Continuing from my last blog, Caboodle - Part 12 - Analysis for OLAP Config & Test
In this blog, I configure my Caboodle environment for mobile application using the BOBJ4 Mobile Business Intelligence (MOBI) component. Specifically for the iPad.
The iPad uses the SAP BI App client software which communicates directly to the BOBJ4 Server, unlike BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian S60 supported devices which are authenticated and processed via two dedicated BOBJ4 Mobile Servers.
The iPad client application is downloaded via Apple App Store.
The blog is structured as
- Web Server Application
- iPad Client Software
- Testing
Web Server Application
I cannot be 100% sure, but I believe the Web Server .war file Application "MobileBIService.war" was downloaded at the time I originally installed the BOBJ4 Server, by selecting the "CMS plugin for Mobile"
To deploy the Web Application, I copied the "MobileBIService.war" file, located in directory
C:Program Files (x86)SAP BusinessObjectsMobile14Client
to the Tomcat's "Webapps" directory located at
C:Program Files (x86)SAP BusinessObjectsTomcat6webapps
A restart of Tomcat, would now automatically deploy my .war file as a Web App
iPad Client Software
On the iPad, I navigated to the App Store
I searched using "sap mobile" text. Not very clear to see, sorry
From the search results, there was the "SAP BusinessObjects Mobile"
"Install"
A short while after, the software was downloaded onto the iPad
That's now the device's client software downloaded. We will return to the iPad to configure the "Connection" settings.
Testing
Currently, the iPad SAP BI App only works with WebI "content type". The Application is configured to see objects that are assigned the "Category" of "Mobile". This can be changed via modifying the MobileBIService Web Application's mobi.properties File.
I roamed around the CMC->Folders for some WebI Content and found the following.
To Categorize them as "Mobile", I right-clicked the objects, navigated to "Categories", and choose "Mobile".
Then "Save"
I then performed an ipconfig on my VM which houses the BOBJ4 Web Server, confirming the address 192.168.1.15, for which I will need to configure the iPad.
Note: Both my Web Server and CMC are on the same host (192.168.1.15)
WI-FI
So, now to the SAP BI App
The App opened up. (you may not get the three reports you can see below)
By pressing the "settings" or "+" icons, I opened up the SAP BI Settings
As the default Setting was on "Connections" (left hand side), I continued to enter the Connection parameters. Notice I have added information in bold italics to explicitly explain the parameter.
Note: I am locally connecting to a network via WI-FI.
A Connection name: Caboodle
The Tomcat Web Server URL: 192.168.15:8080
The CMS Server Name: 192.168.15:6400
The User Authentication: Enterprise
The User Name: Administrator
The User Password: Abcd1234
Both Default Connection, and Save Password toggles to "On"
and Save
Returning back to the SAP BI Settings
I toggle the Connections to "On", and I was connected
I was immediately presented with the five WebI Content Reports I had configured (see lower half). The downloaded "Mobile features 480x360" ,see upper half, is the Sample WebI I installed outside this blog. Just ignore it for now.
I downloaded the first WebI, "Charting Samples"
and selected it to run. At last, I could see the WebI Report. (Excuse the angle, but had to do it like this to avoid the glossy reflection of the iPad).
Notice, in the lower half of the iPad screen, displays a "This content is not supported". That's ok, as I am not here to fix that.
In the CMC, here is the View of the WebI shown above.
3G
Finally ! I got it working. Here's how.
I setup a dynamic DNS. I used dyn.com. I just gave it a name it suggested, and it found my Router's IP address. Saved it all, and that was it. For documentation purposes here, I will call my DNS gingle.xxx.com
I tested gingle.xxx.com connecticity via "ipconfig"
Next to configure the inbound request's port to be forwarded to the approriate server on my home router.
I decided that I was going to use port 11811 for my public access (e.g. gingle.xxx.com:11811). As this was going to be routed through my home network router, to the VM Web server 192.168.1.15, port 8080, I performed some port forwarding setup
The idea of this was to send request gingle.xxx.com:11811 entering my home network to 192.168.1.15:8080
Port 8080 of 192.168.1.15, as previously stated is the BOBJ4 Tomcat's Web Server and default port for the home page.
I then tested the DNS and port forwarding was working by using my host laptop of the VM, opened up a web browser, and entered the URL
So all was good so far.
I then setup another iPad Connection. Here are the Connection settings ...
Connection name: Public Caboodle
The Server URL: gingle.xxx.com:11811
The CMS Name: 192.168.15:6400
The User Authentication: Enterprise
The User Name: Administrator
The User Password: Abcd1234
Interesting to note, the CMS Name is the internal network IP address. You can use a DNS for the CMS IP address, so long as it is set up on the machine and or network.
I now have access to the available reports, in the same manner as I had above. Download as usual.
So that concludes this blog.
Continue on to my next blog (TBD)