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:

1. Go to the model's toolbar → Create group.
2. Click

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    to expand the menu.
3. Drag a 

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   _datasource _datasource nopanel true

    onto the analysis model.

To add an existing datasource to an analysis model, in the model diagram toolbar:

1. Go to the model toolbar → List group.
2. Click

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    to expand the menu.
3. Click 

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    to open the list of available datasources.
4. Drag a datasource into the analysis model.

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Datasource 

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Basic Settings

In addition to the standard icons, the properties toolbar includes 

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, which opens a list of tables visible for this datasource using the default login details; see the Table Details window.

For a datasource, you must:

• Enter a Name.
• Select a Database Driver.
• 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.

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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 . PhixFlow opens the properties for a new datasources instance; see Datasource Instance Properties, below.

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.

Note
Any changes you make will affect the analysis models in which the collector is used.

Rate Limiting

This feature is available in PhixFlow version 11.1+.

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Advanced

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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Anchor
instance instance

Datasource Instance 

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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.

Advanced

Only use these options if you know about database connections and SQL queries. For help with these options, contact support@phixflow.com.

Remember to click 

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 to save and close the  datasource instance properties and return to the datasource properties tab.

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