Integration of BI LaunchPad into custom developed Java-software

[Former Member]

Dear all,

I've a question but I'm not sure where will be the right place so I will try it here.

At the moment we are developing a java based web application. The transactional data will be delivered to SAP BW as integration platform. On top we plan an SAP BO BI with reports based on crystal reports and perhaps WebI. My understanding is now, that the reports are stored centrally in the BOE (LaunchPad). A requirement is to integrate the report navigation (this means the list of reports for each user, who is logged in at my web application) into my web application based on the current users authorization. Is this szenario possible and when, how??

Thanks and regards!

[Toby_Johnston · Accepted solution]

Hi Gerrit,

The great thing about BI Platform is that the Central Management Server handles the object security for you.

After you setup your usergroups (SAP role based authentication or Active Directory) you may configure security at the folder level inside of the Central Management Console based on these group princples (usergroups).

Then from your application, you would log the user on to BI Platform (CMS) and establish an enterprise session.  From the enterprise session you issue queries to the CMS InfoStore (the metadata repository where all InfoObjects are stored) and the results of this query are based on what that user is authorized to see.

For example, you create folder SAP Reports that contains 5 Crystal Reports documents.  User X is part of Group A and Group A can view 3 of the 5 Crystal Reports documents in this folder.  When your application issues an InfoStore query using a session created for User X, the CMS will only return the 3 objects that User X is able to 'view'. 

The query below would return all Crystal Reports documents that the user is authorized to see that are existing in a specific folder.

SELECT SI_ID, SI_NAME FROM CI_INFOOBJECTS WHERE SI_KIND='CrystalReports' AND SI_PARENTID=<FOLDER ID>

For more information on sdk topics and InfoStore queries you can refer to the Java Developer Guide and Java API.

Business Intelligence platform Java SDK Developer Guide
Business Intelligence platform Java API Reference (Javadocs)

Cheers,

Toby

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Dear Toby,

thank you for this very helpful answer. Do you know where to download SAP BI BO Java SDK? I haven't found it yet in the service marketplace.

Thanks and regards!

[former_member189544 · Accepted solution]

Hi Gerrit,

the SAP BI BO SDKs come with the product installation of the BI platform servers and clients.

Regards,

Harald

[Toby_Johnston · Accepted solution]

Hi Gerrit,

You will find the SDK libraries installed on your BOE nodes.  Please refer to the following SAP knowledge base article for a list and location of the JAR files you need to include in your application CLASSPATH.

1645451 - Which jar files to use for SAP BusinessIntelligence Platform 4.0 Business Intelligence platform Java SDK applications?

Cheers,

Toby

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Gerrit,

I've put together a quick demo of the SDK, you should be able to copy/paste some code out of here to create a new session with BusinessObjects and get a list of reports.

http://blog.davidg.com.au/2012/06/infoview-express-bobj-sdk-demo.html

I'd call each report with OpenDocument, which is a URL syntax where you define some parameters and BusinessObjects will return the report complete with navigation buttons, toolbars, etc. You'll find the manual at http://help.sap.com/boall_en (note the syntax is different in different versions, so get the manual that matches your version).

[rama_shankar3 · Accepted solution]

David:

This is cool stuff. Great job on the coding / sdk usage. Thanks for sharing.

Rama

[Former Member]

Rama,

If users login to java web application with win ad then view  the reports which are embedded using open doc then the users will be challenged with login again, this time from BO

So we need to configure Trusted authentication for Win ad users so that the user who logs into custom java application can be passed to Bo using any one of retrieval methods like Query_string, Http_header, user_session, cookie etc..Now when the user opens the report authorizations will be applicable and no login challenge will be displayed from BO

Regards,

Rohit Vamsi

[rama_shankar3]

Gerrit,

Yes, this is possible. It is also straight forward if you use Windows AD auth for your java application. All you have to do is embed opendoc calls to your BO reports within your java web app and configure Windows AD auth within BO.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Rama