the Download link next to SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius and save the .zip file to a location on your computer.
4. On your computer, navigate to the .zip file and extract the contents.
5. Run the setup.exe. For example, located in the folder path:

   C:\downloads\Xcelsius-SPx\DATA_UNITS\Xcelsius\setup.exe

6. Follow the instructions on the installation wizard to complete the installation.

   If you accept all the defaults, Xcelsius is installed on:

   c:\Program Files\Business Objects\Xcelsius

Enable Cross-domain CA Clarity PPM Data Transfers

If you plan to display Xcelsius visualizations in any of the following ways, set up for cross-domain data transfers:

• Dashboard outside CA Clarity PPM
• Dashboard inside CA Clarity PPM using data from the Business Objects universes
• Dashboard inside CA Clarity PPM when the application server name is different than the server hosting Web Services

If you are licensed to use CA Clarity PPM through a service provider, contact your service provider to discuss whether this option is available to you.

Follow these steps:

1. Create an XML file with the following and save as crossdomain.xml:

   <?xml version="1.0"?>
   <!DOCTYPE cross-domain-policy SYSTEM "http://www.macromedia.com/xml/dtds/cross-domain-policy.dtd">
   <cross-domain-policy>
      <allow-http-request-headers-from domain="*" headers="*" secure="false" />
      <allow-access-from domain="*" secure="false" />
   </cross-domain-policy>
   

   Note: domain=* allows access from any domain. The domain access can be restricted and this limits the access for outside domains. For example, *.acme.com, www.acme.com.

2. Add the crossdomain.xml file to the following paths for each connection method:
   • CA Clarity PPM Web Service: <Clarity_home>\tomcat-app-deploy\ROOT
   • Query as a Web Service: /<BO_INSTALL_DIR>/bobje/Tomcat7/webapps/ROOT

Install CA Clarity PPM Color Schemes in Xcelsius

Optionally, install CA Clarity UI Themes as Xcelsius Color Schemes on Xcelsius. Apply CA Clarity PPM color to visualizations to give them the same look-and-feel as a CA Clarity PPM page.

Follow these steps:

1. In CA Clarity PPM, open Home, and from Personal, click Account Settings.

   The personal information page appears.

2. Click Software Downloads.
3. Click the Download link next to CA Clarity UI Themes as Xcelsius Color Schemes.
4. Click the Clarity_Color_Schemes_for_XC.zip link and extract the contents to the following location.

   <Xcelsius Install Folder>\assets\themes\built-in
   

   CA Clarity PPM color schemes are available in Xcelsius and can be applied to Xcelsius visualizations.

Install Sample Xcelsius Dashboards

Optionally, install the Design Files for Stock Xcelsius Visualizations on your computer to view sample Xcelsius visualizations. The visualizations are prepopulated with CA Clarity PPM data and Web Service Connection settings.

These sample Xcelsius files are the visualizations added to the stock interactive portlets The following sample Xcelsius files are available to help you get started and to test web service connections:

• Portfolio Dashboard.xlf. Corresponds to the stock interactive portlet, Portfolio.
• Resource Dashboard.xlf. Corresponds to the stock interactive portlet, Resource.

You must have the following access right to download these sample files:

Software Download - Xcelsius

Required to download Xcelsius.

Type: Global

Follow these steps:

1. In CA Clarity PPM, open Home, and from Personal, click Account Settings.

   The personal information page appears.

2. Click Software Downloads.
3. Click the Download link next to Design Files for Stock Xcelsius Visualizations and save the .zip file to a location on your computer.
4. Navigate to the DesignFiles_for_StockXcelsiusDashboards.zip file and extract the contents to a designated folder. For example:

   c:\Xcelsius\ClaritySamples
   

   Open these files in Xcelsius to review best-practice setup and to test web service connections.