bi-directional integration (bridge) between ESRI-GIS and BW

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Hi fellow BI gurus,

My client has requested to establish a bi-directional bridge between GIS and BI u2018seamlesslyu2019 whereby:-

A user can select an area of the ESRI-GIS map through a polygon containing combinations of characteristics and values (e.g. project, WBS, functional location, equipment, asset number etc.)

1. Then with a click on button somewhere on the map with execute a BI report (can be Web-based or Excel-based) processing these characteristics for display.

2. Then a user can navigate on this existing (or new) BI report to reach a new results set (like maybe smaller number of projects previously passed on) and then with a click on a button in the BI report

3. Users will be able to view the graphical representation on these characteristics on the GIS map.

ESRI-GIS has mentioned they have no problems providing and collecting these values in XML format for processing.

The major challenge is here how BI can u2018pullu2019 and u2018pushu2019 these values for processing in both a web report and BEx workbook.

I have initially tried to suggest using function exit EXIT_SAPLRRS0_001 in CMOD by writing a new program that reads a specific directory/location where the CSV file (containing values) provided by XI/PI translated from GIS XML-generated document. This new program will basically:-

1. Extract these flat file and populate the values into an internal table, followed by

2. Processing by Variable Type u2013 Customer Exit to fill in the necessary variable values for query execution

The above option allows us to not worry about whether the report is web or workbook as the processing of variable values is at the BW query-level.

However, there is a possible u2018flawu2019 on this option whereby it is good and nice if there is only 1 user and execute this action. What happens if there are multiple or concurrent users executing BI reports? This would be CMOD will be processing the customer exit for all the report requests. How does the variable exit know which values in the internal table belongs to which specific reports being executed?

Alternatively, we can also consider modifying programs like RRMX or RSAH_LAUNCH_EXCEL to take in specific workbook ID and enhanced it to collect the parameter values from a specific directory/location and process it. For web reports, a similar JavaScript program will also need to be developed to do the similar, which will be exposed as a web service.

However, I have trouble providing the technical team with what eixisting u2018programs' or function modules we can enhanced to both generate a BI report (web and workbook) and transfer the parameter values to the report for filtering. Essentially what I trying to achieve here is replicating the manual process of how BEx Analzyer and BEx Web generation a BI report. Sadly, I canu2019t back-traced to a particular program/function module of how this happens in BW, as we are not similar to SAP ERP transactions.

Also, what do you guys think about taking the program/transaction Report-Report Interface (RRI) u2013 RSBBS and modify it to cater of external application like ESRI-GIS as sender?

I have also explored the method of passing on parameter values to a BI report (web) through URL link. However, there is limit to the max. length of a URL (think is 2085) which does not fit the business requirement where users can select any number of fields from an area in the map.

At the moment, I am trying to find out whether I can enhanced a Web API standard command - Export Data Provider as XML (EXPORT_XML) to send the results data set as XML document to a specific directory/location for processing by ESRI-GIS through XI/PI.

Any inputs everyone?

Help,

KK

Edited by: Kah Keat Lim on Sep 4, 2009 8:31 AM