OBIEE Blog

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Modified the NQSConfig.ini file to change the TMP directory and the DATA_STORAGE_PATH (Cache).
Restarted the BI server and presentation server and noticed that files are not being written to the expected locations.

For example, the TMP directory was changed from:

WORK_DIRECTORY_PATHS = “/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/obiee/OracleBIData/tmp”;

To:
WORK_DIRECTORY_PATHS = “/obi-tmp/tmp”;

The DATA_STORAGE_PATH was changed from:
DATA_STORAGE_PATH = “C:\OracleBI\server\Data\Temp\Cache” 500 MB ;

To:
DATA_STORAGE_PATH = “/obi-tmp/cache” 500 MB;

After making these changes, the TMP and cache files are still being written to the original locations.
Cause

Cache and TMP file locations are controlled by NSQConfig.ini parameters and the SATEMPDIR environment variable.
While the NSQConfig.ini file had been partially updated, the SATEMPDIR had not been updated at all.

The cache settings need to be updated in the NSQConfig.ini file under “[MDX_MEMBER_CACHE]” and “Query Result Cache Section.”

If the SATEMPDIR environment variable is not set and both cache locations are not updated in the
NSQConfig.ini file, the files will continue to write to the default locations.
Solution

Please complete/verify the following steps to change TMP and Cache File locations:

1. Open the NQSConfig.ini file and verify/modify desired paths for the TMP and Cache files.
You should leave original values in the file, but prefix with a “#” symbol to comment out the value.
For example:

TMP Files

#WORK_DIRECTORY_PATHS = “/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/obiee/OracleBIData/tmp”;
WORK_DIRECTORY_PATHS = “/obi-tmp/tmp”;

Cache Files

Query Result Cache Section

[ CACHE ]

ENABLE = NO;
// A comma separated list of <directory maxSize> pair(s)
// e.g. DATA_STORAGE_PATHS = “d:\OracleBIData\nQSCache” 500 MB;
#DATA_STORAGE_PATHS = “/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/obiee/OracleBIData/cache” 500 MB;
DATA_STORAGE_PATHS = “/obi-tmp/cache” 500 MB;

[ MDX_MEMBER_CACHE ]

#DATA_STORAGE_PATH = “/u01/app/oracle/product/10.1.3/obiee/OracleBIData/cache” 500 MB;
DATA_STORAGE_PATH = “/obi-tmp/cache” 500 MB;

2. Then update the SATEMPDIR environment variable to show the same physical path as the WORK_DIRECTORY_PATHS variable in the NSQConfig.ini file (”/obi-tmp/tmp”).
The SATEMPDIR is only applicable to the TMP files.

NOTE: On Linux/Unix systems, this environment variable is defined in the common.sh file in the OracleBI/setup directory.

On Windows, the SATEMPDIR is defined under System Settings -> Advanced -> Environment Variables.

3. After making these changes, stop the BI Presentation Server and BI Server. Then restart.

4. After restarting, you will see .tmp and cache files written to the new directories.

I think this is an interesting question especially for those who would like to know how BI “thinks”.

The goal is to understand what rule is followed when several fact are at the same content level

Normally the server uses the content level to pick the correct fact table.

The server is looking for the most aggregated source.

First choice is a query in which the grain of the query matches the grain of the content filter.
If there are no sources which match that criteria, it will look to other means to chose.

It looks at how many dimensions are associated with the fact table (size of the content filter), levels of the content filter, number of values from the level definitions multiplied.

This is a two step process:

1) Tick “enable any user to set variable” checkbox in the RPD for the session variable
2) When you create a dashboard prompt, in the Set Variable list, choose to populate a variable for the dashboard prompt using a server request variable.

If you set a server variable it will override explicitly the value of this variable set via the initialization block.

The variable is changed in the dashboard that uses the prompt( where the variable is set).

The dropdown box is disabled when I open the join dialog.

For the benefits of others readers, the customer wanted to know if it is possible to specify an outer join in the physical layer. Actually it is not possible explicitly specify an outer join in the physical layer. However, is possible to do this in the Business Model layer at either the “Business Model Diagram” level or within logical sources. Once done in either of those areas, the Analytics Engine will pass that join type into the generated physical SQL. The behavior of the two types of joins is:

- Full Outer Join defined in the “Business Model Diagram” between Logical Tables A & B – join will be performed between all foreign key relationships for the set of logical sources in logical tables A & B.

- Full Outer Join defined in a Logical Source – join will be performed only on the foreign key relationship chosen to define the join on.

The database features options for LEFT_OUTER_JOIN_SUPPORTED and RIGHT_OUTER_JOIN_SUPPORTED relate to whether the generated SQL will contain that syntax.