This page is for data modellers who want to connect to an external database, either to load data or to export processed data back to it.
Overview
A datasource is a modelling object whose properties provide the information needed to connect to an external database. You must have one datasource for each type of database to which you need to connect. In an analysis model, you can add:
- a Database Collector to load data from a database.
- a Database Exporter to update the database with processed data from the model.
The datasources you create appear in the Basic Settings → Datasource list in collector and exporter properties.
Each datasource must have at least one datasource instance. You can add several instances if you want to configure different settings. For example you may want to connect to the same database using a different username and password for different scheduled tasks.
In the properties for collectors and exporters, you can optionally specify the datasource instance using the Advanced → Datasource Instance Expression.
To add a new datasource to an analysis model:
- Go to the model's toolbar → Create group.
- Click
to expand the menu.Insert excerpt _database _database nopanel true - Drag a
onto the analysis model.Insert excerpt _datasource _datasource nopanel true
To add an existing datasource to an analysis model, in the model diagram toolbar:
- Go to the model toolbar → List group.
- Click
to expand the menu.Insert excerpt _database _database nopanel true - Click
to open the list of available datasources.Insert excerpt _datasource _datasource nopanel true - Drag a datasource into the analysis model.
Datasource
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Basic Settings
In addition to the standard icons, the properties toolbar includes
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For a datasource, you must:
- Enter a Name.
- Select a Driver class.
- Add at least one datasource instance.
- Tick the Enabled check box when it is ready to use.
We recommend you tick Protect during import to prevent this datasource being updated or deleted during import.
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| Name | Enter the name for this datasource. It is helpful to use a name that reflects the type of database to which it will connect. This name appears in the Datasource drop-down list for database collectors and exporters. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enabled |
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| Protect during import |
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| Database Driver | Select the driver class for the type of database to which the datasource connects.
When a driver class is selected, to open its properties, click the Driver Class heading.
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Datasource Instances
This section has a toolbar with standard buttons.
The grid contains a list of datasource instances that belong to this datasource. Double-click on a row to open the datasource instance properties.
To add a datasource to the list, click
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To remove a datasource instance from the grid, use the toolbar button
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Database Collectors
This section has a toolbar with standard buttons.
The grid contains a list of database collectors that use this datasource. Double-click on a row to open the database collector properties. You can change whether or not the collector uses this datasource or whether the collector is enabled.
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Any changes you make will affect the analysis models in which the collector is used. |
Analysis Models
This section has a toolbar with standard buttons.
The grid contains a list of analysis models that use this datasource. Double-click on a row to open the analysis model properties.
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Basic Settings
For a datasource instance, you must:
- Enter a Name.
- Enter the URL for the database.
- Specify the Username and Password.
- Tick the Enabled check box when it is ready to use.
Other settings are optional.
| Field | Description | |||||||||
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Name | Enter the name for this instance. In the properties for collectors and exporters, you can specify this instance by using its name in the Datasource Instance Expression. | |||||||||
| Enabled |
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| URL | Enter the URL for the target database. Example URLs
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| Authorisation Type | Select:
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| Username | Enter a username. | These options are available when Authorisation Type is Local. This username and password must match an account that is configured to access the datasource instance. PhixFlow connects to the datasource using this username and password. | ||||||||
| Password | Enter a password. | |||||||||
| Username Key | Enter the key that identifies the username in the keystore. | These options are available when Authorisation Type is External. The keys must match a username and password stored in the keystore and these are configured to access the datasource instance. PhixFlow connects to the datasource using this username and password.
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| Password Key | Enter the key that identifies the password in the keystore. | |||||||||
Advanced
Only use these options if you know about database connections and SQL queries. For help with these options, contact support@phixflow.com.
| Field | Description |
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Check Query | Use this field when connections to the target database might go stale. This can happen if the target database disconnects long-running connections. Enter a database query that will return a row from the database. PhixFlow runs the query against the database just before each use of a pooled connection. If the query does not return a row, the connection is discarded and a new connection is created. To avoid any performance impact, the query should execute quickly. See the Query String section of the Database Collector Properties page for information about writing SQL queries in PhixFlow. |
| Datasource Profile | Use this field when the target database has additional requirements not covered by the datasource and datasource instance properties. Enter the path to an external datasource connection profile. PhixFlow will use the configuration information in the profile to connect to the target database. |
| Description | Optionally enter a information about the advanced configuration. |
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